Saturday, January 15, 2011
Staff report
youngstown
The Center for Nonprofit Leadership at Youngstown State University, housed in the Williamson College of Business Administration, has received a $40,000 grant from the Raymond John Wean Foundation to start a Summer Honors Internship Program in June.
Laura McCaskey, director of the YSU Center for Nonprofit Leadership, said the internship program will encourage students to seek new opportunities in the nonprofit sector, expand student awareness of the professional career opportunities in the nonprofit sector and in the Mahoning Valley, and prepare students for either entry-level positions or board positions with nonprofit organizations.
McCaskey said the program creates an opportunity for college seniors to gain valuable career-related work experience through paid summer internships with Mahoning Valley nonprofit organizations.
Nonprofit organizations that host the summer interns benefit through the contributions of the intern as well the opportunity to recruit and retain students for future entry-level positions within their organizations, she said.
This “brain gain” strategy helps retain professional talent in the Mahoning Valley and create increased capacity for the organization, McCaskey said.
It is anticipated that the nonprofit leadership internships will be in areas such as community outreach/marketing and public relations, fundraising, special events, information management and technology, accounting and financial management, program planning and evaluation, volunteer management, or youth and adult development.
The Center for Nonprofit Leadership will place 10 students as interns in regional nonprofit organizations.
Students will work 40 hours a week for 10 weeks, for a total of 400 hours from June 7 to Aug. 20.
Students will be paid $9 an hour for a total of $3,600. In addition to the internship, students will be required to participate in a weekly seminar that includes site visits, tours and professional development seminars.
Nonprofit organizations in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties with 501(c)3 status are encouraged to apply. Applications from the Center for Nonprofit Leadership are available. The application deadline is Feb. 11.
Students can apply for the program now. Eligible students must be seniors by the end of the spring semester, have a declared major and a minimum 3.0 grade-point average.
The program is open to currently enrolled YSU and non-YSU students. Students are eligible to earn four hours of academic credit.
McCaskey said the program continues to engage YSU business majors and nonprofit leadership students in professional development opportunities with the nonprofit community and fulfills the mission of the WCBA, which is to prepare undergraduate and graduate students for productive and fulfilling careers as leaders in business, government, nonprofit organizations and society.
The YSU Center for Nonprofit Leadership offers a certificate and a minor in Nonprofit Management and Leadership, which can be combined with any major on campus.
The Raymond John Wean Foundation, located in Warren, seeks to help foster initiatives that will create a robust civic life and a dynamic and diversified economy with a good range of jobs and safe and attractive neighborhoods.
For more information on the Nonprofit Leadership Summer Honors Internship Program or the YSU Center for Nonprofit Leadership, call McCaskey at 330-941-1870 or e-mail LJMcCaskey@ysu.edu.