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 2017, nearly 400 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 394 students from 6 schools/colleges
N
Went to 29 states, the District of Columbia and 30 countries
90%
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 organizations in a variety of industries, including: Arts, Culture, Museums & Performance
Communication, Journalism, Media & Publishing
Government & Public Policy
Brevard Music Center
Chicago Sun-Times
French Embassy in the United States
British American Drama Academy (Oxford)
Deadline Detroit
NASA
Smithsonian Cultural Rescue Initiative
Los Angeles Magazine
San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Prose Media
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Zephyr International Chamber Music Festival (Italy)
Texas Monthly
United States Embassy in Seoul, South Korea
What they learned Communication Flexibility/Adaptability Initiative Self-confidence Problem-solving
97%
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 the University. The Alumnae of Northwestern University, Council of One Hundred, Buffett Institute for Global Studies and NU Club of Washington, D.C. are among the major contributors.
Why give? We are thrilled to see the number of summer interns grow to nearly 400 in 2017. One of the joys of being a SIGP donor is the opportunity for our Alumnae Board of Directors to interact with students–to hear first-hand about their summer experiences and the impact on their choice of career. Credit: Michael Goss
Alumnae Leaders
Without SIGP, I wouldn’t have been able to intern this summer. I loved having an opportunity to work for a non-profit arts organization and felt really engaged during my internship. I learned that I like working with public art, and I now have an understanding of what needs to be done in every aspect of a non-profit.
Erin Gregory SoC Junior
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 experience, made possible by SIGP, was truly a valuable stepping stone in the trajectory of my career. -SoC Sophomore
The experience I gained has been exceptional, and it will be helpful to me as I search for my first job after completing my undergraduate education. It should go without saying, but without a generous SIGP grant, this opportunity would have been unavailable to me, and I would not have been able to continue my personal and professional development in the same unique way. -SESP Junior
This program allowed me to see what I truly want to do with my life. I was able to work at a mental health non-profit, where I had the opportunity to follow my passion of peer mental health services and how that intersects with my journalism major. I’m so thankful to Northwestern University’s SIGP program for giving me this opportunity to chase my career goal of destigmatizing mental health.
-Medill Sophomore
Being in Silicon Valley helped me learn more about the technology industry and the work they are doing in artificial intelligence, mixed reality, etc. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity, which would not have been possible without SIGP. -McCormick First-Year
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