Overview
Students at Santa Clara University are deeply rooted in enriching academic experiences that include experiential learning programs and a curriculum with an emphasis on ethics. Through these experiences, SCU students gain an understanding of community development and dependency, new technological integration, global business integration, entrepreneurship, and further develop their social consciousness. The study of ethics is interwoven into curriculum and graduation requirements across all disciplines.
As a Center of Distinction at Santa Clara University, we work across our campus and all of its disciplines. The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics Business Ethics Internship program places enthusiastic and accomplished students with a passion for ethics into Silicon Valley workplace experiences where they can witness ethical decision making within authentic business environments and make real time contributions to the companies where they work. Internships placements could include:
- Ethics and Compliance
- ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) work
- Technology Ethics
- People Ops/Human Resources
- Product Development
- Marketing and Sales
- Internal Audit/Forensic Accounting
- Procurement/Supply Chain
Roles and Responsibilities
Business Ethics Interns are commonly involved with, but not limited to, the following responsibilities:
- ESG Stewardship
- Track information companies gather to report ESG metrics
- Prepare communications, both internally and externally, conveying ESG priorities
- Research best practices and benchmarks
- Investigative Analysis
- Conduct investigative analyses of expense report issues flagged by the Procurement team, prepare related data for investigator’s use, and assist with further investigation.
- Review and analyze vendor transactions flagged by an automated system, and assist with further investigation.
- Reconcile expense reports with government pre-approvals in online Gifts and Hospitality disclosure system.
- Assist with managing company Conflict of Interest questionnaire and responding to issues and questions raised by the disclosures.
- Assist with Compliance due diligence reviews for sales partners and suppliers; identifying adverse findings and recommending mitigation steps.
- Conduct KYC diligence reports.
- Reporting and Documentation Support
- Check all Ethics & Compliance generic email accounts, hotline reports, and social media avenues daily and prepare responses as appropriate.
- Support the rollout of an Ethics Culture Survey and the rollup and distribution of results.
- Collaborate in managing Corporate Policies update process.
- Assist with documentation of metrics reports about Gifts & Entertainment, Conflicts of Interest, and measuring the overall impact of the company compliance program.
- Refresh and draft process and training documentation.
- Content Support
- Create content to assist with technical/access questions regarding key online tools used by the Compliance team.
- Prepare videos or other communications relating to compliance topics.
- Assist with the development of policies, procedures, systems controls, and training to address various company risks.
- Assist with the intranet website by refreshing content and increasing usability.
- Update and organize web-based FAQs, legal compliance program documentation, and presentations for easy retrieval and reuse.
- Create and implement a process for refreshing and validating E&C webpage content, and manage the website maintenance process with an information technology partner.
- Assist with the maintenance of the department SharePoint site.
Mentorship
A cornerstone of the internship program is the collaborative partnership in support of students between participating companies and the Ethics Center. Student interns:
- Receive on-the-job support from Business Partner co-workers and supervisors.
- Participate in company-sponsored networking events, learning opportunities, and/or Markkula sponsored events, training, and speaker panels.
- Attend quarterly in-person touchpoints with Business Ethics staff, current interns, and alumni.
- Contribute to online group discussions and activities.
- Participate in informal case study review and development.
- Engage in ethics-related career exploration and support.
- Make connections highlighting the correlation between classroom learning, occupational interests, and the internship experience itself.
Annual Application and Selection Cycles
The program sponsors two cycles each year for application, interviews, selection, and placement.
- Internships are open to undergraduate students from all academic disciplines.
- The Ethics Center screens applicants for academic excellence and interest in ethics.
- Students are typically in their 3rd, 4th-years of study.
- Interns are placed in part-time, paid internships with flexible hours between 10-15 hours per week during the academic year, and increasing to 30-40 hours per week between mid-June and mid-September.
The Ethics Center is available for additional recruitment projects to fill special positions or that fall outside of standard recruitment cycle timelines. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Summer/Fall Placements
- Winter Quarter Application Cycle (January - April)
- Placements begin in June and September for a contract period of nine to twelve months.
- Business Partners provide job descriptions to MCAE by January 15.
- MCAE posts all available positions to SCU students and accepts applications.
- MCAE screens applicants and conducts first-round interviews.
- Finalists are selected and names sent to Business Partner.
- Business Partners conduct interviews with finalists in March and selects student(s) for the position.
- Students are placed and begin their internship typically in June or September.
- Summer-only placement opportunities – June through September – can also be considered in this cycle.
- Spring Placements
- Fall Quarter Application Cycle (October - January)
- Placements begin in April and May for a contract period of nine to twelve months.
- Business Partners provide job descriptions to MCAE by October 15.
- MCAE posts all available positions to SCU students and accepts applications.
- MCAE screens applicants and conducts first-round interviews.
- Finalists are selected and names sent to Business Partner.
- Business Partners conduct interviews with finalists in December/January and selects student(s) for the position.
- Students are placed and begin their internship in April and May Summer-only placement opportunities – June through September – can also be considered in this cycle.
For more information about corporate partner opportunities contact The Coordinator of Internships and Fellowships, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Johana Engstrom - jengstrom@scu.edu