Internships

Since the Fall of 1976 the Environmental Studies Internship Program has placed over 150 undergraduates in a multitude of agencies throughout the New York metropolitan area. Internship placements are designed primarily for graduating seniors and bridge the gap between academic preparation and the real world workplace. Over the decades this program has proven uniformly successful for both students and employers and is generally recognized as one of the strongest assets of our undergraduate program.

Students are accepted into the program through an application process that reviews their interests and qualifications. Placements are made to reflect their career goals and aspirations and are individually designed and monitored. Students earn academic credit for their work but at the option of the agency or company may be placed on salary for the term they are employed as an intern. This provision is often favorable to firms in the private sector whose workers need to be covered by workman's compensation.

Two general types of internships are available over an academic year. During the regular Fall and Spring semesters interns are placed in a wide range of agencies on an individual basis. During summers interns are organized into a single project group that works collaboratively at a selected field site. Students become involved in a variety of natural resource management, environmental science and educational activities. These internships are open to all undergraduates and give students the opportunity to gain realistic work experiences before entering their senior year.

Although future employment cannot be guaranteed (through an internship), many of the interns receive job offers from their agency or from related agencies as a direct result of their placement. Even if employment is not the immediate result of the internship, each student becomes more aware of what environmental work is all about and begins to build their "base of experience". Employers are interested in skilled employees who have a realistic perspective about environmental affairs. Undergraduate experiences, paid or unpaid, are as important as academic courses and good grades. The combination of training, experiences and formal education makes St. John's students successful as they proceed with their future careers.

For information about specific internship agencies and opportunities please contact the Program Director , William Nieter.