Internship in Building Community
Teaching today's talented college and graduate students to build the communities of tomorrow.
- Learn valuable skills to prepare for a career in education, social work, business, politics, and other fields;
- Work with bright, highly motivated peers and high school students;
- Spend your summer in New York City;
- Receive a stipend of $2,000 and free room and board.
The Internship in Building Community runs from June 9 to August 3, 2013.
About the Program
The Internship in Building Community (IBC) affords undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to participate in an extended program devoted to developing the interpersonal skills necessary to build communities.
The IBC is divided into two parts:
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A two-week Seminar led by professionals in the field of community building.
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A Practicum, lasting six weeks, in which each intern serves as both a resident adviser and a program assistant for Columbia's Summer Program for High School Students. Using skills developed during the Seminar, interns are responsible for creating a cohesive, lively, and respectful student body.
Intern Responsibilities During the Practicum
Throughout the Practicum, interns meet to discuss their experiences, challenges, and accomplishments. At the end, they write short reflective essays that are then distributed among the IBC participants.
As interns reflect back over their experience, they look again at the principles of community building, doing so this time from the perspective of experienced resident advisers. This meeting of theoretical (Seminar) and practical (Practicum) provides interns with valuable insight into the challenges and benefits of fostering and maintaining functional, enriching communities.
The interns complete the program with a real-world perspective on leadership and responsibility and find that their fellow community builders have become a valuable network for sharing experiences and support into the future.
