Internships

Internships are invaluable for a student's academic and professional development.  They provide students real experience working in the environments they aspire to pursue after graduation.  They afford students opportunities to develop networks of professionals who are a few years out ahead in their field.  They connect students to mentors who can help guide them through the sometimes-difficult transitions between the academic and professional worlds.  And in many instances, they give students a real opportunity, here and now, to make a difference in the world.

The Office of Engaged Learning works with students in a variety of ways to discover, apply for, and secure the kinds of internships that promote personal growth and equip them for their futures.  In some cases, we work with donors and other partners to have funding in place for students to pursue an internship in areas that are often underfunded—such as research and public service—placing dozens of students, for example, in research labs at the National School of Tropical Medicine, in legal aid firms, health clinics, community development agencies, or state health departments working through the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty.

These opportunities are always changing, and we in the Office are always discovering new ones.  If you have in mind what you would like to do but don't know how to do it, please come talk with us.  Alternatively, if you don't know what you'd like to do, begin by exploring some of the options below to prod your thinking, and then come see us.  In either case, we are here to help!

See below for several opportunities for Baylor students seeking internships.

Nationally Competitive Internships, Fellowships, and Research Programs

Our Major Fellowships & Awards program supports students as they bid for nationally competitive summer programs that provide prestigious and fully funded opportunities for undergraduates to work in research and public service.  Our extensive and ever-growing database includes opportunities to work at world-class think tanks, such as the Aspen Institute, the Brookings Institution, the Carter Center, or the Urban Institute; at government agencies, such as the FBI, the National Institutes of Health, the National Gallery of Art, the White House, or the National Park Service; in research or medical outfits such as the National Science Foundation's Research Experience for Undergraduates, Georgetown's Lombardi Cancer Comprehensive Cancer Care Center, or the Mayo Clinic; studying or serving through major fellowships such as the US/UK Fulbright Summer Institute, the Mount Vernon Scholars Program, the Humanity in Action Fellowship, the John Lewis Fellowship, or a Critical Language Scholarship Intensive Summer Institute.  Baylor students are very competitive candidates for these opportunities, and we have had immense success over the years!  Please contact us to learn how you can submit a competitive application. 

Shepherd Scholars

*Note: Apply only through Baylor, not through the Consortium*

As a member institution of the Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty, Baylor University offers funding for undergraduate students to intern throughout the United States with organizations that work with and among people experiencing economic poverty. Housed within the Office of Engaged Learning, the Shepherd Scholars Program selects up to 15 undergraduate students each year to participate in a Shepherd Internship. Scholars learn first-hand about the multiple dimensions of poverty in the United States by working for eight weeks alongside people and organizations that align with their professional interests—in healthcare, law, ministry, economic and community development, for example—to help improve communities and empower people struggling under the weight of poverty. 

This fully-funded internship includes Scholars' living in community with other interns in cities across the US, participating in an opening and closing conference, which equips them for their internship, allows them to reflect on and process their experiences, and invites them to present academic papers and possibly prepare them for publication. There are also opportunities to earn course credit in association with the experience.  Example placements for the internship, which is a full-time summer placement, include the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, OH; the Virginia Department of Health in Richmond; Public Defender Services for the District of Columbia in Washington D.C.; The University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson; New American Pathways in Atlanta, Georgia; and Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers in Camden, NJ.

Baylor in Washington

The Baylor in Washington Semester Program is a semester-long academic program, offered each Fall and Spring, for Baylor’s undergraduate students. Semester program students earn a full semester of credit through an internship in one of Washington’s most prestigious institutions, experiential coursework only available through this program, and thoughtful research. Living and learning together in the nation’s capital, program participants engage with the full breadth and depth of Baylor’s network and resources in D.C., along with many other enriching experiences only found in Washington.

The Washington Semester Program offers the lowest fee of any of Baylor’s off campus programs at $4800. Additionally, the program offers some merit and need-based scholarships ranging between $500 to $3,500. All students who are interested should explore the program information and the helpful Q & A page linked here. For more individual help with determining if this program is a good fit for your interests, contact the Assistant Director of Operations, Nate Mills.

Baylor Transdisciplinary Research Undergraduate Experience

The B-TRUE (Baylor Transdisciplinary Research Undergraduate Experience) program sponsors 10 undergraduate fellows to conduct summer research in one of six academic programs: Biology, Physics, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Environmental Science, Geosciences, and Psychology/Neuroscience. An intensive 10-week summer research-training program for students interested in pursuing research-related careers, the B-TRUE program is designed to provide a rigorous, in-depth research experience across the life and physical sciences and to prepare participants for top-quality graduate programs. In particular, B-TRUE Fellows will conduct independent research with outstanding training program faculty mentors; work in a cutting edge science and technology environment; gain exposure to research topics in both physical and life sciences; receive career counseling and develop career interests; participate in workshops, seminars and journal clubs; and build a social network with student peers and faculty across scientific disciplines. The B-TRUE program culminates in a final summer poster day open to the public and provides Fellows with a $4000 stipend.

Bob Bullock Scholars

The Bob Bullock Scholars Program was established in 2000 through an agreement involving the family of Bob Bullock, members of the Texas Senate, and Baylor University. Funding was provided to allow students from Baylor University to work on a full-time basis during sessions of the Texas Legislature. The program aims to elevate the study of politics among our undergraduate student body and serve as a model for those individuals who seek to serve others through a career in public life. Bullock Scholars live in Austin and work on a full-time basis for a member of the Texas Senate or the Texas House of Representatives for the entire legislative session. Students also will be enrolled for a minimum of six semester hours and may take as many as fifteen hours. The selection of Bob Bullock Scholars is competitive and requires that students complete a substantive application and submit a resume, two letters of recommendation, an official transcript, and writing sample for consideration. Interns should plan to be in Austin about a week before the session begins. Interns receive a stipend for their participation in the program, and the projected stipend will total $7,000 ($1,400 in 5 monthly payments).

Baylor University Tropical Disease Research Internship Program

Baylor College of Medicine - National School of Tropical Medicine in collaboration with Baylor University's Prehealth Program has developed a Tropical Disease Research Internship Program during the summer to provide five undergraduate students who plan a career in global healthcare the opportunity to spend 9 weeks of their summer working with leaders in tropical disease research. The BU-TDRIP summer interns are selected through a competitive application process coordinated with BU's Director of Prehealth Programs and the BCM-NSTM Laboratory & Compliance Manager.  The BU-TDRIP interns gain an understanding of neglected tropical and emerging infectious diseases, experience the development of vaccine target antigens from bench to clinic settings, and learn about translational public policy for the improvement of global health, including application of current research in local communities.

VA Center of Excellence Research Program

The VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans (CoE) at the Doris Miller VA Medical Center annually hosts Baylor University students for a two semester research internship which begins every fall semester. The purpose of this training program is to provide motivated undergraduates with practical experience in mental health research and to aid them in their preparations for graduate or medical school. Former graduates of this internship have gone on to study at Columbia University, University of Arizona, Kansas State University, University of Houston, Baylor University, University of Denver, Trinity University, Eastern Illinois University, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Current studies at the CoE focus on the assessment, functioning, and treatment of mental health problems in returning war Veterans. Investigators have a particular interest in the assessment and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, suicide prevention, substance use disorders, and trajectories of functioning over time. Interns are assigned primarily to one study but may be involved in multiple research projects based on their interests.

 

Additional Resources

Washington internship directories can be found here:

A thorough list of employment and internship opportunities, mostly in the private sector, can be found here.