Summer Internships

Please review the full details of the Academic Internship Course, guidelines, and eligiblility on ourAcademic Internship Course page.

Your Internship Specialist can help you set internship start/end dates to ensure requirements and hours are completed appropriately.

Students must secure an offer by the end of June and begin working no later than the week of July 1. Students will not be permitted to register their internship for credit after the week of July 1.

• Summer Academic Internship applications are accepted on a rolling basis up until the week of July 1. Students who wish to register their internship for credit through the Academic Internship Program must be in contact with their Internship Specialist no later than the last week of June.
• Once you have secured an internship, you must contact your Internship Specialist for information on how to register your internship.
• In order to be approved for summer internship credit, students must submit all requested materials prior to the start of their internship. Students must not start working at their internship before securing their Internship Specialist's approval. See the Academic Internship Course webpage for additional details.

1. Submit the Internship Interest Form and regularly update your internship specialist on your search progress. 
2. Once you receive an offer, you must share the Internship Offer Letter and job description provided by the organization with your Internship Specialist to confirm the internship meets our guidelines. 
3. If the Internship Specialist approves the internship, they will send you a link to submit the Academic Internship Program application to begin the registration process. 

There is a cost attached to completing an Academic Internship during the Summer Term. Financial Aid may apply and students must contact the Office of Financial Aid to determine their individual cost.

Funding is available to all students completing unpaid Academic Internships. That said, priority will be given to rising juniors and seniors completing domestic Academic Internships. Funding is meant to assist with the cost of an unpaid Academic Internship that a student would not otherwise be able to pursue due to financial constraints during their time at the College. Funding awards are largely based on financial need.

Please visit the Internship Funding Webpage for more information.

ACTIVATE is the College's off-campus residential summer program in Chicago. Students participating in the ACTIVATE program live at the College’s Chicago residential building, receive cutting-edge career preparation and mentorship from the Career Advancement Center, and benefit from an Academic Internship at a Chicago internship location.

• ACTIVATE is open to rising juniors and seniors.
• ACTIVATE is an 8 week program.
• Students complete an Academic Internship as part of the ACTIVATE program, as well as career-focused workshops facilitated by Lake Forest College faculty.

Please visit the ACTIVATE webpage for more information regarding the program.

Pursuing an internship (for-credit or non-credit) is just one way a student may satisfy the Experiential Learning requirement. Please refer to the Forester Fundamental Curriculum webpage for a complete list of ways that students may fulfill the Experiential Learning requirement.

Types of Internships:

1. Academic (for-credit) Internships
   1. Academic Internships are credit-bearing internships, allowing students to earn academic credit for the hours spent on-site at their internship and completion of required weekly assignments supervised by an Internship Specialist.
   2. Please see the Academic Internship Course webpage for additional details.
2. Non-credit Internships
   1. Students may also satisfy the Experiential Learning requirement with an approved non-credit internship. A non-credit internship is separate from our formal Academic Internship Program and the process is student-directed.
   2. Should students wish to satisfy the Experiential Learning requirement with a non-credit internship, they will first need to complete the FFC-EL Non-Credit Application Form, located in the FFC-EL Non-Credit Application Guide, as well as identify a Faculty Project Supervisor. More information may be found on the Forester Fundamental Curriculum webpage. 
   3. Students may contact their Internship Specialist for additional support and assistance developing their search strategy. However, non-credit internships are not supervised by the Career Advancement Center. 
   4. Students should be aware that certain organizations may only offer internships for academic credit.

United States law has specific regulations for international students seeking internships. To remain in good standing, international students:

• Are required to complete all internships for academic credit as part of the Academic Internship Program.
• May only complete internships related to their major field of study.  
• Must secure CPT work authorization before beginning to work at any internship. Allow 5-7 business days to process any CPT work authorization requests. 
• Must complete one full year on campus before they are eligible for CPT. Eligibility starts one year after the start date on your Form I-20. 
  • Students who withdraw from the College to participate in the Semester at Sea program, or for any other reason, must wait one full year after returning to the College to be eligible for CPT. 

Direct any questions about work authorization to: 

• F-1 Visa international students: Sandra Ortiz, Associate Director for International Student Support, (x5202 or sortiz@lakeforest.edu) 
• J-1 Visa international students: Allie Olson, Director of the Global Engagement Office, (x5231 or aolson@lakeforest.edu).  

Transfer students must complete one semester on the Lake Forest College campus before they may participate in the Academic Internship Program. 

• International students must complete one full year on campus before they are eligible for CPT. Eligibility starts one year after the start date on your Form I-20.

Transfer students are eligible to participate in the Academic Internship Program beginning in their second semester on campus, provided they meet the eligibility requirements outlined on the Academic Internship Course page.

Re-Entry students must complete at least one semester on the Lake Forest College campus after returning to the College before they may participate in the Academic Internship Program. 

• International students who withdraw from the College to participate in the Semester at Sea program, or for any other reason, must wait one full year after returning to the College to be eligible for CPT. 

Re-entry students are eligible to participate in the Academic Internship Program beginning in their second semester on campus, provided they meet the eligibility requirements outlined on the Academic Internship Course page.

Economics, Business, Finance, and Entrepreneurship
Mathematics, Computer Science, Data Science

Albert Greene
Assistant Director, BFDS Pathway
847-735-5235
greene@lakeforest.edu

*Schedule an appointment via Handshake. Need help scheduling an appointment? View our Handshake Help Page here.

Art, Art History, Communication, English, Music, Music Education, Theater

Danielle Kelly
Senior Associate Director of Internships and Pathway Leader 
847-735-5235
dkelly@lakeforest.edu

*Schedule an appointment via Handshake. Need help scheduling an appointment? View our Handshake Help Page here.

American Studies, Area Studies, Asian Studies, Foreign Languages, History, International Relations, Latin American Studies, Legal Studies, Philosophy, Politics, Religion, Sociology and Anthropology

Deja McClellan
Assistant Director and Pathway Leader, Law and Public Service
847-735-5235
dmcclellan@lakeforest.edu 

*Schedule an appointment via Handshake. Need help scheduling an appointment? View our Handshake Help Page here.

HPP, Pre-Health, Psychology, and Broader Clinical Careers
Common majors: Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Neuroscience, and Psychology
Environmental Studies, Physical Science, and Broader Science Careers

Khadija Manzoor
Internship Specialist
847-735-5235
kmanzoor@lakeforest.edu

*Schedule an appointment via Handshake. Need help scheduling an appointment? View our Handshake Help Page here.