Whitman Internship Grant (WIG)
Carlson Jones ’21, Participates in a Water Quality Monitoring Project With Kooskooskie Commons in Walla Walla, WA
Joy Nina Nampaso ’23, Learns How to Take and Record Vital Signs with Karen Hospital in Kenya
Natalie Hodis ’21, Develops Lessons Plans for the Recovery Education Class, Recovery and Me, With Trilogy Recovery Community in Walla Walla, WA
Brian Warinner ’23, Combats the Invasive Species, Water Hyacinth, with Ecologists Without Borders in Lake Victoria
What is the Whitman Internship Grant?
The Whitman Internship Grant (WIG) is a competitive grant that provides funding to students who secure or build an unpaid internship opportunity at nonprofit organizations, some for-profit organizations, and government offices. A Whitman Internship Grant may be provided for a semester or for a domestic or international summer experience.
The number of awards available during each cycle is limited, and preference will be given to students who are seeking their first grant. Students may receive up to $1,300 for a fall or spring semester internship, up to $4,000 for a domestic summer internship, and up to $5,500 for an international summer internship. Students may be eligible to apply for and receive up to three terms of funding or two summer WIGs.
If you are an employer interested in posting an unpaid internship opportunity to hire a student through the WIG program, please visit our WIG Information for Employers page and review the details and guidance given at Recruit at Whitman College.
Student Eligibility Requirements
- Students must be currently enrolled as a full-time student (graduating students may not apply for the summer WIG)
- Students must be eligible to work in the U.S.
- International students must be permanent residents or have received OPT/CPT authorization (contact Lindsay Szramek or Greg Lecki with questions about OPT or CPT)
- Students must attend a WIG information session, which are offered 3+ times per application period
- Students must have their resume reviewed by a Student Career Advisor (SCA)
Internship Eligibility Requirements
- Internships must abide by the U.S. Department of Labor Fair Labor Standards Act
- Internships must be high-impact and relevant to the student’s educational goals and/or career interests
- Internships cannot take place at Whitman College, involve religious work, or involve political work that benefits a political party or candidate
- Internships must last the duration of the grant timeframe the applicant is pursuing (whether semester or summer); during the fall or spring semester, interns must work an average of 80-100 hours in total, or 200 hours in total for a summer internship
Resources for Applying
- Browse the list of WIG-eligible internships on Handshake
- The Whitman Internship Database contains information on years of past internships held by Whitman students
- Student Career Advisors (SCAs) are available to help students with the WIG no matter where they are in the application process; SCAs can also help students learn more about the OPT/CPT process.
- Students can schedule an appointment with a CCEC staff member to develop an application plan
How to Apply
- Students must have secured an unpaid internship before applying for the WIG
- Complete the Google form WIG application, which includes:
- Supervisor contract
- 1-page resume
- Budget form (summer internships only)
- For more information on the International summer WIG, please see the page For International Students
Fall WIG Application will go live August 1
Application Cycle Deadlines
- Fall 2024 Application
- Opens Thursday, August 1, 2024
- Deadline: Monday, September 16, 2024, by 11:59pm (no extensions)
- Spring 2025 Application
- Opens Friday, November 1, 2024
- Deadline: Monday, January 27, 2025 by 11:59pm (no extensions)
- Summer 2025 Application
- Opens Monday, February 3, 2025
- International internship deadline: Friday, April 4, 2025 by 11:59pm (no extensions)
- Domestic internship early submission deadline: Friday, March 14, 2025 by 11:59pm (no extensions; late submissions will be considered for the final deadline instead)
- Domestic internship final submission deadline: Monday, April 28, 2025 by 11:59pm (no extensions)
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have questions about the WIG that are not answered here, please submit them to Nadine Stecklein, Assistant Director for Internship Programs, at stecklen@whitman.edu. They may end up as a part of this FAQ!
Student eligibility information can be found within the WIG application packet. If you still have questions after reviewing the packet, contact Nadine Stecklein. International students should also connect with Greg Lecki to determine their eligibility to work internationally.
If you had planned to apply for the WIG during a previous cycle but then chose not to, you will still need to complete all steps again for your present application. Prerequisites must be completed within four months of the application deadline and they do not carry over academic years.
Yes, an internship must be secured before applying for the WIG. Extensions to the deadline cannot be made if you are still waiting to hear back from an organization by the time the WIG application is due.
If you would like to apply for a consecutive term of WIG funding with the same internship, there must be an indication of increased responsibility and job function. For more information, please refer to the criteria for application evaluation within the WIG application packet.
WIG information sessions are held at least three times per cycle, and you can find their dates and times on Handshake.
To be eligible to recieve the WIG, you should be available to complete your internship during the timeframe for which you are applying:
Fall semester: September to December
Spring semester: January to May
Summer: May to August
Students are eligible to apply if they will be enrolled full-time during the academic year. Students applying for a summer grant must be enrolled for the following term. A 3-2 Engineering student completing their third year at Whitman, who will be transferring to their second school in the fall, is eligible for a summer WIG since they have not yet graduated from Whitman.
If you have secured an unpaid internship in your hometown, it is WIG-eligible for you so long as it abides by the U.S. Department of Labor's Fair Labor Standards Act. It must also be high-impact and relevant to your educational goals and/or career interests.
The internship secured must last the duration of the term for which you are applying and also abide by the U.S. Department of Labor's Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). One part of the FLSA, for example, states that the internship must coalesce with the academic year schedule, and thus you will not be able to work for the internship during Spring Break, since that time period is an academic break.
Employers eligible for the WIG include non-profit organizations and public offices. Some for-profit businesses may be eligible; these are approved on a case-by-case basis.
All necessary information, forms, and other application materials are available in the WIG application packet shared on the WIG webpage. The WIG application is a Google form linked within the application packet. If you need assistance with accessing the packet, please email ccec_info@whitman.edu.
It is a good idea to get a head start on preparations for application. The application process involves multiple steps that involve different parties, and late applications are not accepted.
- Be familiar with the application period and plan time in your schedule to complete prerequesites.
- Search for eligible internships. See the "Resources for Applying" section above for suggested sources to explore. You may apply for an offered internship or work with an organization to create your own unique opportunity.
- Update your application materials - i.e., your resume and cover letter. Connect with a Student Career Advisor (SCA) or CCEC staff member for assistance.
- Complete the application prerequisites: attend a WIG Information Session and have your resume reviewed by a Student Career Advisor (SCA).
- Watch for the release of the WIG application. Once available, complete all materials.
No. Incomplete and/or late applications will not be considered. An application is considered incomplete if you have not completed the prerequisites.
Students are notified about their application status by two weeks after the deadline.
WIG award amounts are announced each year and depend on available funding. You can find the current award amounts at the top of this webpage.
If you are awarded a WIG and have questions about its potential impact on your work study or financial aid award, please connect with Whitman's Office of Financial Aid. They will be able to answer specific questions regarding your aid.
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