Internships

Environmental Studies and Environmental Science majors must complete an environmental internship or directed environmental research. The internship experience is intended to help students gain practical experience and apply their education to real-world problems.

Internship Criteria:

• A minimum 100 hours of work, paid or volunteer
• Work related to environmental, public health, or environmental justice issues (working as a barista does not count)
• Meaningful work that develops job and/or life skills (more than just clerical tasks, phone canvassing, etc.)

Qualifying experiences include:

• An internship at an environmental organization
• An internship at a government agency or for-profit business at which there is a sustainability or environmental aspect to the work
• Internal programs at SCU such as the Center for Sustainability, Miller Center, or Center for Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• Research conducted under the supervision of an ESS faculty member, whether paid, volunteer, or for credit
• Research conducted as part of a study abroad experience, for example by completing the directed research course at School for Field Studies
• The Washington Semester through American University

We are here to help:

To help you prepare for the internship search and application process, it is recommended that you enroll in ENVS 198 (Environmental Proseminar) prior to seeking your internship.  ENVS 198 is a seminar course primarily for juniors and sophomores, intended to permit reflection about vocation, develop skills to obtain an internship or research experience and foster the development of professional skills. (ENVS 198 also support seniors entering the job market who may have missed Proseminar earlier in their careers due to Study Abroad or course conflicts.)

Internship Process:

(Steps 1-3 may be completed simultaneously.)

Step 1: Enroll in/successfully complete ENVS 198 (2 units) prior to, or concurrently with, your internship. (Enrollment in ENVS 198 after completion of internship is not recommended.) This course will help you build your resume, identify what to look for in an internship, how to apply for internships, and what to expect/how to get the most out of your experience.

Step 2: Identify possible internship opportunities. Resources include:

• The ESS Internship Database (which includes lists and info from past SCU ESS internships and links to many other databases)
• HandShake
• SCU Career Center
• Personal networking
• Reaching out to your advisor and other faculty
• Researching internal SCU programs such as the Center for Sustainability, the Miller Center, and the Center for Food Innovation and Entrepreneurship
• LinkedIn

Step 3. Once an internship is obtained and PRIOR TO THE INTERNSHIP START, submit your completed Internship Pre-Approval Form to your advisor or the ESS Internship Coordinator to ensure that the internship aligns with the goals for the ESS requirement.

Step 4: After receiving approval, ensure that the Internship Pre-Approval Form (signed by your advisor or the ESS Internship Coordinator) is submitted (either by you or the faculty member) to ess@scu.edu. You will receive confirmation of receipt via email.

Step 5: Complete a minimum of 100 hours of approved internship activities.

Step 6: Ask your internship supervisor to send an email to the ESS Department at ess@scu.edu verifying that you have satisfactorily completed > 100 hours in an internship with their organization. (This requirement is waived for those completing the Washington Semester at American University.)

Step 7: Complete an internship reflection and submit it to the ESS Department by the appropriate due date (below). This reflection will document your internship and help you examine and reflect upon the experience.

Deadlines for Reflection Submission/Internship Hours Confirmation to ess@scu.edu:

Questions?

Contact your academic advisor or Iris Stewart-Frey (the current ESS Internship Coordinator) if you have any questions about the requirements.