Office of Student Success

PAID INTERNSHIPS

Because social science majors forge their own career paths. 

Because you’ve got what New York needs.

Because our democracy needs your voice for a stronger future.

 

The Colin Powell Career Fellows Paid Internships Program

Every Colin Powell School undergraduate student who has earned 30+ credits receives a bank of 300 Paid Internship Hours (@$18/hour = $5,400), which can be completed at any time for up to a year after you graduate. Access your bank by creating a resume with one of our Coaches, and learn by doing while getting paid!

An internship is a short-term, on-the-job experience for students to gain entry-level exposure to the industry and fields of their interest. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) studies show that students with at least one paid internship made 6% more in their starting salary than those with no internship experience.

-No Previous Experience Required.

-No age, transfer student, or status restrictions (DACA and international students are welcome!)

-Earn a reference for future internship, fellowship, and job opportunities

REVIEW 100+ PUBLIC SERVICE INTERNSHIP OPTIONS HERE!

Applying for an internship is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Weekly info sessions available to you via the drop-in LEARN! sessions on the events calendar below. No reservation needed!

Program Guidelines:

  • The internship schedule is set by the student and the site and can start and end at any time; it is not tied to the school calendar. You can do any number of internships using the 300-hour bank (for example, you can do one 300-hour internship, two 150-hour internships, etc). Internships are paid via a stipend of $18/hour in two lump sums, at midpoint and at the end.  Any student in an internship is warmly invited to optional, online, drop-in Internships Insiders meetings every first and third Tuesday of the month to meet other students, share stories, and ask questions. Students must complete a midpoint and endpoint survey.
  • The goal is that these internship experiences help you gain clarity on your career interests and choices, and confidence to apply to more internships, fellowships, and other experiential learning opportunities so that you are “career-ready” at graduation or, if you are a recent alum, will help build the bridge from college to career.
  • We believe that Colin Powell School students, who hold the unique combination of deeply lived urban experience and academic training are a vital element to building a strong democracy. Prepare yourself to build the world you want to live in!

Build a resume that lets you shine, write a cover letter or statement of interest that shares your strengths, and complete mock interviews to feel confident. Attend any of the drop-in Step 2 Prepare! sessions listed on the events calendar below – no reservation needed! 

For 1:1 help, set up a time to meet with one of our Coaches by clicking on the calendars under their names.

Resume Resources

 

Interview Prep Resource

Review internship options in the public service database, select up to three you are interested in, and complete a brief Internship Interest form. 

Career Hub Staff will review your application to make sure it highlights you in the best way possible. If anything needs a little strengthening, you will receive a referral to a Coach to work on your materials. If your materials are ready, you will be connected directly to the site contact by email.

Also, if you have received an offer letter for an unpaid internship, it may qualify for the stipend. Send an email with a copy of the acceptance letter to Career Hub Director, Maya Gutierrez mgutierrez1@ccny.cuny.edu

Finding internships: you should also speak with your professor and department chair to learn about options available to you in your major, and review the internships in the Career & Professional Development Institute database.

Goodbye, Imposter Syndrome

College students have gained so much valuable knowledge and skills, yet don’t have many ways to practice them until they are in the workforce. An internship is a place where you can begin practicing what you are learning in the classroom AND have a learning curve. Internship sites both expect you to have some skills to bring to the table, and to have a lot to learn.

Your site supervisor will know to provide extra guidance and explanation not just about the work, but how the work gets done. All of this will help you overcome imposter syndrome and boost your confidence.

Be "Career Ready" at Graduation

Most employers in career-pathway jobs expect you to have some experience in an office setting by the time you graduate, so they don’t have to train you from scratch.

College classes, volunteer and non-career jobs like working in retail or the service industry can get you started on the skills and knowledge for a career job, but internships will immerse you in the world of career-pathway work. You will learn the dos and don’ts of office environments as well as gain an understanding of organizational structure and culture.

Social Science Majors Must Explore

Unlike engineering or medicine, the social science field does not have many obvious career ladders that show students how to enter into or grow in their fields. An internship gives you the opportunity to explore different career options and find out what you like, what you don't, and build the persistence and patience to build your own ladder to your definition of success.

Be Part of the Solution

Is your neighborhood, your city, and your country the best version of itself? Learn the landscape of organizations working on our toughest challenges and be part of solution to build a stronger democracy.

Get Connected

An internship can give you the chance to meet people who share similar experiences and interests. It can take time to build professional connections, especially for first-generation college students. Doing well in an internship internship is one of the best first steps to build a network in your field of study: site supervisors and other members of the executive team can be a reference when you apply to to future opportunities.

Having internship experience boosts your resume, grants you more job offers, higher starting salaries, and a shorter search process. Who wouldn’t want that?

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# of CPS Students who have completed internships since March 2022

Career Coach

Exploring your options? Looking for help to update your resume, write a cover letter, or prepare for an internship? Meet with me!

Ikenna Ugwu (he/him)

Resume Coach & Program Assistant

First time building a resume? Preparing for an interview? Meet with me and unlock the mysteries! Languages: Proficient in English and Bengali (Bangla); basic comprehension in Hindi and Urdu

Abir Ahmed (he/his - সে / তিনি)

Public Service Career Hub Events Calendar

Attend any of the drop-in Step 1: Learn! Program Overview or Step 2 Prepare! Resume, Interview preparation sessions listed on the events calendar below - no reservation needed! For 1:1 help, set up a time to meet with one of our Coaches by clicking on the calendars under their names.

What Students are Saying

frequently asked questions

    Melodie Perez

    Summer 2022 Intern

    “This resource allowed me to successfully complete my internship as an alcohol and substance abuse counselor at Argus Community without having to worry about how I would pay for food or transportation. I was able to focus all my time and energy into gaining as much experience and knowledge as possible from my internship and left with an even greater excitement to continue serving the substance abusing population.

      Yatri Baniya

      Summer 2022 Intern

      This paid internship was an immense push towards my dreams and goals. As a person from a low-income immigrant background, this opportunity gave me a much-needed break from my part-time work in the hospitality industry and gave me time and finance to pursue my true dream of working at a non-profit contributing to community development. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity.

        Steven Fernandez

        Spring 2023 - 2023 Intern

        The Colin Powell internship stipend is a truly unique resource that changed the course of my life. My internship completely changed my communication skills and gave me the confidence to apply for the Bloomberg Fellowship, and I was accepted!

          Tara Snover

          Summer 2023 Intern

          Given my background as a low-income first-generation college student, I learned over time that my shot at someday working for a think tank was very slim. My participation in the Climate Policy fellowship and your financial support put this opportunity within reach.

          FAQs

          Copyright © 2022 Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership. All rights reserved.

          Got the internship! Now what?

          Looking for interns?

          If you have an unpaid internship or experiential learning volunteer activity, we may be able to cover a stipend of up to 300 hours (micro-internships also welcome!). Rolling admissions.

          Contact Maya Gutierrez: Email. Book a meeting.

          The Colin Powell Career Fellows paid internships program was selected for the 2023 Exemplary Models Award by the American Association of University Administrators, a non-profit professional organization for higher education leaders and administrative personnel. This award recognizes outstanding examples of leadership that demonstrate creative solutions to common problems in higher education.