Internships

The University Honors Program partners with several area organizations to provide internship opportunities to students seeking hands-on experience with local nonprofits.
Woman and man look at architectural blueprints

Objectives

As interns, honors students develop career readiness as they apply their learning to real-world, professional experiences. Students emerge from their internships having strengthened core competencies, as defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), and made progress on the program's Enhanced Learning Experience requirement.

Current Opportunities

  • Application due date: July 24, 2025
  • Position start date: Sept. 2, 2025

In partnership with the University Honors Program, Baker University Wetlands offers a hands-on opportunity for an undergraduate student to gain experience in land stewardship and environmental education. Interns will work alongside wetlands staff to support the care, maintenance, and outreach efforts of this unique natural area. 

Interested applicants should review the full position description (PDF) before applying through the honors internship application portal.

  • Application due date: July 24, 2025
  • Position start date: Sept. 2, 2025

Each Friends of the Kaw internship is an exciting opportunity for an honors program student to gain experience working in a fast-growing grassroots environmental organization. Interns have the chance to learn what it is like to work in a nonprofit setting while assisting with the organization's mission to protect and preserve the Kansas River for present and future generations. 

Interested applicants should review the full position description (PDF) before applying through the honors internship application portal.

  • Application due date: July 24, 2025
  • Position start date: Sept. 2, 2025

The Frontiers Clinical and Translational Science Institute is a regional initiative involving academic institutions, healthcare systems, and community organizations that addresses the clinical and translational research needs of Kansas and western Missouri. Frontiers' intern will learn about biomedical research and federal funding priorities and strategies within the region, working with the Frontiers team to develop a training and activities plan that is best suited to their interests and goals.  

Interested applicants should review the full position description (PDF) before applying through the honors internship application portal.

  • Application due date: July 24, 2025
  • Position start date: Sept. 2, 2025

Just Food, Douglas County's food pantry, seeks students for the fall of 2025 to fill both a communications internship and an Impact Team internship, each of which will expose students to the work of Just Food and the community members it serves.

Interested applicants should review the full position description for the communications internship (PDF) and the Impact Team internship (PDF) before applying through the honors internship application portal.

  • Application due date: July 24, 2025
  • Position start date: Sept. 2, 2025

Mid-America Regional Council, which describes itself as an "association of city and county governments and the metropolitan planning organization for the bistate Kansas City region," seeks an honors student for an internship opportunity related to MARC's multifaceted work in water quality, with the goal of restoring riparian habitats and diverting stormwater responsibly through education, research, and outreach.

Interested applicants should review the full position description (PDF) before applying through the honors internship application portal.

  • Application due date: July 24, 2025
  • Position start date: Sept. 2, 2025

Monarch Watch seeks a student intern for the fall of 2025. The internship offers an exciting opportunity for an undergraduate student in the University Honors Program to gain experience with a local organization with international reach that leads education, conservation, and research programs focused on the monarch butterfly, its habitat, and its spectacular fall migration. 

Interested applicants should review the full position description (PDF) before applying through the honors internship application portal.

  • Application due date: July 24, 2025
  • Position start date: Sept. 2, 2025

The Watkins Museum of History, a non-profit organization committed to preserving Douglas County heritage, seeks a student intern for the fall of 2025 to assist with the curation of exhibits, as well as other tasks related to events and education.

Interested applicants should review the full position description (PDF) before applying through the honors internship application portal.

  • Application due date: July 24, 2025
  • Position start date: Sept. 2, 2025

The University Press of Kansas, which supports the scholarly publications of all six Kansas state universities, seeks a business intern and marketing intern for the fall of 2025. Both interns will have the opportunity to learn about scholarly publishing and get hands-on experience in a relaxed but professional work environment at one of the top university presses in North America. 

Interested applicants should review the full position description for the business internship (PDF) and the marketing internship (PDF) before applying through the honors internship application portal.

Qualifications

The opportunities listed here share common qualifications that interested students should possess:

  • Active status in the program, and good academic standing as defined as a 3.25 cumulative GPA and demonstrated progress on completion requirements
  • Excellent communication, organization, and time-management skills
  • Ability to work remotely and independently, and to multitask effectively
  • Dependability, positivity, and a sense of humor
  • Proficiency in Microsoft and Google productivity software, as well as social media platforms and tools

Organizations may also seek applicants with majors related to their mission or position.

Compensation

The honors program is able to support students pursuing the above experiences with Honors Opportunity Awards (HOAs) of $1,800 designated for nonprofit internships. Some additional compensation-related considerations:

  • Financial support related to an internship may have implications on cost of attendance. Students should meet with their financial aid counselor to check before applying.
  • Students selected for an internship who have concurrent, pending HOA applications may have those applications reprioritized.
  • Based on the needs of the internship site and available funding, an internship might be extended a semester, but students are limited to two total semesters of HOA funding for any honors-coordinated internships.
  • Individual internship opportunities may also include additional financial support provided by the organization.