Support for External Organizations to Host Duke Ph.D. Student Summer Internships

Deadline: February 4, 2022

Overview

During Summer 2022, the Duke University Provost’s Office in collaboration with the Office of Durham and Community Affairs will support professional development opportunities for current Duke Ph.D. students who do not have full summer funding. Organizations that would like to host such an opportunity may submit a proposal by February 4, 2022. Proposals will be accepted via Formstack (https://dukeinterdisc.formstack.com/forms/duke_phd_internships_external).

We are seeking Ph.D. student internships opportunities that provide Ph.D. students with research experience outside the university while remaining connected to their intellectual trajectory. To cite a few examples, in past years, Duke Ph.D. interns have engaged with:

• The Modern Language Association to design and marketed a resource toolkit around curricular innovation and teacher training

• Governance and Youth Economic Opportunities group at RTI International to deploy social network analysis (SNA) to facilitate international development projects, create user-friendly SNA guides and reports, and contribute to workshops and a community of practice event

• The Consumer Protection Division of the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office to analyze regulatory developments in the European Union and report on findings to representatives from offices of Attorneys General in other states

Restrictions and Parameters for Students

• These opportunities will only be open to current Duke Ph.D. students without full summer funding. Students who will matriculate in the summer/fall of 2022 are not eligible.

• Interested students will apply for posted opportunities through a central Duke portal, though the selection process and decision will rest with each internship host.

• Internships can involve six weeks, eight weeks or twelve weeks of engagement, and must take place between May 16 – August 19 with no more than 19.9 hours/week, leaving time for students to engage with their own research, study and/or writing. Stipend amounts vary by the amount of time required.

• The earliest date an internship may start is May 16, 2022; the latest an internship may end is August 19, 2022.

• Duke Ph.D. students will receive a stipend commensurate with the three options for length of engagement paid across Duke’s June – August payroll cycles.

• International Duke Ph.D. students who reside in North Carolina or an approved U.S. jurisdiction detailed below and who wish to apply for a summer internship should consult as soon as possible with Duke Visa Services for assistance with filing applications for Curricular Practical Training and any other visa-related requirements.

Restrictions and Parameters for Host Organizations

• Proposals from host organizations that can provide a 50% cost share on the stipend or receive Duke Office of Durham and Community Affairs stipend support (see below) will be given priority consideration. Where relevant, organizations will be invoiced in September 2022 for the stipend cost share.

• In an effort to support community partners unable to fund internships, regional nonprofit organizations may request support through the Duke Office of Durham and Community Affairs. To be eligible for stipend funding support, organizations must serve the regional community in one of Duke’s five strategic focus areas:
  • Community/nonprofit capacity
  • Housing affordability and infrastructure
  • Early childhood education and K-12 readiness
  • College and career readiness
  • Community health/food security and nutrition

• Organizations requesting stipend assistance may inquire with Sandra Martinez Zuniga, sandra.martinezzuniga@duke.edu, senior program coordinator for civic engagement at the Office of Durham and Community Affairs.

• Any proposal for an internship must comply with Duke University coronavirus response policies and the residency requirement detailed below.

• Internship hosts must either be based in North Carolina or an approved U.S. jurisdiction available for Duke employment: California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Selection Criteria and Review Process

Host organizations and supervisors must detail a program of work, with clear goals, deliverables, and identification of a supervisor, in their proposed job description. We encourage host organizations to plan for regular interaction with interns and to include them in team meetings. The review process will be overseen by the Duke vice provost for interdisciplinary studies.

Scope and Duration

In-person, remote and/or hybrid internships will be considered. The proposed internship experience should last for up to three months in the summer and proposals may be configured in one of the following formats:

1. Three-month (19.9 hours/week) internship; intern will receive a stipend of $8,250
2. Two-month (19.9 hours/week) internship; intern will receive a stipend of $5,500
3. One and a half month/6-week internship (19.9 hours/week); intern will receive a stipend of $4,125

The proposed internship will take place between May 16 – August 19, 2022 and interns will receive a stipend paid across Duke’s June – August payroll cycles.

Proposal Requirements

Proposals will be accepted via Formstack (https://dukeinterdisc.formstack.com/forms/duke_phd_internships_external) through February 4, 2022 at 5 p.m.

You will be asked to provide the following information:

• A title and brief description (one paragraph) for the proposed internship position
• The number of interns your organization anticipates hosting
• The start and end dates for the internship
• The name and contact information for the organization/unit business manager
• The name and contact information for the internship coordinator and the direct supervisor (if different)
• A brief plan (maximum one page) that articulates the anticipated project or projects, describes the nature of engagement with organizational staff members, and specifies how the organization envisages a remote/virtual work experience (if relevant)
• A confirmation of cost share, or explanation of why cost share is not possible

Contact

For questions related to the online application and/or other logistical questions, please contact Amy Feistel, amy.feistel@duke.edu.

Organizations based in the Triangle are encouraged to contact Sandra Martinez Zuniga, sandra.martinezzuniga@duke.edu, senior program coordinator for civic engagement at the Office of Durham and Community Affairs, especially if they wish to explore stipend coverage.

For questions related to internship work plans or cost sharing, please contact Edward J. Balleisen, eballeis@duke.edu, vice provost for interdisciplinary studies.