The Association is thrilled to share that it has established an Internship Stipend Program. The goal of this program is to provide our U.S. & Canadian Scholars with the financial support needed to partake in a summer internship and gain relevant work experience.  Stipends are available for Scholars in good standing that are pursuing an unpaid/ underpaid summer internship with a non-profit organization or government agency. Though these types of organizations provide an excellent opportunity to bring classroom learning to life, we recognize that they often cannot compensate their interns. The Association will provide stipends of up to $5,000 to between 10 and 20 Horatio Alger Scholars each summer. Applications open on March 1, 2024 and close on April 15, 2024.

Scholars may apply if they are planning to participate in an unpaid or underpaid internship with any of the following types of organizations:

• Recognized charity, 501(c)(3) non-profit
• Government agency

Recipients of the stipend program will be eligible to receive up to $5,000 for participating in an internship in the Summer of 2024.

ELIGIBILITY:

• Applicants must be in good standing as U.S. or Canadian Horatio Alger Scholars
• National Scholars, National Entrepreneurial, Canadian Scholars, State Scholars, and Targeted Scholars may apply
• Applicants can be first-year college/ university students, sophomores, juniors, or graduating seniors
• Minimum GPA requirement of 2.7
• If you have previously received an internship stipend from Horatio Alger, you are not eligible to apply

INTERNSHIP ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS:

Internship organization type must be one of the following:

• Recognized charity, 501(c)(3) non-profit
• Government agency

To be eligible, the internship experience must meet the following criteria as outlined in the NACE position statement on US internships:

• The experience includes a clear and detailed position description with a clear start and end date.
• The experience includes numerous opportunities for students to apply knowledge learned in the classroom.
• The experience includes the development or enhancement of transferable professional skills.
• The experience includes clearly defined learning objectives related to the Scholar’s course of study.
• The experience provides regular and direct supervision from a single staff person with significant experience in the field.
• The experience provides numerous opportunities for direct feedback provided by the supervisor.
• The experience provides all equipment and resources necessary to support meaningful learning as well as the completion of assigned tasks.
• The internship experience should have a clear connection to your major/ future career paths and interests.

Additionally, to be eligible for the Horatio Alger Internship Stipend Program:

• The internship provides no compensation or only a small stipend (under $1,500).
• The internship must be through an organization type listed above and cannot be through a for-profit company or organization.
  

As part of the application process, you will be required to
upload your resume and internship cover letter.

Please do not begin this application until you have your cover letter and resume ready.

The Horatio Alger Association Internship Stipend Program is a competitive process. The selection committee may have more Scholars apply than available funds. To make your application as strong as possible, please consider the following components:

• Connection to your Major / Career: The committee is looking for well thought out applications that align with your academic and career goals.
• Depth of Proposed Experience and Goal Setting: Whether the internship is meant as a deeper pursuit of a previous internship or experience or as an exploratory experience to help you narrow down your interests and goals, you should provide a thoughtful reflection of why you chose that particular experience.
• Commitment to Service: The committee wants to learn about the community that will be impacted through your internship experience, as well as how that community will be served.
• Evaluation and Evidence of Support: The committee is looking for clear descriptions of probable tasks and projects you have identified with your supervisor (or found in the job description). Please do your best to accurately reflect what you will be working on for the summer; we do recognize that actual projects are likely to change slightly as you begin the internship, and we will not penalize you for those changes.
  

The application for The Horatio Alger Association Internship Stipend Program
is now open from March 1, 2024 until April 15, 2024.