St. Francis College finished assembling its first cohort of Internship Opportunity Fund (IOF) participants this month, providing financial support to a group of students who would otherwise be unable to take advantage of high-quality, unpaid internships.

IOF launched in the summer of 2019 thanks to a grant from the Northfield Bank Foundation. Ten students who secured unpaid workplace internships in summer or fall 2019 -- and met other criteria -- were awarded stipends up to $2250 each through IOF's first funding round.

"Experiential learning is critical to preparing students for careers after graduation, and we want to erase economic barriers that may block some students from those opportunities," said Thomas Flood, SFC Vice President for Advancement. "Northfield Bank Foundation shares our vision of preparing all our students to compete successfully in the 21st century job market. We're extraordinarily grateful to the team there."

The 2019 IOF participants each landed an unpaid internship that required them to work either a minimum of 10 hours per week for eight weeks in summer 2019, or 15 hours per week for a 10 week span during the 2019-20 academic year. They also demonstrated a minimum 3.0 Grade Point Average and submitted an essay as part of the application process.

"Many organizations provide invaluable workplace experience in the form of internships that offer academic credit in lieu of

payment," said IOF Coordinator Antonevia Ocho-Coultes, who is also SFC's Director of Academic and Community Partnership.

"Some students can't take on these positions because the time commitment prohibits them from working a paycheck job they need. That puts them at a competitive disadvantage long term, something IOF aims to rectify."

IOF requires its participants complete a Workforce Readiness Workshop to arm them with skills for successful job performance. Students check in weekly with Ocho-Coultes to ensure they are progressing appropriately in their positions.

"I am beyond grateful for this Northfield Internship Opportunity because it allowed me to focus on my studies and enjoy a great internship experience without worrying too much about the financial burden this semester," said Zoe Felix '20, a Psychology major who interned in fall 2019 at D'Aht World, an import/export company.

St. Francis College students who want participate in future IOF funding rounds should contact Ocho-Coultes ([email protected]) for application information.

The 2019 IOF Participants are:

Sherica Alfred (Jouvay Fest internship)

Bryant Beckford (Roc Nation internship)

Alyssa D'Angelo (BSE Global internship)

Mahalia Desrosiers (BSE Global internship)

Erica Domena (Lotto Love internship)

Zoe Felix (D'Aht World internship)

Danielle Francavilla (SFC Marketing & Communications Department internship)

Jessica Herrera (BSE Global internship)

Snaraya Merestil (Jouvay Fest internship)

Kristen Roberts (BSE Global internship)