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Interested in a career in non profit or government? Do you want to learn more about community organizations? Would you like to leverage your business skills for social good?
Bentley University’s Service Learning & Civic Engagement Center through a grant from the Yawkey Foundation offers the opportunity to pursue a full semester internship that provides students with the opportunity to work for a local nonprofit or government agency to improve civic, citizenship, and academic skills. The program is a 70 hour, 10 week program that runs in conjunction with a three-credit course. Students will also receive a stipend for their participation in the program.
Curious to learn more? Hear from a current student who completed the internship! Keep an eye out for applications details soon!
Daniella (Dani) Jakobson, Managerial Economics, 2020
My name is Dani Jakobson, a rising senior and I study Managerial Economics. This past semester I was a community engagement intern at REACH, a non-profit that focuses mainly on intervention and prevention services for survivors of domestic violence. The agency works with local communities and towns to spread awareness and implement specific solutions for each community to combat domestic violence. I was incredibly excited for the opportunity to work in an organization in a field that, although heartbreaking at times, is critical. I’ve had previous internships and while all of them were insightful and interesting, at the end of the day there weren’t many chances towards making a social impact. Very clearly on the first day at REACH I understood how important and valued the work was. That greater sense of purpose and urgency stimulated me immensely in my projects (market research and design implementation of marketing materials) and really was the initial motivation as to why I applied for the program. I wanted to help and more importantly learn from people directly working on critical social issues and gain exposure to that kind of environment. I think Bentley prepares you incredibly well for a job in finance and the corporate world at large, but there are fewer opportunities to explore other paths. That is why it’s so awesome now that the university and the BSLCE have created this new program. For me, and anyone just considering other tangents, this internship was a great way to see where else a business education can take a student. Personally, the greatest takeaway I received from my time at REACH was that I gained the understanding that work is done better when it is done together. The tight-knit staff at the agency was what enabled the leadership and front-line workers to equally (for the most part) influence the decisions made and the course of the organization. Going forward from this lesson as I apply for jobs post-graduation, it’s become a priority of mine to be part of an organization or office where not only my civic values align, but also where there is a shared culture of collaboration. I would absolutely recommend applying for the program if not for the stand-out experience but for the staff and other students you will meet!
