Instructions/Application Process

For internships occurring in spring 2025, the application deadline is November 13, 2024, by 5 p.m.
For internships occurring in summer/fall 2025, the application deadline is: Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at 5 p.m.
Finding an internship: Students should work with their academic advisor and/or the Cooperation Education & Internships Program (273-6041) to find a suitable location for an internship.
Internships must also be approved by the student’s academic adviser.
Students may apply for one semester of support at a time.
- Awards up to $2,000 for undergraduate students and up to $3,000 for graduate students
Students who have received an award once may apply in future cycles. If re-applying, students should describe what they accomplished during the previous period(s) in which they received Koob funds.
Final Reporting/Agreements:
- Reporting: Both the student and the organization are expected to provide short reports describing the internship outcomes near the completion of the internship.
- Agreements: Organizational and student expectations should be negotiated through the academic department through which the student is gaining academic credit.

Agency/Organization Qualifications

Sites:

501(c)3 non-profit organizations (other organizations may contact the committee chair to discuss eligibility)
City, county, state and federal governmental agencies
One of UNI’s outreach programs (e.g., Institute for Decision Making, Regional Business Center, Iowa Waste Reduction Center, Recycling, Reuse & Technology Transfer Center). Note: the goal of the fund is to support interns whose work has an impact in the community beyond UNI.
Religious and faith-based organizations are permitted to apply, as long as the student’s activity is not focused on proselytizing or religious education.
Internships to assist candidates who are running for elected office are not appropriate for the fund.
Full time AmeriCorps positions receiving a living stipend and Segal Education Award are not eligible for funding

Geography: All funds will be allocated to interns in Iowa.

Semesters: Internships in summer, fall and spring semesters are eligible.

Project Requirements: Among the internship responsibilities, interns are to be responsible for at least one substantial project that benefits the student, the organization and the community through their project. The project should have ongoing value to the organization and community, beyond the time of the student's service to the organization. This project should be described in the application materials.

Student Qualifications

Year: Available to any UNI undergraduate of at least sophomore classification and any graduate student.

Major: Applicants may come from any academic discipline at UNI.

Undergraduate Minimum GPA: 2.75 cumulative -- students with lower GPAs may appeal prior to application, email kristina.kofoot@uni.edu.

Graduate Minimum GPA: 3.00 in the student’s program of study.

Need: Selection is not based on financial need, however, applications will be reviewed to determine if other sources of funding (such as Community Service Learning, pay, etc) are supporting the intern. Students on an internship that aren’t receiving any compensation or support will be considered more than financially supported internships. The committee will not award more than $9.00/hour to undergraduates or $12.00/hour to graduate students when combing all sources of funding (Community Service Learning, pay, Koob Scholarship, etc).

Hour & Credit Requirements:

Minimum number of hours per week with the organization (averaged over semester): 10 hours.
Maximum number of hours per week with the organization (averaged over semester): 40 hours.
Minimum number of academic internship/field experience credit the student must be enrolled in each term (actual course title is dependent on department): 3 hours per semester or a transcript notation through Career Services.

Criteria/Selection Committee

Interns chosen to receive awards through the Robert and Yvonne Koob Fund for Student Community Engagement will be selected for their potential to benefit the student, the sponsoring organization and the community. Applications are reviewed on the following criteria:

1. Student benefits

Skills, knowledge, and professional network that the student will gain, including the ability of the internship to broaden or deepen the student’s skills and knowledge.
Alignment of the student’s professional and civic goals with the internship activities, especially the intern’s project.
Capacity of the organization to provide a positive learning environment.

2. Organizational & Community Benefits

Student’s ability to positively contribute to the work of the organization, especially through the intern’s project.
Ability of the organization to create positive community change among the public.
Internships should have ongoing value to the organization and community, beyond the time of the student's service to the organization.
Outcomes (for community) that will result from student/organization’s efforts, especially through the intern’s project.

3. The committee will review the intern’s project most heavily in the application process therefore, throughout the application the focus should be on the intern’s project.

4. Awardees are selected by a committee of community and university representatives.

5. Committee members sign conflict of interest statements and decline from voting in instances of conflict.

For more information, please contact Kristina Kofoot at kristina.kofoot@uni.edu or 319-273-4507.