Each year, hundreds of students interview for internships with non-profit environmental organizations as part of the Stanback Internship Program. The program, which has been made possible through the generous support of Fred and Alice Stanback for more than 20 years, provides funding so that students can pursue career development opportunities that may not have been made available otherwise. Students who are selected for the program complete an 11-week internship at 40 hours per week, and they receive monetary support so that they can complete their summer experiences.
“We are so fortunate to have this program available to our students,” said Melissa Gaskill, who leads the Stanback Internship Program and is the assistant director of the Career and Professional Development Center. “These internships allow Duke students to gain real-world, hands-on experiences at reputable organizations across the country. It also is advantageous for the organizations because they get high-quality students to work on projects that may otherwise not get completed.”
This year, 317 students interviewed for 179 internships offered at 34 non-profit environmental organizations. The internships offer students significant project-based learning experiences in energy, conservation, advocacy, policy, research, and applied resource management.
Students must first apply for each position in which they are interested, which may include submitting a resume, writing samples, letters of reference, or more. Employers decide which students they want to interview, and the Nicholas School hosts a large, on-campus interview day to bring together employers and students each year. Some employers may also conduct telephone interviews before the on-campus interview day to narrow down the field of applicants. Employers make their offers soon after the interviews, and positions are finalized within a couple of weeks of the interviews.
To learn more about the Stanback Internship Program, or to learn about students who have benefited from the program, please visit https://nicholas.duke.edu/career/for-students/stanback. You can also see more photos from the on-campus interview day on Facebook.
