SOJC Internship Support Fund

The Winter 2025 application is open.

Applications are due Wednesday, January 22 by 8:59am.

Please email Jessica Lovell at jlov@uoregon.edu if you have questions.

The SOJC Internship Support Fund provides stipends of up to $1,500 to students pursuing unpaid or low paying internships. The fund was created with the help of generous donors and is intended to support students with financial need, students from diverse backgrounds and those participating in their first college internship.

All SOJC students (majors and minors) are welcome to apply, but the fund is intended to serve students who need it most. The application takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.

We highly recommend that you meet with an SOJC Career & Academic Advisor about your application before you apply to ensure that you are submitting the strongest application possible. Please contact the SOJC Undergraduate Student Success Center 541-346-2884 or sojcadvising@uoregon.edu to make an appointment.

Students must secure an internship before they apply. If you would like assistance securing an internship, please make an appointment with one of the advisors in the SOJC Undergraduate Student Success Center. An advisor would be happy to discuss internship search strategies with you.

Awardees will receive a support fund disbursement that can be used at the student’s discretion for expenses related to the internship i.e. gas, mileage, professional attire, etc. Students can only receive this internship funding once.

If for any reason you have questions or concerns or want to discuss your situation in person before completing the application, please contact SOJC Career and Academic Advisor Jessica Lovell at jlov@uoregon.edu.

The fund considers three criteria:

  • Students with financial need (as determined by FAFSA, ORSAA, other factors)
  • Students from diverse backgrounds and/or minoritized identities
  • Students pursuing their first internship with a focus on non-profit organizations

When applying, you will be asked for the following:

  • Description of your internship
  • Statement of your career goals and an explanation of how the internship will help you achieve these goals (200+ words)
  • Explanation of how this fund will help you be successful in completing your internship.
  • Permission to access your academic and financial need records. This information will be used solely for the purpose of assessing student need and will not be shared outside of the SOJC Internship Support Fund selection committee. FAFSA, ORSAA, and scholarship financial information are some of the factors that will be considered to assess student need. If you have not yet, please fill out your FAFSA/ORSAA before applying. We understand that in certain circumstances students may not have access to FAFSA, ORSAA, but still have financial need. If you fall under these criteria, please indicate that on your application.
    • Please submit your FAFSA, ORSAA or Statement of Financial Need by the application deadline.
      • The FAFSA(Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is an online application for students who are US citizens, Legal Permanent Residents (LPRs) or other eligible non-citizens.
      • The ORSAA(Oregon Student Aid Application) is an alternative to the FAFSA for Dreamer students including students who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) as well as other undocumented students.
      • The Statement of Financial Needis a form for international students with a valid student visa and can be emailed directly to the UO Division of Global Engagement.
  • Copy of your internship offer (pdf, image file, screenshot, etc.), documentation of work arrangements, and a detailed scope of work
  • Copy of your resume (pdf format). If you need assistance with resume edits/creation, please contact the SOJC Undergraduate Student Success Center 541-346-2884 or sojcadvising@uoregon.edu to make an appointment.
  • Review and confirm your internship meets the Department of Labor Fair Standards Act Internship criteria
  • If possible, provide information on your background and why additional support would be helpful to your financial circumstances

The fund is not intended for…

  • Internships that go for a duration that is less than six weeks.
  • Employers looking to subsidize intern expenses. The SOJC advocates for the payment of interns. The SOJC Internship Support Fund does not advocate for unpaid internships rather it allows students with financial need, minoritized identities, and those participating in their first internship to have access to opportunities.
  • Programs affiliated with the University of Oregon such as GlobalWorks international internships, athletics internships, campus internships, student groups, etc. are not eligible for the SOJC Internship Support Fund. Please email ehenkel@uoregon.edu, if you have questions about the types of opportunities that qualify for this fund.
  • Students that have completed several internships to date.
  • Students participating in SOJC and campus affiliated clubs/organizations such AHPR, AHA, Emerald, etc.

Awardees have the opportunity to meet with a member of the SOJC Undergraduate Student Success Center or a follow up appointment upon completion of the internship. This is an opportunity to update their resume, reflect on their internship experience, and discuss next steps in the career development process.

Help us support the internship fund

If you are interested in helping our students pursue professional internships, please consider donating to our fund. Contributions can be made by clicking here. Donors who wish to give via check, gifts or stock, etc. should contact the SOJC Development Team by emailing sojcdevelopment@uoregon.edu