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Highlander Works

Internship Funding Grants

Radford University's Center for Career and Talent Development supports the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) definition and criteria of an Internship. The following links, which includes V-TOP Highlander Works Grant Program, offers students an opportunity to apply for a variety of funding sources to help reduce the financial barriers associated with participating in unpaid or lower paid internship.

The application submission date for Fall 2025 internship funding grants has not yet been determined. Please check back later this summer for updates.

V-TOP Highlander Works Internship Grant

Radford University is excited to offer the VTOP Highlander Works Internship Grant program. The program supports students participating in internships and will be administered through the Center for Career and Talent Development Office. Grant funds will go directly toward removing financial barriers to student participation. Requests can be funded in part or in full up to $4,000 per student.

Eligibility
Degree-seeking students currently enrolled full-time at Radford University with at least a 2.0 GPA are eligible to apply with priority given to undergraduate students and students pursuing their first internship at the college level. To apply for funding, students are required to receive academic credit from an internship course that is officially listed by an academic department and complete the Internship & Co-op Agreement Form. While students do not need to have their internship confirmed at the time of application, confirmation is required prior to fund disbursement via an employer verification form. Internships can be domestic or international.

Note that we will prioritize internships proper and consider other allied terms to the degree they meet our definition of internship and that funds are available. 

Students are required to register in an internship course for academic credit and complete the following:

  • Application
  • Internship agreement form. (Submit completed form to the registrar's office.)
  • Budget Worksheet
  • Secure a faculty recommendation 
  • Employer verification form  (if available at time of application)
  • Internship program waiver 
  • Internship reflection essay (at the conclusion of the internship)

A committee will review application materials using a rubric addressing the following categories: quality of application answers, explanation of budget proposal, GPA/good academic standing, and faculty recommendation.

Once selected, students must submit employer verification prior to fund disbursement.

Funding will be paid at 50% midway through the internship and 50% at the conclusion of the internship and after the receipt of the Reflection Essay.

If you have any questions, please email Debbie Fenderson dfenderson@radford.edu .
 

C. E. Richardson Benevolent Foundation Grant (Pulaski County, VA Students)

Internship funding provided by the C. E. Richardson Benevolent Foundation Grant is available for any student who resides in Pulaski County, Virginia and is enrolled at Radford University, and open to all college majors for first year students thru graduate level students.  All student applicants must receive college credit for an internship course, hold at least a 2.0 GPA and complete the Internship & Co-op Agreement Form. Students may apply to this grant prior to confirming the internship, but funding will not be provided until the Center for Career and Talent Development receives the Employer Verification Form. Requests can be funded in part or in full up to $2,500 per student.

Eligibility
Degree-seeking students currently enrolled full-time at Radford University with at least a 2.0 GPA are eligible to apply with priority given to undergraduate students and students pursuing their first internship at the college level. To apply for funding, students are required to receive academic credit from an internship course that is officially listed by an academic department. While students do not need to have their internship confirmed at the time of application, confirmation is required prior to fund disbursement via an employer verification form. Internships can be domestic or international.

Note that we will prioritize internships proper and consider other allied terms to the degree they meet our definition of internship and that funds are available. 

Students are required to register in an internship course for academic credit and complete the following:

  • Application
  • Internship agreement form. (Submit completed form to the registrar's office.)
  • Budget Worksheet
  • Secure a faculty recommendation
  • Employer verification form  (if available at time of application)
  • Internship program waiver
  • Internship reflection essay (at the conclusion of the internship)

A committee will review application materials using a rubric addressing the following categories: quality of application answers, explanation of budget proposal, GPA/good academic standing, and faculty recommendation

Once selected, students must submit employer verification prior to fund disbursement.

Funding will be paid at 50% midway through the internship and 50% at the conclusion of the internship and after the receipt of the Reflection Essay.

If you have any questions, please email Debbie Fenderson dfenderson@radford.edu.

Enterprise Mobility Internship Grant

Internship funding provided by the Enterprise Mobility Foundation is available for any Radford University student who is enrolled in the University.  The fund is open to all college majors for first year students thru graduate level students.  All student applicants must receive college credit, hold at least a 2.0 GPA and complete the Internship & Co-op Agreement Form.  Students may apply to the Enterprise Mobility Foundation Grant prior to confirming the internship, but funding will not be provided until receives the Employer Verification Form.  Requests can be funded in part or in full up to $2,500 per student.

Eligibility
Degree-seeking students currently enrolled full-time at Radford University with at least a 2.0 GPA are eligible to apply with priority given to undergraduate students and students pursuing their first internship at the college level. To apply for funding, students are required to receive academic credit from an internship course that is officially listed by an academic department. While students do not need to have their internship confirmed at the time of application, confirmation is required prior to fund disbursement via an employer verification form. Internships can be domestic or international.

Note that we will prioritize internships proper and consider other allied terms to the degree they meet our definition of internship and that funds are available. 

Students are required to register in an internship course for academic credit and complete the following:

  • Application
  • Internship agreement form. (Submit completed form to the registrar's office.)
  • Budget Worksheet
  • Secure a faculty recommendation
  • Employer verification form  (if available at time of application)
  • Internship program waiver
  • Internship reflection essay (at the conclusion of the internship)

A committee will review application materials using a rubric addressing the following categories: quality of application answers, explanation of budget proposal, GPA/good academic standing, and faculty recommendation.

Once selected, students must submit employer verification prior to fund disbursement.

Funding will be paid at 50% midway through the internship and 50% at the conclusion of the internship and after the receipt of the Reflection Essay.

If you have any questions, please email Debbie Fenderson dfenderson@radford.edu.

NACE Internship Definition

“An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent." 

If the following criteria are followed, it is the opinion of NACE that the experience can be considered a legitimate internship:

  1. The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.
  2. The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.
  3. The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.
  4. There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.
  5. There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience.
  6. There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor.
  7. There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals.

 

 

 

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