Communication Arts Department and Alumni Summer Internship Fund

Thanks to the generosity of Communication Arts alumni, the department has funds to support students who undertake summer internships during their undergraduate careers. Internships can be very valuable educational experiences and steppingstones to future careers. Unfortunately, completing an internship can also be a financial challenge, so the Communication Arts department is committed to providing resources to make these opportunities more accessible. Applications are due Friday, March 31, 2023.

Eligibility Criteria
Communication Arts majors who are applying for summer internship positions and have need for financial support are encouraged to apply for funding. Priority will be given to applicants who have

  • senior or junior standing as of Fall 2023 and haven’t received internship funds in the past
  • excelled in their work as Communication Arts majors
  • a demonstrated need for financial support to be able to complete an unpaid, non-profit, or public sector internship or an internship requiring significant relocation and cost of living expenses, such as relocating to Los Angeles or New York for the summer

The internship should last a minimum of six weeks and requires at least 20 hours per week for a minimum total of 120 hours of work.

Award recipients must enroll in classes for the upcoming Fall semester. Spring and Summer 2023 graduates are not eligible.

How to Apply
As part of the online application, students answer questions about their personal and professional goals, need for financial support, and anticipated internship expenses. They also upload their résumé and provide contact information for a Communication Arts professor, instructor or teaching assistant who will serve as a reference for them (though no formal letter is required).

Award Information
Students with successful applications may receive financial commitments up to $4000. Before any promised funds can be released, successful applicants must first submit documentation that they have successfully secured an internship position. These funds cannot be used to pay for tangible purchases (like clothes/uniforms, computer equipment) that students will be able to continue to benefit from when the internship is over. Internship funds are not meant to supplement salary received from an internship; for example, if a student is making a lower salary for an internship than they would make in a summer job, internship funds are not meant to make up the difference.

Once documentation has been provided, expect funds to take approximately 2 weeks to be dispersed to e-fund accounts, and 4-6 weeks for paper checks. All documentation must be submitted by May 1, 2023.

Deadline to Apply
Interested students should complete an application before the deadline on Friday, March 31, 2023. Questions are welcome and can be directed to Academic Advisor Mary Rossa (mary.rossa@wisc.edu) or Careers Committee chair Lyn van Swol (vanswol@wisc.edu).

Visit program site

Award
$4,000 maximum
Organizations
Department of Communication Arts
Deadline
03/31/2023
Supplemental Questions
  1. What will your class standing be for the Fall of 2023?
  2. Which named option of the Communication Arts major have you declared?
  3. How will the internship help you attain your personal and professional goals?
  4. Will this be your first internship, or have you already completed one in the past? If so, who was the internship sponsor and where did you complete the internship?
  5. Upload a single file that includes both your resume and your internship status information.
    • If you have already been accepted for an internship, please provide a letter from your supervisor, signed and on company letterhead, which confirms you have been offered an internship, describes the duties and responsibilities, identifies the time period, hours, and location of the internship, and includes information about pay or stipend, if applicable. If you have a copy of the internship announcement with these details that you can upload, the letter from your supervisor only needs to confirm you've been offered the internship position.
    • If your application is still pending, provide a copy of the completed application and/or a description of the duties and responsibilities, the time period, hours, and location of the internship, and the amount of pay or stipend provided. You may submit information for a maximum of five pending internships.
  6. Please provide a breakdown of the anticipated expenses you will have during your summer internship.
  7. How would receiving financial support from the internship fund enable you to participate in this internship opportunity?
  8. Please provide the name and email of someone who can serve as a reference for you and confirm you are a strong candidate for internship funding. Consider your reference carefully; it is strongly advised that you ask a Communication Arts professor, instructor, or teaching assistant to serve as a reference for you. Your recommender will be asked to answer a couple of very brief questions rather than submitting a letter. Please be sure to contact your recommender before listing them here.
  9. I understand that I must be a student in good standing. Any instances of academic or non-academic misconduct may result in forfeiting financial support from the internship fund.
  10. I understand that if I receive a commitment of funding support, I must provide the requested detailed documentation for the internship by May 1 or promised funding may be forfeited.
  11. If I receive financial support from the internship fund, I will only use it towards internship-related expenses.
  12. Please note that if you receive financial support from the Communication Arts Department and Alumni Summer Internship Fund, the Communication Arts Department may list your name in communications to the general public, such as the Com Arts website.
  13. Show 7 more