SECU Public Fellows Internship Program: An Overview
The SECU Public Fellows Internship Program is designed to connect talented undergraduate students with meaningful summer internships, particularly in rural North Carolina communities. This initiative, supported by the State Employees Credit Union (SECU) Foundation, aims to provide students with real-world experience while allowing them to contribute to the well-being of local communities. The program benefits both students and organizations, fostering professional growth and addressing public issues.
Program Objectives and Development
The SECU Public Fellows Internship Program connects undergraduate students to meaningful summer internships. The program was developed in partnership between the UNCG Career and Professional Development (CPD) and Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement (OLCE) and thanks to funding from the SECU Foundation. Originally piloted at Appalachian State, East Carolina, and UNC Pembroke, it has since expanded to include numerous universities across North Carolina, such as Elizabeth City State, Fayetteville State, UNC Wilmington, Winston-Salem State, Western Carolina, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, North Carolina Central, North Carolina State, UNC Asheville, UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Charlotte, UNC Greensboro, and UNC School of the Arts. Each participating university administers the program locally.
The SECU Public Fellows Internship Program (PFI), aims to foster workplace experiences for undergraduates while helping rural communities build professional capacity to address public issues. The SECU Public Fellows Internship Program at ECU connects the university and regional communities through projects that address community-identified priorities.
The program evolved from the Public Service Fellows (PSF) Program, which began in 2014 with support from the State Employees Credit Union (SECU) Foundation. The SECU Public Service Intern was replaced in summer 2015 with the SECU Public Fellows Internship program.
Program Structure and Funding
Each participating university targets up to twenty in-state undergraduate students per campus. Interns are eligible to receive up to $4,900 for the summer. The SECU Foundation awards up to $120,000 per school per year. Each SECU Summer Intern will earn $12 per hour, working approximately 38 hours per week for 10 weeks (29 hours per week for those taking summer courses).
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The Career Development Center can provide supplemental payment for your summer internship opportunity thanks to a generous grant from the State Employees Credit Union Foundation.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the SECU Public Fellows Internship Program, students must meet certain criteria:
- Be an undergraduate student.
- Be enrolled as a full-time student.
- Have access to transportation necessary for commuting to and from the internship placement site.
- Be willing to complete all community site hiring requirements as needed
Degree-seeking undergraduates in the Departments of Government and Justice Studies (GJS), Social Work, or Public Health OR undergraduate students participating in the ACCESS program are eligible. Applicants must be North Carolina residents who are full-time students.
Internship Opportunities and Requirements
The SECU Public Fellows Internship Program connects talented undergraduate students with community organizations in rural North Carolina communities. Carolina partners with 20 unique organizations throughout North Carolina to offer internships. All internship positions are open to students from all majors. Internships must be academic, credit-bearing, and housed with a North Carolina-based organization, agency, or business representing one of the targeted industry sectors identified by the SECU. Students must intern at an agency or organization, preferably nonprofit or governmental, providing services to underrepresented populations or contributing to an effort addressing a rural community need. Internship sites will be in rural, underserved areas of North Carolina with priority given to Watauga, Ashe, and Avery counties and the northwest region of North Carolina.
As an intern, you’ll benefit from a meaningful professional experience with a local agency or organization, while giving back to a community in North Carolina.
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Student participation cannot exceed 38 hours per week and 380 hours TOTAL. Note: students who are taking summer courses are restricted to 29 hours per week per university policy. Each student placement is required to complete a minimum of 16 hours of professional development to successfully fulfill the placement requirements. Program participants will take part in 20 hours of leadership and professional development workshops in addition to the 330-hour PFI internship experience.
Students awarded funding must agree to meet with the SECU Foundation Board upon completion of their internship. The successful applicant will articulate how the internship experience will contribute to his or her long-term career goals and aligns with his or her major. Two professional references and a criminal background check are required. The selection committee will prioritize applicants whose references, resume, and essay demonstrate leadership experience and potential, a desire to serve, and an internship aligned with the goals of the program.
Application Process
Students who are interested in becoming SECU Public Fellows interns should submit their proposed summer opportunity to the Career Development Center. The SECU Public Fellowship Internship Program follows a multi-stage application process. All applications will go before a board for consideration.
The application process typically involves the following stages:
- STAGE 1: Apply for acceptance into the SECU Public Fellows Program. To apply, log into Handshake and view the SECU Public Fellows Posting. You will be asked to rank the positions you are interested in on the supplemental application attached to the Handshake posting.
- STAGE 3: The top candidates will be invited to interview with the host site supervisors at the community organization.
Benefits of Participating
The SECU Summer Internship Program at Charlotte is designed to connect interested, talented undergraduate students with local leadership in order to obtain meaningful on-the-job experience with a local agency or organization, while providing unique learning opportunities. These opportunities allow Charlotte SECU Public Fellows Interns to give back to their community and gain meaningful experiences.
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Internships are typically 10 weeks.
The program offers numerous benefits for participating students:
- Real-World Experience: Internships provide hands-on experience in your field of study, helping you to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom to actual work situations.
- Networking Opportunities: Internships allow you to meet professionals in your industry, which can lead to mentorships, job recommendations, or even future job opportunities.
- Improved Job Readiness: Through internships, you gain insight into the workplace culture, learning key soft skills like communication, teamwork, and time management.
- Resume Enhancement: Employers often prioritize candidates who have internship experience because it signals initiative, work ethic, and a commitment to gaining practical skills.
- Clarifying Career Goals: Internships give you a chance to explore different industries or roles, helping you decide if you’re on the right career path or if you need to adjust your focus.
- Increased Employability: Many companies hire former interns for full-time positions after graduation.
Maintaining Professionalism and Integrity
As part of the SECU Summer Internship Program, students are expected to maintain professionalism and integrity throughout their placement. To ensure a positive experience for all parties, the following guidelines are in place:
- Responsiveness: Students are required to maintain regular communication with both their employer/site and the Career Center. Failure to respond to inquiries or provide status updates in a timely manner may result in disciplinary action.
- Falsification of Timesheets: Any instance of falsifying timesheets or submitting inaccurate hours will result in immediate action. If it is determined that time has been falsely reported, the student will be subject to disciplinary action, including removal from the program.
- Proof of Work Completion: Students must be able to provide proof of work completed upon request. This may include, but is not limited to, work logs, project submissions, or confirmation from the employer/site. If a student is unable to demonstrate that work has been completed, this will be considered grounds for removal from the program.
- Disciplinary Action: If a student is found to be unresponsive, has falsified timesheets, or is unable to provide proof of work completion, they will be immediately removed from the program and prohibited from applying for any SECU Summer Internship placements.
These rules are designed to uphold the professional standards of the program and ensure that both students and employers have a positive and productive experience. This will require that you coordinate a meeting with HR and bring all appropriate onboarding documents. After completing the Student Employment onboarding process (which will provide you with access to our Web Time Entry system) you will be advised of how many hours you’re permitted to work each week.
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