Trinity Joins Nationwide Internships Consortium
Elite network links students with opportunities all over the country

Trinity University has joined a nationwide consortium of elite colleges and universities that provides opportunities for internships.

Known as the Nationwide Internships Consortium (NIC), the group's members also include Claremont McKenna College, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Chicago. Trinity is the only Texas school in the group. Trinity students have access to more than 3,000 internship positions annually.

"It's an elite group of 16 schools that promote and provide internship opportunities for students all over the country," said Jacob Tingle '95, director of Experiential Learning and co-director of the Center for Experiential Learning and Career Success.

Erin Hood '03, assistant director of Experiential Learning, said her staff enters internships into the HireATiger portal managed by the Office of Career Services and available to students with a Trinity email address. Once entered, the positions become available to students at NIC member schools.

"Joining the NIC greatly increases the amount of concrete opportunities on the East Coast, West Coast, and in cities like Chicago," Hood said, giving an example of a Trinity student from Chicago who might plan to return home for the summer and could thus browse the site for hometown internships.

Once at the HireATiger site, Trinity students may click on the "NIC" logo to enter search parameters such as keywords, location, and whether they seek a paid or unpaid internship.

"Our office is excited to be in league with these schools," Hood said. "Students know that an internship is a great professional development opportunity." She said 69 percent of students report holding at least one internship during their undergraduate years.

Her team is working to make internships more structured and with a mentorship component so that they have greater meaning to students.

Susie P. Gonzalez helped tell Trinity's story as part of the University communications team.

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