The Women’s and Gender Studies Program has an active internship program that integrates academics with activism. Declared WMST minors have the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom in a community setting. Internships provide students with the opportunity to give back to community, gain first hand experience, and make connections that may help them find employment after they graduate. Internships are not paid, but interns receive three academic credits by registering for WMST 4401: Internship in Women’s Studies.

Interns are required to work 120 hours onsite during the course of the semester. This averages out to 8 hours per week during a 15 week semester. Schedules may be adjusted to fit the circumstances (e.g., 20 hr/week for 6 weeks). Interns are also required to submit a weekly 4 page, double-spaced journal. This journal describes their internship activities for the week and reflects on how what they are doing/learning in the internship relates to what they have learned in Women’s and Gender Studies courses. Students are also required to complete a substantial final project. Usually this project is a 10 page double spaced paper on a topic related to their internship. Other final projects, however, are acceptable as long as they are approved by the intern's academic supervisor.

Interns can work in any organization, as long as the project work on focuses on women, sexuality, or feminism. Some of the places our interns have worked include:

• Mecklenburg County Women's Commission Displaced Homemakers Program: Provides training and support necessary to re-enter the workforce for women who have been out of the workplace or underemployed, taken care of family for at least five years, lost her/his means of support, and needs to become self-sufficient.

• Mecklenburg County Women's Commission Family Violence Program: Provides individual counseling and support groups to victims of domestic violence. Also offers educational programs for domestic violence victims (family, friends, neighbors, employees).

• Florence Crittenden Services: One of the largest comprehensive residential problem pregnancy programs in the United States. Established in 1903, the agency has served as an alternative for single, pregnant adolescents and women from throughout all counties in North and South Carolina. In addition to a safe environment during pregnancy, a full range of services are provided including health and prenatal care, education, adoption programs, parenting skills/early childhood development education, life skills, scholarships, group and individual counseling and family planning.

• Planned Parenthood

• Carolina Nurse Midwives: The mission of Carolina Nurse Midwives is to provide safe and sensitive primary, gynecologic, and obstetric care to women in a family centered atmosphere.

If you are interested in an internship, please contact Dr. Wayland at 704.687.2290 or . Internships are only open to declared WMST minors who are at least a junior and who have an overall GPA of 2.75 and a WMST GPA of 3.00.