NCA's Summer Internship Grant Program (SIGP): 2016 Brochure

SIGP $

SUMMER INTERNSHIP

GRANT PROGRAM

Since 2007, the Summer Internship Grant Program (SIGP) has made it possible for undergraduate students to pursue unpaid internships.

In 2016, more than 350 Northwestern students received grants of at least $3,000 to participate in unpaid summer internships—the highest number awarded in SIGP’s history.

CAREER ADVANCEMENT

The Student Experience Who they are 352 students from 6 schools/colleges Went to 25 states, the District of Columbia and 25 countries

90%

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of whom would have had to turn down their summer experience or supplement the experience with a second job if it had not been for SIGP funding

Where they went Students interned at a range of companies and organizations in a variety of industries, including: Arts, Culture, Museums & Performance

Communication, Journalism, Media & Publishing

Government & Public Policy

Adler Planetarium

CNN Buenos Aires

Chicago Council on Global Affairs

California Historical Society

The Herald-Times

U.S. Department of Commerce

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Popular Science

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Prague Shakespeare Company

Thompson Literary Agency

U.S. Global Leadership Coalition

Seattle Children’s Theatre

Women’s eNews

White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

What they learned Communication Teamwork Initiative Flexibility/Adaptability Analytical Skills

98%

of students said they would recommend their summer experience to another Northwestern student

SIGP Supporters Funding for the Summer Internship Grant Program comes from a variety of sources, including alumni, parents, staff and Northwestern. The Alumnae of Northwestern University, Council of One Hundred and Buffett Institute for Global Studies are among the major contributors.

Why give?

We are thrilled to see the number of summer interns grow to more than 350 in 2016.

One of the joys of being a SIGP donor is the opportunity for our Alumnae Directors to interact with students—to hear first-hand about their summer experience and its impact on their choice of career.

The Alumnae of Northwestern University Credit: Michael Goss

Alumnae Leaders

Over two summers, the SIGP program has made me feel so supported as I seek opportunities in music and arts administration. Being a SIGP recipient relieved my concerns about affording to pursue these opportunities, which allowed me to focus on growing through my summer experience.

Landon Hegedus Bienen Junior

Landon (pictured with his supervisor, Eileen) interned with an orchestra’s PR department in summer 2016.

Since SIGP’s inception, student demand for support to pursue unpaid summer experiences continues to increase.

Without SIGP, the majority of selected students would need to turn down their summer experiences or supplement them with a second job.

Financial support for SIGP goes directly to students to pay for living and travel expenses during the summer of their unpaid experiences.

This opportunity allowed me to combine my communication, writing and design skills with my interests in financial services and business. I would not have been able to do so without the SIGP grant.

-Medill First Year

SIGP allowed me to give 100 percent of my time and effort to the campaign that I worked on, which, in this internship, was uniquely important to my experience. I cannot express my gratitude enough to the alumni who supported my fellow Northwestern students and me this summer as we worked in offices and labs that gave us experience and insight into potential future careers, allowing us to do so without the stress of supporting ourselves financially.

-SESP Sophomore

This summer I really learned what it takes to be a part of a big company. I made a lot of fantastic connections in the energy world that will be invaluable to me later on in life. Working as part of a team showed me how to really cooperate and function as part of a tight-knit unit.

-McCormick First Year

Due to SIGP, I was able to purse a unique and personalized summer experience since the grant gave me the opportunity to propose an unpaid internship and project with a non-profit organization I was interested in.

-SoC Sophomore

sigp@northwestern.edu | wewill.northwestern.edu/supportSIGP @NUCareerAdvance | (847) 491-3700