Students can apply now for Summer Experience Grants

Thanks to generous alumni gifts, students in the College of Arts & Sciences can apply for funding to help them take on unpaid or minimally-paid summer positions.

This year, more than $500,000 will be available to students through Summer Experience Grants, which can help to pay for housing, food, travel costs and other expenses students might incur during an internship or career opportunity.

Applications are open until April 17 and students can find the application form on the Experience Cornell site.

“The Summer Experience Grant is an opportunity for students to explore their career interests, without the worry of how to pay for it,” said Jennifer Maclaughlin, assistant dean and director of Arts & Sciences Career Development. “An experiential learning opportunity, be it an internship, research, or volunteer opportunity, positions students for better career outcomes upon graduation. SEG opens doors for all students to pursue their passion, regardless of their financial situation.”

Last year, 151 students were funded through the program, which awarded nearly $650,000 through the grants and the Student Contribution Fund, which provides support for A&S undergraduates who are unable to save money for the student contribution portion of their financial aid package. Summer Experience Grants are made possible through generous alumni donations and support from the Student Assembly.

“Through the grant, I was able to not only assist a lab in making strides towards elucidating the immunological pathways involved in seizure mitigation, but I was able to clarify my own career aspirations,” said Ian Ghasemian ’23, who spent the summer doing research at the University of Virginia. “The privilege of this grant accelerated my future plans and solidified my interests, allowing me to take these next four semesters to work towards the goal of doing research full time after college.”

Henley Schulz ‘22, who spent the summer in Washington D.C., working in the office of U.S. Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio, said the grant helped her realize she would like to work on Capitol Hill or in a government agency.

“I would love to work on US-China relations or (artificial intelligence) and tech related policy,” she said. “I hope to return to the Hill after I graduate and build my initial career there.”