In the fall of 2015, the Max Shacknai COVE and the Upstate Institute joined together with local community agencies to offer paid internships to federal work-study-eligible students leading to lasting community outcomes and offering students who may not had the option to volunteer time at a nonprofit organization the opportunity to gain professional and leadership skills. Students worked at the Partnership for Community Development (PCD), Chenango Nursery School, Community Action Partnership, and Hamilton Food Cupboard. This program allowed students interested in gaining a deeper experience in nonprofit administration some hands-on, long-term, in-depth work. Projects provided capacity building assistance to the organizations with which we partnered. One student conducted an inventory and needs assessment of home-based businesses in the Hamilton area to assist the PCD in identifying gaps to fill in this segment of the Hamilton business community. Students who worked with the other three organizations provided data analysis and technology assistance to increase communication and evidence-based decision making for their organizations. We saw several win-win outcomes to this program in the first year and aim to grow the program in future years to offer more internships with community benefits.
