The Interns-to-Scholars program  

 

The purpose of the Interns-to-Scholars (I2S) program is to encourage undergraduate students early in their academic careers to participate in faculty research, scholarly, or creative projects by working as paid interns. Internships across all academic disciplines offer opportunities for students to engage in "learning by doing" outside of regular coursework.

Overview

The I2S program aims to:

  • expose new undergraduates, especially but not limited to sophomores, to the activities involved in conducting research, scholarly, or creative work
  • stimulate student interest in inquiry by promoting the intern’s active acquisition and/or generation of disciplinary knowledge
  • facilitate the intern’s development of techniques and skills within a particular discipline

With this hands-on approach, you will learn why and how research, scholarly, or creative work is done by assisting facility, post-docs, and graduate students on projects. You will learn such skills as how to:

  • write library literature reviews
  • code or retrieve data
  • work in a research laboratory
  • undertake techniques specific to a project or discipline
  • assist with an experiment
  • work in a studio

Faculty in all colleges and schools are strongly encouraged to submit requests for an undergraduate student intern.

Eligibility

Learn about program eligibility and how you can qualify.

Faculty requirements

Full-time Northern Arizona University tenure-track and research faculty who have a research, scholarship, or creative component in their scope of responsibility are eligible. Proposals will be considered on a case-by-case basis from full-time

  • instructors
  • lecturers
  • clinical faculty
  • professors of practice

Project requirements

Only projects that clearly represent one of the following categories will be considered for a possible internship.

  • Research projects: Research is a project or study intended to test a hypothesis, elucidate observations, test a new method, answer a specific question, etc.

  • Scholarly projects: The goals of scholarly projects or study reflect the nature, values, fundamental concepts, and modes of inquiry specific to the discipline.

  • Creative projects: The outcomes of these projects are usually an artistic expression, performance, tangible work of art, etc.

Projects requesting administrative, logistical, or instructional support activities are not eligible. In the review process, priority will be given to projects from faculty who have not previously had an I2S student.

Student Requirements

Interested students should complete an Internship Application online form. 

To qualify for an internship, students must:

  • be enrolled full-time and in good standing on the Flagstaff Mountain campus
  • have successfully completed at least 15 credit hours at NAU in pursuit of their first bachelor’s degree
  • must have less than 75 credit hours (including transfer credits) when the internship begins
  • possess a U.S. Social Security number

Application deadlines

The application period for faculty proposals for Fall 2013 internships is now open. Use this online form to submit your request. Deadline for submission: June 15, 2013.

The student application period for Spring 2013 opportunities is now closed. Please check this website in late July for Fall 2013 opportunities. The application period for Fall internships will be August 1 through September 5, 2013.

Conditions of internships

Interns are paid bi-weekly at a rate of $9/hour. Students may be eligible to receive academic credit for the internship.

Duration of internships

Internships are awarded on a semester-by-semester basis, including summer session. Interns may work up to six hours per week for up to 12 weeks during an academic year semester, as specified in the faculty project description.

Number of I2S internships

A limited number of internship opportunities are available each academic semester. A student may accept only one internship per session and may receive no more than two internship awards per academic year. 

Application process

1. A faculty member will submit a proposal requesting an internship, which includes a description of:

  • the specific project the student intern will support
  • any existing funding sources for the project
  • what the student will DO and LEARN
  • specific benefits to the student
  • number of requested internship hours
  • any additional qualifications for the intern

2. A selection of internships are offered. Remember that the:

  • faculty proposals are reviewed for consistency with the purpose and time limitations of I2S.
  • review committee may prioritize requests to provide a wide diversity of internships.
  • selected internships for each funding cycle will be posted on the I2S website.

3. Students may submit separate applications for up to three (3) internship positions each semester. Each submission needs:

  • a name, academic status, and contact information
  • a statement of interest (limited to 400 words)
  • a resume/vita (limited to one page)
  • an unofficial transcript