For Chance Johnson ’08, his summer internship with his United States Senator, Patrick Leahy, was the opportunity of a lifetime. As he begins his senior year, the history major from Windsor, Vt., and Windsor High School is pulling together the benefits of study abroad in Austria, experience with student government and the Student Judiciary Board, and public service work through his internship, to set the stage for his post-graduation plan to become a national security analyst.

“Working on research projects and for a Senate committee allowed me to experience a staffer's life, not to mention the benefits of learning valuable skills like prioritizing, multitasking and time management,” Chance says. He benefited from an internship fellowship funded by St. Lawrence.

Carol Bate, director of career services and leadership education, says that her office is getting a lot of traffic from students seeking a chance to explore careers before beginning their post-graduation search. But it’s not so easy for many students.

“Internships in many industries just aren't accessible in students' hometowns,” says Bate.  “In order to get the internship experience they need, students must relocate for a summer or winter break to a larger metropolitan area or more geographically appropriate location.  Fellowships can provide some income replacement for students who really need the income for the summer but are doing full-time, unpaid or low-paid internships.”

For summer 2007, some 29 students received internship fellowship assistance.  They interned in such diverse places as Genesee Valley Equine Clinic; the International Rescue Committee in Nairobi, Kenya; Permal Asset Management in New York City; the Utah Festival Opera Company; the World Music Institute; and Portland Magazine/Down East Magazine in Portland, Maine.