Internship Stipend
Exciting News! The Project VITAL Internship Stipend is coming back in Spring 2025!
Project VITAL is excited to offer stipends for undergraduate students pursuing unpaid or underpaid internships beginning of Spring 2025. Internship stipends range from $500-$4,000.
This semester-long cost-of-living stipend provides funding to students who secure either on-campus or external internships. While preference will be given to students in the VITAL Focus Mentorship Program, participation will not be limited exclusively to these students. Additionally, priority will be given to Latinx and/or low-income students as these are the target populations of the VITAL grant.
Stipends are open to students pursuing internships related to their future careers or current fields of study, ensuring that the internships are aligned with their academic and professional goals. We invite you to review the below eligibility and frequently asked questions to find out if you are eligible to apply.
This stipend is not intended to replace or substitute Federal Work-Study funds. It is designed to alleviate financial contraints for students to attain internships geared toward their career or vocational goals.
Get ready to apply for the Project VITAL Internship Stipend, launching again in December 2024 for internships starting in Spring 2025!
Eligibility
- This stipend is open to all undergraduates only.
- This stipend provides funding only. Students must first obtain internships prior to applying for internship funding.
- Students with internship dates that run from Wednesday, Jan 22nd, 2025 until Friday, May 16, 2025 are eligible for this stipend or until funds are exhausted.
- External and Internal internships are eligible.
- Unpaid and underpaid internships are eligible.
- Stipends will range from $500 to $4,000 per student.
Timeline
- The application launches Decemeber 2nd, 2024; applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until Monday, March 31st, 2025, or until funds are exhausted.
- Students with internship dates that run from Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025 until Friday, May 16, 2025 are eligible for this stipend.
Funding
- If for any reason a student is unable to complete their internship, funding will be prorated and the student will not receive their entire award.
- If a student is funded, taxes may be deducted out of the stipend. If you have questions about how much you can expect to be taxed please contact Student Payroll at jaquelinejauregui@callutheran.edu.
- Students can expect to receive two-half stipend payments throughout their internship.
- Further details will be provided by Project VITAL after notification of the stipend decisions
VITAL Internship Stipend Student Stories
Full Name: Nevign Angelique M. Besas
Major: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Internship Location: Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation
How was your internship experience?
"My internship experience was highly positive. The research techniques that I have acquired and developed in this internship are applicable in a variety of subjects, but especially in those most relevant to my major, which have helped me become more confident in pursuing research at CalLutheran and external opportunities through future internships. I also got to meet researchers from around the world and be inspired by their stories and the cutting-edge research that they are doing at the institute. My Principal Investigators, specifically, became mentors who have helped me become more confident in my ability to pursue a career in the Biomedical Research field."
How did having the internship stipend impact your experience?
"Through the internship stipend, I was able to complete my internship without being held back by financial constraints. As a first-generation immigrant to the US, the stipend allowed me to focus on gaining the most I could out of my internship without having to worry about transportation and personal costs. Furthermore, with the stipend, I have been able to present the research I have through poster presentations at research symposiums, giving me a competitive edge when I apply to graduate schools in the future."
Full Name: Vivionna Robles
Major: Sports management
Internship Location: I interned at the Ohana Tigers softball organization 18U Miller
How was your internship experience?
"The softball internship where I served as an assistant softball pitching coach was an incredible opportunity for me, allowing me to learn so much. During the internship, I developed a variety of skills, including coaching techniques, effective communication, team management, and the ability to provide constructive feedback. I also honed my organizational skills and learned how to tailor training programs to meet individual players' needs."
How did having the internship stipend impact your experience?
"The stipend during my internship really made a difference by helping with transportation, and other costs. This helped me concentrate more on learning and gaining experience without stressing about money. It helped me out so much. I really appreciate it."
Full Name: Josh Samuels
Major: Business Administration with a Finance Emphasis
Internship Location:I interned at LeCuckoo, LLC.
How was your internship experience?
"My internship experience was amazing. I received a lot of hands-on experience that allowed me to learn a lot about strategic finance and corporate FP&A in a start-up environment that I would not have learned if I interned anywhere else."
How did having the internship stipend impact your experience?
"Because my internship was unpaid, having the stipend really took the pressure off of having to work another job and make money throughout my summer break and I was able to have a stress-free, more enjoyable internship experience."
Frequently Asked Questions