NEXT (Northwestern Externship Program) -- Externships in Not-For-Profit

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Please refer to the reply code below each externship when you are completeing your application.  Click here to return to the NEXT homepage.

California 

Los Angeles, CA
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow a regional outreach and development associate for a U.S.-based nonprofit which works internationally.  We have a diverse set of programs that work for policy change, engage communities facing discrimination and displacement. The externship would allow students to see how working as a community organizer and mobilizer for social change can impact the lives of those most acutely affected by social injustice.  Reply Code: NFP24 

Monterey, CA
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit Dare to Dream Fund, an educational non-profit whose vision is to provide every young person the opportunity to discover their potential in school, at work and in life through technology & the arts.  An NU extern can expect to spend the day in the field, working with children as they discover what they would like to be if everything were possible and while they explore leadership distinctions they can apply in their life.  The students will be members of local youth organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Club, the YMCA and the Community Partnership for Youth.  Most of our student membership are from underserved communities, typically low income. We are looking for NU externs who are passionate about equal access to education and opportunities for young people.  For more information on Dare to Dream Fund, please visit www.daretodreamfund.org.  It's important that the NU extern is interested in youth and will want to work with young people age 9-15.  Reply Code: NFP36

San Francisco, CA
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit Women's Initiative for Self Employment, a domestic microfinance and microenterprise organization. We train low income women to start businesses, finance and support them to grow the businesses.  Depending on the day the student may be able to see the classes and/or a graduation in action.  They can learn about running a non profit and about microfinance.  Business attire is required in order to show respect for our clients.  Reply Code: NFP02 

Whittier, CA
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow a development officer for a large, nonprofit regional hospital in Los Angeles County.  A Northwestern extern can expect to encounter event planning, grant writing and reporting, and donor relations throughout a day in my office.  Reply Code: NFP28

Colorado

Denver, CO
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit a 10-person statewide non-profit organization in the land conservation field.  Our days tend to be very diverse.  Therefore, issues may vary greatly: personnel, planning, and small organization management; charitable organization issues; real estate negotiation, purchase and finance; public policy and strategy.  This may be very appropriate for someone considering non-profit/charitable careers, particularly conservation.  With some advance planning, we could be selective as to the business of the day.  Reply Code: NFP15

Snowmass Village, CO (just outside Aspen)
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit Anderson Ranch Arts Center, a visual arts facility specializing in summer workshop, artist residency and eduational outreach programs.  The campus is located in the resort community of Snowmass Village, Colorado, ten miles from Aspen.  First-rate facilities are offered in ceramics, wood working and furniture design, sculpture, painting, printmaking, photography and new media on a four-acre campus.  The extern would be introduced to arts administration according to their individual interests:  programming, fund raising, promotion, public relations and operations.  Reply Code: NFP47

Florida

Boca Raton, FL
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit the Center for Group Counseling, a non-profit organization that offers free mental health counseling to children, families, couples and seniors.  It is also a training facility for students and interns studying in a mental health related field.  A student from NU would be given a first hand opportunity to see how a non-profit organization operates while learning aspects of the mental health field. The Center for Group Counseling is celebrating it's 35th anniversary and would like to exend an ivitation for any NU student or alumni to visit.  Reply Code: NFP31

Brandon, FL
Available: Opportunity for a student to see the day to day operations of a large (2,100 members) suburban church. Depending on the day scheduled, the student might sit in on planning for worship, financial meetings,witness ministry planning,  accompany me for pastoral care visits or see the inner workings of the preparation of a sermon.  While I am an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church, there are many opportunities in large church settings for people to be in ministry without being a pastor, even including financial management, public relations and administration.  Reply Code: NFP50

Fort Lauderdale, FL
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow the Director of Grants & Government Support in the Development Department of a large science museum. An intern would participate in prospecting grant opportunities for capital and program support, developing grant proposals, preparing reports, monitoring grant programs and managing contract budgets. Reply Code: NFP46

Miami, FL
Available: Opportunity for a student to Conduct Youth Orchestra, Coach Youth Orchestra Brass, Teach Music Theory, Teach trombone, Teach Jazz and Classical Music Appreciation.  Spanish is helpful.  Reply Code: NFP45

Georgia

Stone Mountain, GA
Available: Opportunity for a student to learn about online catalog use, check-in/check-out, book ordering, deal with children K - 5 reading, teaching, information literacy, extracurricular groups dealing with environment, Reading Bowl Competition, Drama Club.  School is 97% free lunch, 98% African-American, transience rate of 57%+ - excellent learning experience for those interested in non-profit and actually making a difference in minority education and expectations.
Reply Code: NFP07

Idaho

Moscow, ID
Available: Opportunity for a student to see the variety of things that a one-person non-profit (foundation) department does in the course of providing support to a rural medical center. This might include meeting with donors and potential donors, working with board members, overseeing funded projects, planning fundraising strategies, interacting with healthcare staff, etc.  Reply Code: NFP35

Illinois

Antioch, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to spend the day at a 1,450 student high school. Spend time with teachers, administration, and more. The day's program will be designed with your interests. The perspective would be from the principal's office.  45-50 minutes from NU.  Reply Code: NFP26 

Chicago, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to experience a typical day in the Education Department, which can involve a wide variety of activities.  The student would be able to accompany me on any visits to public schools where the arts-in-educations programs are administered. They could observe a class where the students are being taught an integrated curriculum centered around dance.  They would also be able to experience the inner workings of a dance company from the administrative side.  It is possible they would also be able to observe the professional dancers in a daily ballet technique class or in rehearsals and get a behind-the-scenes look at a professional dance company.  Reply Code: NFP04 

Chicago, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit an organization that advocates for sound policies and practices that promote a positive approach to adolescent sexual health and parenting. Our strategies to support this mission include leadership development, policy analysis and development, legislative advocacy, training of youth and adults, and grassroots community organizing. We advocate around three broad issue areas: (1) access to sexual health care services and contraception, (2) comprehensive sex education in schools and communities, and (3) supportive programs for pregnant and parenting youth.  For the externship, the NU student would have the opportunity to tour our downtown office, meet staff members and interns, and learn about a statewide health advocacy organization. More specifically, the student would learn about the legislative arm of our organization; how we develop grassroots strategies to create and maintain legislative support for adolescent sexual health and parenting; and the broader reproductive justice movement. Depending on the particular day, the student may participate in an organizational meeting, a conference call, a training, or an event.  Reply Code: NFP10

Chicago, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit a major museum, where membership and philanthropy plays a vital role in the day-to-day operations.  The Advancement Office of the Adler Planetarium coordinates philanthropy and sponsorship from all sectors.  Externs will learn a little about how this operation is managed and meet experienced fundraisers working to realize the potential of a transformative $35 million campaign.  Students interested in future careers in the non-profit sector are particularly encouraged to apply, as fundraising is a critical activity in all NPOs.  Reply Code: NFP11

Chicago, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to learn how a non-profit organization navigates between the demands of its clients and the requirements of its employees and its external funding sources.  We are a hospice service and therefore provide both medical and non-medical (social-psycho work and chaplaincy) to our clients.  Reply Code: NFP17

Chicago, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit Action Now, a grassroots community organization that fights for social justice in low income communities in Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Our members are working families whose issues include better education, universal health care, violence prevention, living wages, an end to the foreclosure crisis and block-by-block neighborhood improvements. Working with Action Now you will build lasting relationships with community residents, and learn how to mobilize members into action around issues that directy affect them on a daily basis from Chicago's south suburbs to Waukegan, Illinois. www.actionnow.org  Reply Code: NFP20

Chicago, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit Feeding Amrica, formally America's Second Harvest, the national organization that supports over 200 food banks across the country with food and funds.  This externship would provide an overview to one of the largest non-profits in the country which is devoted to fighting hunger - by feeding 25 million people.  In my role as VP Corporate Relations I would provide the extern with insight into my department which includes traditional philanthropy as well as cause marketing and employee engagement programs to deepen partnerships with corporate donors with the goal to increase financial investment.  A large part of our programs involve cause marketing which includes campaign development for multi-brand promotions as well as custom programs for donors.  This will offer an opportunity for the extern to experience marketing and communication plan development from a non-profit perspective.  I would also be sure to provide exposure to the food bank network.  Reply Code: NFP23

Chicago, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit Open Books and get a hands-on experience in the exciting realms of social entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, literacy program development, education, publishing and more. Open Books is a fast-growing nonprofit bookstore, literacy community center, and volunteer corps dedicated to raising awareness about illiteracy, improving reading skills, and spreading the love of books in Chicago and beyond. Externs will help with the days programs, classes, meetings, planning sessions, and any other activities going on. We have tons of fun and, if you're interested in nonprofits, education, community organizing, or start-up businesses, you can learn a lot here in one day.  Past externs have gone on to be Open Books interns and/or volunteers. Here's the info on our internship opportunities: http://open-books.org/jobs.php  Reply Code: NFP30

Chicago, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to particiapte in meetings regarding prisoner reentry.  This could include ateding a staff metting, visiting some Adult Tranistion Centers, parole meetings, community meetings.  Reply Code: NFP32

Chicago, IL
Available: Opportunity for students to learn about the intersection between public policy and the nonprofit/philanthropic community as well as how a membership/trade association organizatin operates. Students will be exposed to both internal operations regarding the management of the organization and external  program work to promote policies on behalf of the Illinois nonprofit and philanthropic community.  Reply Code: NFP38

Edwardsville, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow the Human Resources Manager of a community mental health center. Learning opportunities could include a combination of the following: performance management, organizational development, strategic planning, policy development, management training, HRIS utilization to promote organizational communication, employment law and/or recruitment. HR Manager is also a licensed clinical professional counselor who hires and trains clinical staff and could provide learning opportunities for psychology students including trends in the field. Reply Code: NFP13

Elk Grove Village, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to learn about the quality and patient safety function of a hospital/network organization; coming to multidisciplinary meetings among physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and the executive team.  Exposure to a complex acute care healthcare organization and how it runs.
Reply Code: NFP40

Evanston, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to learn about Public Relations, Marketing, Special Events, Arts Administration and Fundraising.  The Evanston Art Center is located close to the Northwestern University campus.  Reply Code: NFP16

Evanston, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student looking to experience hands-on work in a small grassroots non-profit.  Learn about direct human service, community building, fundraising, non-profit management, volunteer coordination, and marketing.  You will have the chance to observe and talk with staff, program participants, and board members that will give a unique snapshot of a day's work at a growing non-profit organization.  Reply Code: NFP22

Northbrook, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to learn about evidence-based medicine and how evidence-based clinical practice guidelines developed. Guidelines specific to cardiopulmonary medicine. Possibly planning a large conference in evidence-based medicine and writing grants and a prospectus for sponsorships and other support. What national initiatives are involved in assessing quality of healthcare? What are performance measures? How can individual physicians improve the quality of the care they provide to their patients? How can evidence-based guidelines, medical education, and quality improvement help physicians and other healthcare providers with the care they offer to their patients?What is a non-profit medical specialty society and what can it provide to it's members?
Reply Code: NFP25

Oak Park, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to gain experience dealing with people, and marketing to make community aware of church, the administration of a community day care, meetings with community members and preparing for worship service.  Reply Code: NFP44

Park Ridge, IL
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit STLE, an international organization of scientists and engineers, dealing primarily with issues related to energy use and conservation.  The externship day will focus on how our organization supports this audience with technical education and information, and how that support benefits society through results such as development of alternative energy sources, cleaner fuels and environmentally friendly lubricants.  Students will also gain insight into association management careers.  STLE CEO is chair of Chicagoland association executives professional society.  A great networking connection!  Reply Code: NFP03 

Indiana

Indianapolis, IN
Available: Opportunity for a student to experience an overview of a communal service agency, a constituent agency of the United Way of Central Indiana, with broad program and service offerings to entire community (preschool, youth, sports and athletics, fitness center, aquatics, water park, cultural arts, adult education, seniors, teens). Learn specifics about fund development, marketing and membership. Meet other personnel, tour facilities, attend board meeting (if schedule allows). Organization founded in 1912 and has served the Jewish and general community of Indianapolis for over 90 years.  Learn about career fields one may not have considered; meet other personnel who are specialists in their fields including social work professionals, educators, sports and fitness, dance, theater, athletics.  Reply Code: NFP14

Kentucky

Highland Heights, KY (greater Cincinnati)
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit Upward Bound, which is one of the last programs from LBJ's War on Poverty.  I work with 65 students in 5 target high schools in the northern Kentucky region.  We have Saturday meetings if a student wanted a weekend Externship as well as school meetings.  We could also tour the NKU campus (15,000 students, 10% residential, metropolitan Division II).  Reply Code: NFP19

Massachusetts

Boston, MA
Available: Opportunity for a student to work on the daily managing of a theatre, at night or on the weekends, the directing of our third production of the 28th season:  Charlotte's Web.
The best times for that would be between March 23 and our opening on Apil 10th (not a Monday).
The Wheelock Family Theatre is a non-profit Equity company in Boston offering quality theatre at affordable prices so that families may attend together.  Within a season we produce 3 mainstage productions; ona adult drama, one family broadway musical, and one children's play.WFT is a pioneer in "non-traditional" casting, having garnered the Rosetta LeNoire Award from Actors' Equity in the past, and receiving nationwide recognition for its mission of multi-generational, colorful casting, and accessibility for deaf, hearing impaired, blind, wheelchair-bound, children and adults.  WFT's education program has reached thousands of young people in the Boston/New England area, and seen several of its alums in Broadway productions, TV and film.  More important than accolades, WFT has transformed the lives of thousands of young people and their families through the experience of live theatre.  Reply Code: NFP34

Boston, MA
Available: Opportunity for a student to interact with staff, faculty, and/or students in a professional graduate school setting on the East Coast.  For anyone considering non-profit management and/or higher education administration, this externship will provide a glimpse into the role of a senior manager in this field.
Reply Code: NFP41

Minnesota

Minneapolis, MN
Available: Opportunity for a student to gain exposure to a day in the life of a non-profit manager. Depending on the day, activities may include analyzing data to assess progress towards organizational goals, strategic planning and checking in with staff members regarding progress. This externship will also provide an opportunity to learn about recruitment strategy as I manage a team of recruiters for a successful non-profit. Reply Code: NFP12

Montana

Billings, Montana
Available: Opportunity for a student to spend a day in the life of a Senior Healthcare Executive at an integrated delivery system.  Specific exposure to operations, finance, quality improvement, and other aspects of healthcare managment can potentially be arranged. Alternatively, I can arrange job shadowing with a physician who is a member of our staff.  Billings Clinic has a multispecialty group practice model similar to the Mayo Clinic.  Reply Code: NFP09

New York 

New York, NY
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow a second year Doctoral Student in the Department of Management and Organizations at a top business school.  Academia is a wonderful career for individuals who are internally motivated, naturally curious, are passionate about learning and who enjoy discussing ideas.During their externship day with me, students could expect to attend PhD classes, sit-in on research seminars and meet faculty and other doctoral students.  Prior to this I worked for a multinational firm, both in the US and in Europe.  Although I worked before coming to school, academia is a viable career option for undergraduates.  In many ways academics is about entrepreneurship, and the products are our ideas.  Reply Code: NFP01

New York, NY
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit a not for profit children's theatre company that produces primarily national tours.  We are a unique New York City theatre company. There is opportunity to learn about casting, production, marketing, and developing theatre geared towards children, as well as what it wakes to produce, market, and sell and touring show. We also have a New York season, producing shows off-Broadway. Spending a day at Theatreworks would be an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in Theater, Education or not-for-profit arts.  Reply Code: NFP18

New York, NY
Available: Opportunity for students to rotate through the following areas within the Human Resources Department: Employee Relations, HRIS, Benefits, Talent Management and Learining and Organizational Development.  Reply Code: NFP29

New York, NY
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit the Atlantic Philanthropies, an international grantmaking organization that awards over $400 million in grants to nonprofit organizations in the US, Ireland, Northern Ireland, South Africa, Viet Nam, Australia and Bermuda.  The four program areas where our grants are focused include: Children, Aging, Population Health and Human Rights.The student would be exposed to the general principles and practices of private philanthropy.  I am interested in hosting one or two students who are specifically interested in the field of philanthropy and grantmaking and not just nonprofit organizations.  Reply Code: NFP33

New York, NY
Available: Opportunity for a student to experience the behind-the-scenes making of a new history museum in New York City. Spend the day with a Northwestern alum who is part of the exhibition development team at the museum, and have the opportunity to learn more about exhibition design, content management, and the challenges involved in creating a new cultural institution. Learn how curators, educators, and exhibition developers work together in conjunction with designers and architects to build collections, create exhibitions, set public programming, and construct a facility for a new museum set to open in the next few years.  Reply Code: NFP48

Ohio

Centennial, CO
Available: Opportunity for a student to experience a typical day for the Executive Director of a non-profit membership organization with an on-site staff of 20 and a field staff of 11.  Reply Code: NFP39

Cleveland, OH
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow a developer of an online version of the intro to religious studies course; the student could be involved with that (in addition to normal teaching activities).  Reply Code: NFP42

Oregon

Portland, OR
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow the Chief Operations Officer for Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette. We have roughly 200 employees in 11 clinics including an on-line clinic. An NU student will have the opportunity to shadow me for half a day as I address the myriad operational challenges of running a health care operation serving  a young, low-income population. This will include our Call Center, billing, collections and IT. They will spend another half-day in a clinic, shadowing the health clinic manager and learning about the direct day-to-day challenges of running a low-income clinic with insufficient resources.  Reply Code: NFP43

South Carolina

Greenville, SC
Available: Opportunity for a student to observe symphony rehearsals, concerts and meet/interview/shadow key symphony management/artistic staff. They will be shown how to do grant/donor research and taught fund raising fundamentals for non-profit organizations.  The student will benefit most if in Greenville March 31-April 7, 2009 which is concert week.  Reply Code: NFP49

Texas

Austin, TX
Available: Opportunity for a student to shadow an ordained Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) minister.  On any given day, a student might experience the opportunity to plan a Sunday worship service, discuss theological issues, provide counseling, coordinate youth group outings, study topics of social justice, perform outreach services to the community, make hosptialt visits and/or attend meetings that help the church function as the Body of Christ.  The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a mainstream Protestant denomination that ordains both men and women clergy.  Reply Code: NFP08

Washington, DC

Washington, DC
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit The International Republican Institute (IRI), a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing democracy worldwide.  Washington-based staff at IRI help to administer programs in developing democracies on political party development, parliamentary strengthening, and the promotion of good governance in 68 countries worldwide.  NEXT students would shadow a Program Officer who works on Latin American programs and learn about the types of jobs that are in DC related to international development.  Reply Code: NFP21

Washington, DC
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit a trade association in Washington, DC which represents public and private public tansportation organizations. Government affairs, communications, public policy development, and member relations are examples of what could be included.  Reply Code: NFP27

Washington, DC
Available: Opportunity for a student to attend meetings, meet research staff, observe research assistants.  Reply Code: NFP37

Wisconsin

Milwaukee, WI
Available: Opportunity for a student to experience a national nonprofit organization headquartered outside of Washington DC.  We are a leadership development organization focused on recruiting young adults between the ages of 18-30 years old who are seeking to start their careers in the nonprofit sector.  The externship experience I could offer is exposure to a national nonprofit organization and its operation, along with exposure to our local affiliate in Milwaukee.  In addition, depending on the time available and individual interest, I would arrange for visits with community organization I'm personally involved in as a board leader or volunteer.  
Reply Code: NFP05

Wyoming 

Cheyenne, WY
Available: Opportunity for a student to visit Unified People's Federal Credit Union, which is a non-profit finanical cooperative providing savings, loan and investment services and products in Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Participants will have the opportunity to see daily operations in the areas of marketing, member services, collections and finance.  Reply Code: NFP06