Accelerate Faculty

Alverno College recently received aCareer Ready Internship Initiativegrant in the amount of $150,000 fromGreat Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation. This grant will benefit 95 students by offering them opportunities to gain invaluable, real-world experience through paid internships in their fields of study.

Alverno College will use the grant to create new paid internships and turn previously unpaid internships into paid internships, for juniors and seniors who don't receive enough financial aid to cover college costs.

“Study after study shows that students who have completed internships are more confident in their career choices and more desirable to employers, but unpaid internships pose a financial hurdle on students who already are working and must swap work hours for unpaid internship hours, said Susan Leister, director of the Internship office at Alverno College.“The wonderful thing about the Great Lakes Career Ready grant is that it adds to the benefit of internships and takes away the financial challenges they can impose on students who need an income to help pay for college.”

Alverno College is one of 19 Wisconsin colleges and universities to receive some of the more than $2.5 million inCareer Ready Internship Initiativegrant funds awarded by Great Lakes. Schools will collaborate with businesses and nonprofit organizations across the state to create the new paid internships.