Northern Michigan University has received a $14,000 award from the Michigan Corporate Relations Network to participate in the Small Company Internship Award (SCIA) Program. The program provides paid summer internships with local small businesses and organizations to qualifying university students. Businesses interested in participating have until 5 p.m. Friday, March 31 to apply and must be willing to interview and hire their interns by May 30. 

The SCIA Program provides $3,500 in matching funds to small or startup area businesses (500 or fewer employees) that hire NMU students for summer internships with a focus on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) work or STEM-related projects. A company is eligible for up to two SCIA Program internships per summer.

“We’re grateful for the SCIA Program funding that increases the STEM-related internship opportunities for our students and increases the opportunities for local businesses and organizations to connect with talented, affordable help for their STEM work and research,” said Steve VandenAvond, vice president for extended learning and community engagement. “Northern is actively seeking out distinctive internships available to students close to campus, around the globe and everywhere in between as one of our strategic plan goals. The SCIA internships are a great chance for a paid internship close to campus.”

The participating organization pays the student’s salary during the internship period, but is reimbursed 50 percent of the salary -- up to the maximum of the $3,500 program funds – by the SCIA Program following the internship’s conclusion. This typically results in a minimum salary of $7,000 for the intern, who is expected to work about 35 hours per week over a period of about 17 weeks.

Applications for businesses and student interns are available at nmu.edu/careerservices/scia-internship-program. For more information, contact NMU Career Services at careers@nmu.edu or 906-227-2800.

The Michigan Corporate Relations Network, an organization that connects industry to university talent, receives the matching funding through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.