Thanks to a three year grant from the McGregor Fund, the Poverty and Solidarity summer internship program provides eight week, paid internships with local community organizations whose missions address poverty in local, regional, national, or international settings. Through these internships, students will increase their knowledge about poverty, its human and social costs, and ways they can act with and on behalf of the poor. For example, they may learn how non-profit and government agencies assess community needs and develop and implement programs to address the causes and consequences of poverty.

One day each week, interns participate in seminars that use speakers, readings, and discussions to explore the complex, systemic nature of poverty and to study causes, consequences, and solutions. These seminars feature presentations by members of the community working to understand and alleviate poverty. The other four days of each week students are engaged in their community-based internships with Greater Cleveland agencies serving a variety of roles (e.g. providing direct service to the poor, advocacy, economic development, community organizing, policy development and analysis, etc.) and serving a variety of needs (e.g. law, health, social work, children, elderly, education, etc.). The students gather weekly for a communal meal and student-led discussion in which they reflect on their experiences and engage in analysis of larger structural issues that contribute to the persistence of poverty. Interns earn three academic credits (AR 399 Poverty and Solidarity Internship) and are paid a stipend of $4000 for a 10 week commitment (40 hours/week). As needed, interns are also provided with housing in JCU residence halls and an RTA pass for transportation to and from internship sites.

2009 Summer Internship Application

For more information on the
Poverty and Solidarity
Internship Program, contact:

Dr. Peggy Finucane
mfinucane@jcu.edu
216- 397-4698