Through the Career Services Internship Endowment at Penn State Harrisburg from the John Crain Kunkel Foundation, Career Services offers students financial support (up to $4,500) for unpaid internships with nonprofits and community agencies.
Students must have an internship to submit an application. Interested in applying but haven’t secured an internship yet? Visit Nittany Lion Careers (NLC). You can also schedule an appointment with a career counselor through your NLC account.
Program Guidelines and Information
Overview
- Depending on date of submission, selected students may receive up to $4,500 dispersed in one installment- Please refer to the timeline for additional details.
- Endowments are not intended to replace wages. Instead, it is meant to help alleviate supplemental costs associated with pursuing an unpaid internship including, but not limited to housing, transportation (travel to city of employer, daily tolls/commuting costs), and food.
- This funding is eligible for both non-credit and for-credit internships- All majors will be considered.
- For-credit- Students are responsible to contact their academic department (Program Coordinator/Internship Coordinator) to make sure that they fulfill their requirements.
- Submission is not a guarantee of available funds or that an endowment will be allocated.
- Endowments are tied to a specific internship and cannot be transferred to new internships. If changing internship after accepting endowment for another experience, student will need to submit a new application.
Before submitting application, students are strongly encouraged to meet with:
- Professional writing tutors in the Learning Center. Make an appointment here or visit their office in the Student Enrichment Center, Room 201.
- Career services to answer questions and/or receive feedback. Make an appointment or stop by on Mondays and Wednesdays during common hour (11:30 am-1 pm)- no appointment needed.
Eligibility
Students Must:
- Be in good standing with Penn State University.
- Be enrolled in classes prior to and after internship at Penn State, unless graduating in August 2025.
- Provide an internship offer letter.
- International Students - Reach out to the International Students Office to discuss their application process and eligibility for work authorization.
- Note:
- Preference will be given to Penn State Harrisburg students.
- Undocumented & DACA-mented students are eligible to apply.
Internship Must:
- Be unpaid and with a nonprofit or community agency.
- Be within the United States.
- The majority of the internship must take place between May - August 2025.
- Internship Length
- For credit: Must fulfill the hours required by your academic school.
- Noncredit: Require a minimum of 160 hours.
- Preference will be given to students whose academic programs require an internship for graduation.
- Ineligible experiences:
- Penn State programs/internships.
- Third-party internship providers.
How to Apply
Students can apply by completing this form. Documents required as part of the application:
- An essay to include:
- Explain how this opportunity aligns with your career exploration and goals.
- Detail how these funds will be used, include financial support from other sources.
- Describe any additional considerations for the committee, such as financial need, hardship, or other challenges.
Please be thoughtful in your responses. No more than 500 words.
- Internship job description.
- Internship offer letter*- Must include the following:
- Name of organization
- Supervisor’s name
- Supervisor’s phone number
- Supervisor's job title
- Address of the Internship Site (street, city, state, and zip code)
- Student name
- Start and end date of experience
- Type of internship (in-person, remote or hybrid)
- Total number of hours for the internship
- A statement that the experience is unpaid
- Signed and dated by organization’s representative
* An email screenshot or digital document including the criteria above will also be accepted.
IMPORTANT:
- You will be required to meet with the Office of Development to discuss the allocation process, including potential impact on your financial aid package, if applicable.
- You will receive a copy of your submission to confirm that your application has been received.
Evaluation Criteria
A Review Committee will evaluate applications based on the following.
- Evidence of effort in the application, including the essay, which must include:
- Explain how this opportunity aligns with your career exploration and goals.
- Detail how these funds will be used, include financial support from other sources.
- Describe any additional considerations for the committee, such as financial need, hardship, or other challenges.
- Internship details, including total hours, duration, and type of internship.
- Preference will be given to
- Penn State Harrisburg students.
- Students whose academic programs require an internship for graduation.
Timeline
Please note that endowment will be disbursed in one payment.
- Application deadline: April 6, 11:59 pm
- Application review: Week of April 14
- Decision communication to students: Week of April 14
- Recipients meet with the Office of Development: Week of April 21
- Endowment allocated: Last two weeks of April (one-payment)- After meeting with the Office of Development
- Post-internship: Students will submit evaluation form and thank you note to donor
Allocation Process
Internship endowments will be awarded through the student's LionPATH account, in accordance with the University’s policy. If a student has an outstanding balance owed to the Bursar's Office at the time of awarding, the eRefunded. The method in which the student is refunded is dependent on the setting they've established on their billing portal. For students who enrolled in "eRefund" funds will be deposited into the checking/savings account listed on their portal. For those who did not elect to utilize the direct deposit option, a physical check will be mailed to their permanent address.
For further information contact the Office of Student Aid (717-948-6307 or hbgfinaid@psu.edu) or the Bursar’s Office (814-865-6528 or submit question here).
Expectations and Requirements for Award Recipients
- Before the internship, you will:
- Meet with the Office of Development to discuss the allocation process, including the potential impact on your financial aid package, if applicable.
- Throughout the internship, you will:
- Remain in good standing with Penn State University and complete the internship indicated in the endowment application.
- Contact Career Services immediately to discuss a situation in which you will not begin or complete your internship.
- Failure to successfully complete the entire internship experience may result in forfeiture of some or all of the award. Depending on the situation, you might owe back to the university the amount of funding received.
- After the internship, you will:
- Complete an evaluation form and include a picture related to the internship experience.
- Write a thank you letter to the donor.
- Please note that internship supervisors will be requested to submit an evaluation form for Career Services to verify that you completed the required hours. If the form is not returned, the internship will be considered incomplete.
FAQs
How much funding will I receive?
Selected students may receive up to $4,500 dispersed in one installment. Amounts will be determined by the review committee. Endowments are not intended to replace wages. Instead, it is meant to help alleviate supplemental costs associated with pursuing an unpaid internship including, but not limited to housing, transportation, etc.
I don’t have an internship yet but would like to find one. How can I find an internship?
Click here to get started! You can also schedule an appointment with a career counselor through your Nittany Lion Careers (NLC) account. Click here to learn how!
Do I need to have secured an internship by the time I apply?
Yes.
Can I apply if my internship is paid?
No. For this endowment, the internship needs to be unpaid and with a nonprofit or community agency.
“Can I combine two separate internships to meet the required length and number of hours?
No. The internship endowment supports a single internship of at least 160 hours (if noncredit) or the required hours set by your academic school (if for credit) with a nonprofit or community agency. This ensures a more in-depth and impactful hands-on experience related to your career goals.”
How can I confirm that my application was successfully submitted?
After you submit your application, you will receive a copy of your submission through your PSU email. This will serve as receipt confirmation. Please contact pshcareer@psu.edu if you don’t.
What happens if I don’t have an internship by the deadlines?
Unfortunately, we cannot accept incomplete or late applications. Employers may be willing to expedite their decision-making process if they are aware that you are applying for funding from your educational institution. Please follow up with the organization to indicate your timeline.
Will someone at Career Services be available during the summer in case I have questions?
Yes. Career Services is open during the summer. Feel free to email at pshcareer@psu.edu or call at 717-948-6260.
