An Internship Stipend Proves the Benefits of an English Degree in the Philanthropic Sector

As a masters student at the first school dedicated solely to the study and teaching of philanthropy, I knew I would need to actively pursue all of the opportunities sent my way as a student and young philanthropic professional. From the get go, internships were central on my list of opportunities to take advantage of due to the array of skills and experiences they would afford me at this stage in my life. The philanthropic sector is a huge part of society and there are an unlimited amount of opportunities to pursue and a variety of organizations to work with. Unfortunately, like many other students, internships often seemed out of reach due to the low pay and lack of flexibility for students with additional responsibilities. Luckily, the Sigma Tau Delta Internship Stipend was available to support me in pursuing experience within my field.

Philanthropy and Philanthropic Studies are not sectors often immediately considered as related to the field of English, but when you look further, they are fields deeply rooted in language usage and communication. Donor outreach, resource development, and grant reports are all central parts of the work done within this sector that rely on language and writing to share and develop the work being done in the philanthropic sector. My internship with the Steuben County Community Foundation allowed me to apply my Philanthropic Studies course knowledge and my English course knowledge in new ways that were able to complement one another through the projects I completed.

Through my work with the Steuben County Community Foundation I was able to develop projects independently and given the freedom to approach them creatively while applying course knowledge and previous work experience. An example of this can be seen when I developed a small ask donor outreach mailing piece. I was able to design a shareable holiday postcard where recipients were encouraged to give part of the mailing to someone else so that we could share our mission and engage with new donors remotely through the language and imagery used. This allowed me to practice stewardship and solicitation while also developing my written communication skills. Through this work and the variety of other projects that I engaged with I was able to develop both as a student by applying course knowledge within the field and as a young professional by cultivating new skill sets and networking with experienced professionals.

Overall, the time I spent working with the Steuben County Community Foundation provided me with opportunities and connections throughout the philanthropic industry while also allowing me to actively be involved in the work the foundation does in its community. I have been given immense responsibilities like running a GivingTuesday campaign while also being permitted with the time to pursue projects of my own interest like writing and designing a Valentine’s Day Donor Campaign. The Sigma Tau Delta 2022 Summer Internship Stipend provided me with the extra support necessary for me to focus on my work with the foundation without worrying about bills and supporting myself. I encourage everyone, regardless of whether your internship is a ‘traditional” English field, to apply for the Internship Stipend because it provides a unique opportunity to gain experience without fear and to interact with experienced professionals in your field of choice.

Avery Crews Prado de Lima
Summer Internship Stipend Recipient, 2022
Alpha Kappa Phi Chapter
Lindsey Wilson College, KY

Internship Stipend

Sigma Tau Delta offers funding for current undergraduate and graduate student members accepting non- or low-paying internships. The Internship Stipend is a competitive program providing a limited number of stipends of up to $1,500 each.

The internship must involve working for an “organization” while being directed by a supervisor/mentor within that organization, and the intern’s duties must be consistent with the applicant’s level of education, area of study, and career goals. Financial need will be taken into consideration in addition to internship length. Applicants are responsible for obtaining and providing verification of the internship. Check out BestColleges’ Ultimate Guide to Internships for advice in finding and applying for internships. Please review the application guidelines for additional information.

The internship stipend does not apply to activities that are part of a student’s degree requirements, such as student teaching, and cannot be used to supplement a graduate assistantship.

Applications will be accepted through August 7, 2023, 11:59 p.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT). Notifications will be made by June 5. Questions regarding the online submission process should be addressed to [email protected].