The University of Pittsburgh Partners for Rural Student Success Impact & Mobility (PRSSIM) Project, funded by the U.S. Department of Education's RPED Program, takes a three-point approach to improve student success and completion rates of rural students through the scaling of recruitment and retention efforts, student success resource availability, and bolstering of technical infrastructure.
Internship Funding
One of the Pitt PRSSIM Project's objectives is to increase rural student internship attainment and completion. To support this objective, internship funding is available to undergraduate students at any University of Pittsburgh campus who came from rural or small-town communities to support their completion of an internship experience that might otherwise be unpaid.
Get started in 3 steps!
- Enroll in the Experiential Learning Academy >>
- Complete the Experiential Learning Academy (approx. 4 hours of training)
- Apply for internship funding by submitting the PRSSIM Internship Application >>
Once you complete the Experiential Learning Academy and the PRSSIM Internship Application linked above, you will be contacted by a project team member to learn about your work interests or about internship opportunities you may already have in mind.
The Pitt PRSSIM Project team and Regional Campus partners can guide students in:
- Searching for an internship position
- Preparing for an internship interview with resume writing and interviewing skills through completion of the Experiential Learning Academy
- Securing an internship position
- Funding internships that might otherwise be unpaid up to $4,000 per internship
Qualifications for Application
- Rural student as determined by the student's address at the time of application to the University of Pittsburgh
- Undergraduate student enrolled at the Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown, or Pittsburgh Campus
- Completion of the Career Prep Academy (approx. 4 hours of training)
Internship Expectations
- Secure an internship position that will provide at least 120 hours of internship experience
- Submit proof of internship verification from employer (letter from the employer)
- Meet with Pitt PRSSIM Project staff monthly to discuss internship progress and goals
- Fulfill all obligations set by the internship employer
- Maintain professionalism in the internship experience including on-time arrival to job site, appropriate attire, and respectful conduct with internship supervisor and co-workers
- Complete a survey at the end of your internship experience
For more information or questions, contact Vanessa Hadley, Project Coordinator for Student Success.