OUR PROGRAM
Semester in the City is a fully-credited fellowship program that gives undergraduate students the opportunity to spend a semester learning hands-on through well-supported internships in the social sector. Participating students (you!) join us as Social Innovation Fellows and participate in a transformative 15-week program that allows them to address current social issues while developing essential skills and networks that prepare them for life and work after graduation.
WHAT’s ON THIS PAGE?
SOCIAL INNOVATION FELLOWSHIP
As a fellow in Semester in the City, you will intern with a nonprofit, social mission business, or government agency for 30 hours per week for a full-semester. You’ll gain work-based experience, allowing you to learn more about yourself and your passions while also building skills and networks.
We work to place you in an internship aligned with your interests, be it criminal justice reform, education, gender equality, environmental sustainability, or beyond. While every placement will be a little different, you will have a dedicated mentor to help you thrive.
Check out where we've placed our Fellows.
WHAT MAKES OUR INTERNSHIPS GREAT
Some aspects that make our program unique include the fact that we match you with an internship based on a variety of factors such as your passions and interests, there is a dedicated mentor at the internship site, and you focus on a special project throughout the semester. We do the heavy lifting of finding you an internship placement, and put supports in place to make sure you and the host organization you’re placed at can thrive. This allows you to immerse yourself into the culture of your internship site and make a meaningful contribution.
“I was able to take the skills that I learned in the classroom and apply it to my internship”
OUR MATCHING PROCESS
You find out your internship match after you have enrolled in the program, but prior to the start of Semester in the City, typically about a month after the application deadline. You then have a call with your mentor to confirm it’s a strong match. Once the program begins we have a night where you get to meet your program mentor from your internship.
Although we cannot guarantee that you will be placed with a specific organization, we can confirm that you will learn a ton and work in an organization that aligns with your interests and continues to help guide you toward your professional goals. Students have had opportunities to work on a variety of different projects. We have had fellows do everything from working on social media campaigns, working with youth in the classroom, to urban gardening. What’s so unique about Semester in the City is how we really work with you throughout the enrollment process to learn more about you and the organization we work with to pair you with an internship you’ll love. Interested to learn more about our internship opportunities that may align with your interest? Check out our Internship Guidebook!
HOW WE MAKE MATCHES
YOUR MENTOR
Your mentor is your supervisor at your internship site, and our mentors are often the secret behind the successful students who go through our program. Their investment in Social Innovation Fellows helps create a supportive and awesome experience. All of our mentors go through a training so they are well prepared to take on Social Innovation Fellows when they arrive at the beginning of the semester.
“My host organization was filled with wonderful and supportive staff. Everyone was always willing to help me”
Want to learn more about the awesome host organizations we work with and the process for our partnership with them? Check out our host organization page here!
LEARN MORE ON YOUR CAMPUS
Does this all sound great but you are still looking for how this works for you? Connect with someone on your campus! We work with a variety of college partners to make it easy for you to participate in Semester in the City. Check out our campus calendar to see when we are coming to your campus, or the contact information for the people on your campus is below who you can work with so you can participate in this program, as well as our dedicated recruiters for that campus. Don’t see your campus here? Don’t worry, you can still participate! Connect with a staff member to learn more.
Contact sitc@collegeforsocialinnovation.org to contact a your campus’ recruiter!
