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 2018, 449 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 449 students from 6 schools/colleges Went to 28states, the District of Columbia and 25 countries
90%
N
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
Aspen Music Festival and School
90.5 WESA | Pittsburgh’s NPR News Station
American Public Human Services Association
Ballet HispĂĄnico
Baltimore Magazine
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Berlin Academy Opera
Chicago Reader
Illinois Department of Public Health
Brookfield Zoo Chicago Zoological Society
Miami Herald
U.S. Department of State
Hamilton: An American Musical
POLITICO Europe
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
What they learned Communication Skills Flexibility/Adaptability Initiative Analytical Skills Self-confidence
96%
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 450 in 2018. One of the joys of being a SIGP donor is the opportunity for our Alumnae Board of Directors to interact with students – to hear firsthand about their summer experiences and the impact on their choice of career.
Alumnae Leaders
Thanks to SIGP, I was able to participate in hands-on fieldwork that allowed me to explore the Chicagoland area while collecting bees at a living plant museum. It was incredible to be part of the entire process, starting with bee collecting, then pinning and identifying. I am so lucky I was able to partake in this wonderful opportunity.
Alicia Wala Weinberg Sophomore 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 internship experience helped me make the decision to pursue a law degree after college with a focus in international law. I greatly appreciated this valuable opportunity and meaningful experience made possible by SIGP.
-SESP Sophomore
My summer experience was an invaluable opportunity to get hands-on exposure to real language data. As a linguistics major, much of my classroom learning about the scientific study of language has been highly theoretical. Thanks to the funding I received from SIGP, I was able to participate firsthand in efforts to preserve and revitalize languages around the world that are threatened by extinction.
-Weinberg Sophomore I have always been interested in non-profits and social services, but have never been able to dedicate so much time to developing my opinion, relationship, and voice on the matter. SIGP allowed me to take that leap for the summer, without adding the concern of finances. I could not be more thankful for this opportunity, as it solidified my career path in social work with adolescents.
-Medill Junior
Working with my team this summer really showed me that I love the teamwork environment. Everyone has their own roles and responsibilities, but your team is always there to support you and help you when you need new ideas or solutions to problems. I'm very grateful that SIGP helped me have this incredible experience!
-SoC First-Year
wewill.northwestern.edu/supportSIGP | northwestern.edu/sigp sigp@northwestern.edu | @NUCareerAdvance | (847) 491-3700