Because of the interdisciplinary nature of environmental justice, and, more broadly, sustainability, it can be difficult to find internship opportunities in these fields. And in many cases, community organizations looking for interns are not able to offer a stipend to students. This webpage contains resources for environmental justice/sustainability internship opportunities and funding opportunities for unpaid internships, seeks to address these challenges.
Here is a spreadsheet of St. Louis community organizations that may offer internships for WashU students. Additionally, you can browse through past students’ Success Stories compiled by the Career Center in search of opportunities across the country.
Funding Sources
Career Center Stipends: To help offset the cost of unpaid summer internships, the Career Center provides a limited number of stipends to qualified students. Undergraduate students can apply for a merit award, up to $1,000, or a need based award, up to $3,000. For more information, and to apply, please visit the Career Center’s website.
Goldman Fellows Program: The Goldman Fellows Program, funded by the Joyce and Irving Goldman Family Foundation, is a unique opportunity for undergraduates to spend a summer in St. Louis with other WashU students who care about the St. Louis community. The program supports undergraduates who secure unpaid summer internships at nonprofit, community, or governmental organizations in the St. Louis region. Goldman Fellows receive $5,000 summer stipends for community-based internships in the St. Louis region. Past Goldman Fellows have worked for environmental non-profits such as Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Trailnet, Great Rivers Environmental Law Center, the Open Spaces Council, and Gateway Greening. Check out the Goldman Fellows Program website or contact Colleen Smyth, the Student Engagement Coordinator at the Gephardt Institute, (colleen.smyth@wustl.edu) for more information about the program.
CarShare Fund: The Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement offers a transportation subsidy through the CarShare Fund to assist students, student groups, faculty, and staff, who face financial barriers to paying for transportation costs for student engagement in local community service. To learn more and submit a request, please visit the CarShare Fund website.
Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship: The Skandalaris Center presents IdeaBounce®, an online platform and event for sharing ideas and making connections. This program allows individuals to pitch their idea, get feedback on it, and connect through networking opportunities. Inventors, founders, and startups from all across the St. Louis region, and those interested in supporting them, are encouraged to attend. Get started today by posting your idea at www.ideabounce.com
Academic Credit for Unpaid Internships: It is also possible to gain course credit for unpaid internships. The Career Center has compiled instructions for how to receive academic credit for internships in different WashU schools, found here. Importantly, it is not possible to receive both funding and credit for unpaid internships.