Dana Internship Program and Provost's Project Award

The Dana Internship Program provides paid compensation and a tuition scholarship to Ithaca College undergraduate students with financial need to participate in a meaningful faculty-mentored, academically-related employment experience.  

The Dana Internship is highly competitive and requires students to submit an application to be considered. Projects must be developed in consultation with a faculty mentor, who is expected to guide the student through the paid work experience. Most projects take place during the summer months, although a few awards may be made for academic year projects.  

Priority is given to students who are financial aid eligible. Limited funds may be available for students who are not eligible for financial aid but have worthy projects, through a Provost’s Project Award. Students supported by a Project Award will receive wages but are not eligible for a tuition scholarship.  

Examples of Prior Dana Internship Projects

students working together
  • Biology major conducting on-campus research during the summer in a faculty lab, studying the phylogeography of the Streak-backed Oriole using mitochondrial and nuclear markers. 
  • History major conducting research during the summer on masculinity, tuberculosis, and health tourism 1830-1890. 
  • Writing major researching and writing a young adult novel with LGBTQ+ themes. 
  • Music Performance major serving as a conducting intern during the fall and spring semesters with the Ithaca Children’s Choir. 
  • Integrated Marketing Communications major developing CDs, videos, and other media for a church organization. 
  • Public and Community Health major collaborating with community partners to conduct a needs assessment and then develop health programming to deliver to children attending youth center services. 

Award Criteria and Application Information

  • Current first year, sophomore, and junior students 
  • Minimum 3.0 GPA 
  • You are expected to enroll in classes in the semester following the internship project; if you are taking a leave of absence in the subsequent semester, you are not eligible for an award. 
  • On-campus academic research projects with a faculty member; 
  • Projects creating deliverables for a community partner; 
  • Internships on campus in an IC department or office; 
  • Internships with an off-campus agency. 
  • Projects must clearly demonstrate the educational value of the work experience. 
  • Projects must relate to the student’s academic program and professional goals. 
  • Project design must include a plan for active mentoring by an IC faculty member. 
  • Individual Schools may have additional expectations and evaluation criteria. 
Expectations and Compensation

Students will be hired as a student employee and paid through the student employment system on a bi-weekly basis.  The rate of compensation is based on the current NYS minimum wage.  Overtime pay is not permitted through this program. Please consult the student employment web page for up to date information about the current hourly rate to determine the total compensation you will earn if you receive an award. 

  • Summer projects: expected to work 37.5 – 40 hours per week for 8 consecutive weeks over the summer (a total of 300-320 hours total) 

  • Academic year projects: expected to work 10 hours per week over the course of the academic year (15 weeks per semester, a total of 300 hours). 

  • Financial aid eligible students: in addition to wages, you will receive a tuition scholarship of $1,500 as part of your financial aid package. 

  • International students: If your project is a summer internship with an off-campus agency during the summer, according to federal regulation, you must also enroll for credit and demonstrate that the credit fulfills a curricular requirement for your degree.  Please consult with staff in the International Programs office for more details about this requirement. 

All students applying for the Dana Internship award must file a FAFSA for the following academic year. FAFSA applications must be submitted no later than February 15. If you do not have a FAFSA on file at the time that proposals are reviewed, you will not be considered for a Dana award with a tuition scholarship.  

Students can be pre-screened for financial aid eligibility by contacting Barbie Bargher, Director for Student Financial Services, at bbargher@ithaca.edu or 274-3131. 

How to Apply

To be considered, you will prepare a written proposal explaining your project and how it will help you meet your educational and/or career goals. If you are planning a project that is an internship based in a campus office or an off-campus agency rather than a faculty-mentored research or creative inquiry project, be sure to explain how your office or agency site supervisor will work with your faculty mentor to ensure that the experience is of educational value. 

We expect you to work closely with your faculty mentor in the discussion and development of the project and the proposal! Some Schools may require your faculty mentor to provide a recommendation or other material as part of the application. 

Specific application and submission details are determined by each school: 

Important Dates for Dana Internship Program Applications 

  • FAFSA applications must be completed by February 15, 2024. 
  • All project proposals must be submitted to your School by February 28, 2024, at noon. 
  • Awards will be announced by April 5, 2024 

Questions

For information regarding financial aid eligibility, please contact Barbie Bargher, Director for Student Financial Services, at bbargher@ithaca.edu or 274-3131. 

For information regarding application eligibility,  expectations and compensation, please contact the Dean's office in your respective school. 

For general information, please contact Office of the Provost at the email below