Contact Infomation:
Professor James Fairweather, Director,
Center for Higher and Adult Education,
416 Erickson,
Michigan State University,
East Lansing, MI 48824-1034
517-353-3387
fairwea4@msu.edu

CENTER INTERN PROGRAM

To see an example of a funded proposal for an internship, please click here, or here.

Purpose and Goal
The Center Intern Program is designed to support graduate students in the Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education (HALE) program who seek hands-on international or domestic policy-related experiences in the field of higher education. The program will allow students to take advantage of opportunities to apply the skills and knowledge that they have acquired through their graduate work and gain valuable first-hand experience in a policy organization. Occasionally the Center will designate foreign graduate students conducting dissertation research as a Center intern. In these cases, students are expected to have their own funding.

Administration
The Intern Program is managed through the Center for Higher and Adult Education. The Center will make available a list of possible internship opportunities for HALE students to consult, or students may seek out their own intern positions. It is possible to seek an internship working directly with a state, national, and institutional entity. To receive support from the Center, however, these placements must be outside of MSU. The Center Intern Program is not meant to provide financial support for traditional internship placements in university positions currently available to many HALE students. Students seeking financial support from the Center will submit a two-page proposal for review along with a proposed budget. In many cases, those pursuing an internship will also need to apply directly to the organization with which they would like to work. In some cases, but not all, the Center may be able to help the student establish a working relationship with the organization.

Resources
The Center for Higher and Adult Education will provide financial support for successful applicants. The level of support will be based on a review of the budget that students submit with their application to the program. The Center may also be able to provide assistance with finding internship opportunities, seeking matching funds, and establishing relationships with organizations, especially for internationally-based internships. The primary focus of funding will be on travel and related expenses.

Duration
Internships can be of varying lengths. The Center will consider any length of internship that fosters a graduate student’s professional development in international or domestic higher education policy.

Application Procedures
Graduate students applying to the Center for funding must submit a proposal no longer than two-page in length that includes the following information:

• A description of the proposed internship
• How the internship will foster your professional development and how it relates to higher education policy
  
• Timeframe for the internship
• A budget (including any matching funds you are seeking or any financial support provided directly by the organization)

Examples of Internship Opportunities
Domestic Organizations:

• National Center for Higher Education Management Systems
• Institute for Higher Education Policy
• National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education

International Opportunities (The Center will work with students to develop a working relationship with any of the institutions listed below and will keep a list of opportunities as they develop):

• Working with a Thai University to assist in evaluating their undergraduate education reforms
• Working with a Chinese University to develop a student affairs program
• Working with universities in South Africa, Europe, and elsewhere

Who should I contact if I have questions about the Program?
Any questions about the Center Fellow Program should be directed to:
Professor James Fairweather,
Director, Center for Higher and Adult Education,
416 Erickson, Michigan State University,
East Lansing, MI
48824-1034
517-353-3387
fairwea4@msu.edu
http://www.msu.edu/~fairwea4

Other funding opportunities for HALE students

Internship program FAQs