Cohort Internship Opportunities for Undergraduate Majors

One of the most valuable things your student can do is obtain an internship where they have the opportunity to develop skills and competencies relevant to their chosen career.

Many students independently seek out internships and are successful in gaining relevant experience. However, some students find that their internships don’t end up focusing on work that is very industry specific. While a student can always gain valuable takeaways from any internship, regardless of the details of their experience, they may not feel that those are as applicable to their field of study or career.

In an effort to provide students with relevant, valuable, and thoughtfully planned out internship opportunities, Career & Professional Development at Gonzaga University has developed multiple cohort internship programs over the last 6 years.

A cohort internship is a program where a group of students enter a program together and work as interns either in multiple positions with one organization, or in individual positions with multiple organizations. Students often room together if the cohort is outside their hometown and are able to interact as professionals in the workplace reflect on their experiences as a community outside of it.

Gonzaga Career & Professional Development currently manages two ongoing Cohort Internship Programs and will be piloting a third this year:

• Gonzaga Biomedical Internship @ Swedish Hospital, Seattle
  • 10 – 12 students intern at Swedish Hospital in Seattle, WA ever summer under the tutelage of a professional mentor taking part in lab research, shadowing, procedure observation (including major surgeries), and healthcare finance and administration.
  • Applications occur at the beginning of every spring semester, are very competitive, and the top 10 – 12 students are selected from a large applicant pool for this incredible internship program.
  • All positions are funded by Gonzaga University and include a stipend.
• Summer in Williston Internship Program
  • Every summer 15 – 20 students intern at various companies in Williston, ND.
  • Career fields include: Engineering, Biology, Vector Control, Sport/Athletic Management, Higher Education Administration, and more.
  • All positions are paid and housing is provided free of charge by Williston State College
  • Applications occur during spring semester.
• Service Internship Grant Program
  • Piloting for the 2018-2019 Academic Year
  • Many students who seek to intern at service organizations and non-profits often have to take unpaid positions or pursue alternate internship opportunities due to their financial situation.
  • In an effort to increase opportunities for students to give back to their community, and in line with the Jesuit values and mission of Gonzaga University, Career & Professional Development will be offering 3 grants this year to students who wish to intern at a service based or non-profit organization in a position that would normally be unpaid.
  • Students will submit a grant proposal during the fall semester to be reviewed by CPD. 3 proposals will be chosen and awarded to students participating in internships during either the spring semester or summer of 2019.

All three of these programs have been developed with the idea of providing better access to high-quality and high-value internships for Gonzaga University students. The lessons, skills, and professional connections students can develop in these programs will help them immensely as they begin their career.

Career & Professional Development will be hosting an on-campus info session about all three cohort internship programs during September. More information on the date, time, and location will be available to students on Handshake or in advertisements when they arrive on campus.

Please encourage your students to reach out to Career & Professional Development for more information on these opportunities and more.