Students are free to set up their own internships. Local opportunities are listed below.
The award-winning McLean County Historical Society and Museum offers both formal (for credit) and informal (no credit) internships to Women’s Studies students interested in local history. The museum is involved in a series of on-going projects involving research, exhibition production, working with artifacts, cataloging, and writing.
Contact: Mary Ann Schiermen, (309) 827-0428
The Children’s Foundation provides support and referral services to families in crisis. The Foundation offers students with many internship opportunities related to the Center and its activities. Some internships include work in the child care center, crisis nursery, early start program for at-risk parents, foster care, parenting education program, family visitation center, transitional living program for troubled teens, and parenting support groups. All internship programs can be discussed with the director and are based on current needs of the Foundation.
Contact: Lesley Frey, (309) 834-5233
Planned Parenthood has strong ties to the Illinois State University community through Campus for Choice. Interns must complete an 8-hour community volunteer training program in outreach education through the organization. Interns will then be involved in fundraising, event planning, public awareness campaigns, and outreach education. Opportunities reflect the current needs of the organization.
Contact: Shireen Martin, (309) 827-4368
The State’s Attorney Child Support Office provides public services for parents who wish to establish and maintain child support through the State of Illinois, particularly within McLean County. One of the primary responsibilities of the Program is to enforce child support cases through either a judge or a judicial hearing officer. Internships are available for pre-law students only.
Contact: Dean Engelbrecht or Todd Miller, (309) 888-5959
The Stepping Stones: Sexual Assault Awareness Program through the YWCA is a free and confidential advocacy service for sexual assault survivors and their loved ones. Volunteer advocates are on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The advocate’s role is to assist survivors and their loved ones through the recovery process by connecting them with local resources and services. Stepping Stones works through PATH to provide counseling, medical and legal support services for sexual assault survivors. Students are required to attend 40 hours of training, and to carry a pager for the duration of their internship.
Contact: Yadira Ruiz, (309) 662-0461 ext. 272
The Project is looking for a student assistant with good interpersonal skills who is interested in education. Interns will help to coordinate educational activities related to making schools safer and more supportive for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth, family members, their friends, and school staff. Activities include: speaking engagements at local businesses; workshops with teachers, parents, and counselors in schools; and speaking with ISU teacher education faculty about incorporating issues about sexual orientation and gender identity into their courses.
Contact: Paula Ressler, pressle@ilstu.edu or (309) 438-7798
Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit international ecumenical organization dedicated to the elimination of substandard housing around the world. Habitat homes are built by volunteers and by partner families who receive their new home for the cost of a no-interest affordable loan. The Gaia Build Program sponsors teams of women on homebuilding projects.
Contact: Kristen Sand, (309) 827-3931
Neville House is a shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. The shelter staffs a domestic violence hotline and offers domestic violence education, legal advocacy, outreach counseling, victims support groups, and children’s support groups to women transitioning from violent relationships. Student internships are based on the current needs of the shelter (e.g. doing research for grants and public presentations, or helping to organize local events).
Contact: Deborah White, (309) 828-8913
