Applications Are Open For The University Of Chicago’s Youth Internship Program

Applications Are Open For The University Of Chicago’s Youth Internship Program
Applications Are Open For The University Of Chicago’s Youth Internship Program

Applications Are Open For The University Of Chicago’s Youth Internship Program

By Tia Carol Jones

High school students who are interested in health sciences, computer sciences and IT services who live on the South Side of Chicago are encouraged to apply for the University of Chicago’s Youth Internship Program.

The internship program has partnered with One Summer Chicago, the Department of Family & Support Services’ Summer Youth Employment Program initiative. It was launched in 2021. It was created as a result of a recommendation that the University of Chicago received from the Community Development Working Group about having a youth internship opportunity. During the pilot year, there were 10 interns. This year, there will be 75 interns.

Ann Merrell, Director of College and Career Readiness Programs at the University of Chicago, said it was important to expand the program from 10 to 75 because there was so much interest and enthusiasm for the internship program. The goal is to provide youth with employment and enrichment opportunities during the summer months.

The internship program is a two-summer model, with the first year providing the participants broad exposure to college and career options. The students attend workshops and participate in activities and a guest speaker series, as well as attend networking events and workplace tours. In the second summer, students are eligible to re-apply for the program for a direct internship in departments at the University, which includes the Psychology department, Chicago Center for HIV Elimination, Gastroenterology,  Computer Science Instructional Lab and Information Technology Tech Bar. Students can indicate their preference for which placement they are most interested in when they apply for the second year.

“Between the first and the second summers, students gain both that broad exposure to different post-secondary pathways as well as more specific hands-on training and preparation in that second summer internship,” Merrell said.

This year, there is more of a focus on health careers, STEM sciences and IT sciences. The reason for this, Merrell said, is because there are a lot of career opportunities in that industry and also based on students’ feedback from previous years of the program.

“There are a lot of students who aspire to have future careers in computer programming or medicine.  I think it was just a good fit in career areas where there is a lot of growth and aligning with student interests,” she said.

Student feedback from past participants included positive responses about how the program helped increase their confidence, helped them to gain new valuable skills, as well as helping them learn about their own strengths and found a sense of purpose and meaning in what they did during their internships. The feedback also resulted in more group projects, interactive activities and opportunities to interact with different professionals from a variety of fields.

The University of Chicago is also focusing on inclusive innovation for local residents and youth, so it wants to prepare local students and residents for careers in STEM fields. Some initial short-term data finds that students who participated in the internship program have gone on to attend University of Illinois At Chicago, University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and Loyola University.

The internship program begins June 24th and ends August 1st. The deadline for applications is Friday, April 19th. For more information about the Youth Internship Program, visit https://ccreadiness.uchicago.edu/pages/uchicago-youth-internship-program. Students can apply through One Summer Chicago at onesummerchicago.org.

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