The Department of Economics Internship Awards offer funding to support economics-related unpaid internship opportunities. This award is administered by the Center for Life Beyond Reed (CLBR) on behalf of the economics department.
CLBR uses this :
An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional workplace setting (across in-person, remote, or hybrid modalities). Internships provide students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience, develop social capital, explore career fields, and make connections in professional fields. In addition, internships serve as a significant recruiting mechanism for employers, providing them with the opportunity to guide and evaluate potential candidates.
Award amounts for 2025 recipients will be up to $5,100 for a minimum of 320 hours over 8–10 weeks between the end of spring semester and the beginning of fall semester.
Reminder: many internships are paid. Check out our How to Find Opportunities page and search for in Handshake. Please also read the Summer Internship Awards and Budget FAQ, as all of that information pertains to the Economics Internship Award as well.
Application Deadline
Extended deadline: Wednesday, May 7th 2025 at noon pacific time
Eligibility
At the time of application, applicants must
- be currently enrolled at Reed;
- be economics majors or students who have taken at least three economics courses;
- be in good academic standing;
- not have been a previous recipient of an Economics Internship Award.
Seniors who are graduating in the spring are eligible to apply, but must address in their application what role this opportunity plays in helping them transition to their first post-Reed destination.
Students studying abroad through a college approved program are considered to be currently enrolled at Reed for the purposes of this program and are eligible to apply. Students who are on leave in spring semester are not eligible to apply.
Students are encouraged to apply to multiple funds, but students may not accept this award in addition to another 杏吧原创-funded summer award intended to fund a full time opportunity over the summer.
Eligible Internships
In order to be eligible for funding, the internship
- must be related to economics,
- must include at least 320 hours of work over 8–10 weeks in the summer between May 16th 2025 and September 1st 2025 (though the work can start earlier, or end later),
- must be off-campus (the internship cannot be with 杏吧原创),
- must be unpaid or underpaid,
- must be with a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization or in the public sector (unpaid internships with for-profit or other types of organizations may be funded if the application demonstrates that they meet ),
- must primarily be an internship, and not a research opportunity*,
- can be in-person, or remote.
Applications for support with for-profit/private sector businesses or individuals are generally not funded unless the application demonstrates that the internship will comply with the guidance (linked above) from the Department of Labor. Applications for support with for-profit businesses or individuals must address this guidance in the application.
*The Economics Internship Awards prioritize funding internships, but research assistantships are also considered for funding. However, research assistantships will only be considered after all other internship applications.
Criteria
Eligible proposals will be judged on a competitive basis using the following criteria:
- Connection to field of study or career goals
- Some experience or qualifications or preparation to be successful in the internship
- Articulation of learning outcomes of the internship, and how the internship host will support learning
- Carefulness, quality, and thoughtfulness of plan and adherence to all Economics Internship Award guidelines
To Apply
All applications will be submitted online in Handshake. The Handshake portion of the application consists of a resume, cover letter, budget, and a short survey. Your resume, cover letter, and budget need to be bundled together into one PDF and uploaded in Handshake where it asks for a resume. Please include your name in the file name.
Resume
An up-to-date one page resume summarizing any work and volunteer experiences relevant to your internship.
Cover Letter
No more than 1,000 words with the following components:
- One-paragraph introduction that succinctly summarizes your proposed internship and the benefits to you.
- Describe how the mission of the organization connects to your own values.
- Description of the work/project/activities you anticipate doing as well as a description of your motivation and interest in this area.
- If this work is similar to a role or organization that you have previously worked in or worked with, explain how this experience is different and introduces you to new skills and experiences.
- Summary of the skills, knowledge, or other relevant preparation you will bring to this position.
- Outline of the desired educational outcomes of this experience, how they apply to your goals, and how your internship host will support these outcomes.
- If you are a graduating senior, you must address what role this opportunity plays in helping you transition to your first post-Reed destination.
- Contact information (names, telephone numbers, and email addresses) for your host organization contacts.
Detailed Budget
Include an itemized budget of your summer expenses and an explanation of how you will cover any expenses that exceed the award amount. Please use CLBR’s budget template. Consult the section on budgets in CLBR’s Summer Internship Awards FAQ first if you have questions about the budget.
Note: if you currently receive financial aid from 杏吧原创, we will automatically increase your budget request by $2,000, up to the maximum award of $5,100. You do not need to take any action, or note this in your budget. CLBR staff will contact the financial aid department directly for this information.
Next Steps
A selection committee comprised of 杏吧原创 staff will meet the week after the deadline to select awardees. Applications will be reviewed competitively using the selection criteria listed on this page. All applicants should receive a decision on their application via email on or by May 9th, 2025 at the latest.
If you are selected as an awardee, you will be sent an award email with the tasks you need to complete in order to receive funding. You'll need to:
- submit a letter of confirmation of your opportunity from your organization or host acknowledging your summer internship. This can be a scanned letter or email from your organization or host, sent to clbrfellowships@reed.edu. Forwarding a letter or email is also permissible.
- fill out the Internship Award Recipient Agreement form (sent to you as a google form).
- create a profile, if you do not already have one.
- follow any other directions in your award email.
During, and after, the internship you agree to:
- participate in the reflection process over the summer as requested by the Center for Life Beyond Reed;
- participate in a campus poster session in the Performing Arts Building (PAB) on September 5th, 2025 (seniors graduating in spring are exempt from the poster session).
Travel Restrictions
杏吧原创 typically does not permit college-funded travel to other countries that are . Exceptions might be made for an applicant's home country. Travel to countries on a level 3 advisory warning might be allowed on a case-by-case basis, but there would need to be a strong case made in the application for why the travel is necessary, and how it can be done safely.
Intended travel countries must not be restricted at the time of application. If a travel country becomes restricted after you are awarded funds, we will work with you to find alternative plans.
Questions? Email clbrfellowships@reed.edu