Endowed Undergraduate Internship Program
To provide additional support for Kent students and strong credentials upon graduation, the department coordinates a paid summer internship program for qualified undergraduate majors when funds are available.
Based on their academic/employment background, sophomore through senior majors are placed with local natural resource companies, environmental firms, and engineering testing companies for the entire summer.
Employers who wish to learn more about participating in our Endowed Undergraduate Internship Program may contact us by mail at Department of Earth Sciences, Kent State University, Kent OH 44242, by phone at 330-672-2680, or by e-mail at earthsci@kent.edu, or contact the Internship Coordinator, Dr. Neil Wells.
Endowed Cooperative Department-Industry Internship Program
Among Ohio's 14 state universities, Kent's undergraduate geology program is the only one ever to receive special recognition from the Ohio Board of Regents in the form of a "Program Excellence" grant. The $145,000 grant was used to acquire and upgrade instructional equipment, departmental library materials and maps, and initiate an Endowed Undergraduate Internship Program.
The OBR funding provided the initial principle in an endowed account which continues to grow through interest and additional gifts. Funds from this endowment are provided on a merit basis to support current students through internship experiences with industry partners in Geology related fields. We typically fund on the order of five to ten interns per year through this program with the endowment covering 50% of the internship costs and the industry partner providing the remainder. This program provides excellent real world experience and training to our students and helps us to achieve our nearly 100% placement record for our alumni. Many of our students continue working for their internship company after the completion of their internship, or are hired by the company following their graduation.
Companies who have cooperated in KSU's Department of Geology Endowed Undergraduate Internship Program include:
- ATC Associates, Inc.
- BJAAM Environmental, Inc.
- Emerald Environmental, Inc.
- Environmental Associates, Inc.
- Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District
- Geo-Sci, Inc.
- Geosearch Logging, Inc.
- Great Lakes Energy Partners
- Hull & Associates, Inc.
- J&L Laboratories, Inc.
- MB Operating Co., Inc.
- Parsons Engineering Sciences
- Philip Environmental Services Corp.
- Prime Engineering, Inc.
- R&R International, Inc.
- R.E. Warner & Associates, Inc.
- Solar Testing Laboratories
- Vadose Research, Inc. Geologic Services Corp. (Pennsylvania)
- Handex Environmental, Inc. (Pennsylvania)
External Internship Opportunities
- National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
- The NASA One Stop Shopping Initiative (OSSI) is a NASA-wide system for the recruitment, application, selection and career development of undergraduate and graduate students primarily in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Opportunities for students in other disciplines are also available.
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities Undergraduate Research Opportunities (ORAU) administers a broad range of internships, scholarships, fellowships, and research experience programs
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) sponsors more than 50 research programs for undergraduate students at national laboratories and other federal research facilities in 24 states and some outside the United States.
- Keck Geology Consortium
- EarthScope Consortium (UNAVCO)
- Southern California Earthquake Center
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute's summer internship program provides an opportunity for talented college students (undergraduate and graduate) and educators to come to MBARI for a period of 10 weeks in 2014 (June 9–August 15) to work on a specific project under MBARI staff supervision.
- Colorado Diversity Initiative - UC Boulder, CO
- Lamont-Doherty Summer Intern Program offers the chance to experience scientific research as an undergraduate.
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Summer Student Fellowship
- US DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships (SULI)
- Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science (SOARS), is an undergraduate-to-graduate bridge program designed to broaden participation in the atmospheric and related sciences.
- Research Experiences in Solid Earth Science for Students (RESESS)
- The Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP), provides an opportunity for students to participate in research at a Department of Navy (DoN) laboratory during the summer.
- Natural History Research Experiences (NHRE) summer research internship for undergraduates.
- Institute for Broadening Participation Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science (MS PHD'S®) initiative was developed by and for underrepresented minorities with the overall purpose of facilitating our increased participation in Earth system science.
- Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center (PEER)
- Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Summer Internship Program offers an opportunity for work experience to college and university students in a wide variety of disciplines. Interns have a firsthand opportunity to learn about the historic artifacts and archival materials housed in the Museum and to study the scientific and technological advances they represent. Each year positions are available in a variety of Museum areas such as aircraft restoration; aviation or space history; planetary science; collections management; web and new media; exhibit and graphic design; public relations; budget and finance; architecture and engineering; and education. Students from all fields of study are encouraged to apply.
- Geophysical Laboratory and the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism of the Carnegie Institution of Washington Summer Scholars Program
- America's Natural and Cultural Resources Volunteer Portal
- The Field Museum, Chicago IL Research Internships and Grants