[video] Northfield Bank Provides Support for Internships

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The College of Staten Island has received a $25,000 grant from the Northfield Bank Foundation for internship opportunities to support financially disadvantaged students.  The students, who are traditionally unable to participate in non-paid internships, now have the opportunity to gain experience and explore their fields of choice, while developing new skills via hands-on training, while working at a number of non-profit organizations.

Diane Senerchia, Executive Director of the Northfield Bank Foundation, recently visited the CSI campus to present the check to CSI President Dr. Tomás D. Morales.

John Alexander, President of the Northfield Bank Foundation, commented on the grant at last December’s Celestial Ball. “It is an honor to support the College. More importantly, it’s all about the students, getting them out into the community and giving back to community through their work at the non-profits on Staten Island,” he said.  The program provides the students with a unique opportunity to give back to the community as their positions are in organizations on Staten Island with limited budgets that cannot hire much support staff.

“Many CSI students express interest in participating in an internship because of the great rewards it provides, such as developing contacts and job-relevant skills,” commented Barbara Eshoo, CSI Vice President for Institutional Advancement and External Relations. “The program provides 25 qualified students with the opportunity to intern and develop strong skills, while being paid a $1,000 stipend. This program eliminates the difficult choice between finding paid employment to offset personal expenses and participating in a career-related educational experience.”

“The responses from students who have participated have been overwhelmingly positive because they now feel more comfortable in their professional abilities and performance,” according to Caryl Watkins, Director of CSI’s Career and Scholarship Center, which is administering the program. “Real work experience goes a long way in developing a student into a young professional.”

“This is a wonderful program for students who financially would not have the opportunity to intern, thus developing job-ready skills and gaining the competitive edge upon graduation,” commented Dr. A. Ramona Brown, CSI Vice President for Student Affairs. “I extend my sincerest thanks to Northfield Bank Foundation for their continuing support of CSI students and the Staten Island community.”

Organizations participating in the 2010-2011 program are the Alzheimer’s Foundation; the American Cancer Society; Art Lab, Inc.; COAHSI; Eden II; The Grace Foundation; the Greenbelt Conservancy; Northfield, LDC; Staten Island NFP Association; the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce; the Staten Island Museum; Snug Harbor Cultural Center; and Staten Island University Hospital.

To participate in the program, students must have completed 24 credits, have a GPA of 3.0 or better, and submit a 500-word statement on how an internship would help them to achieve their career goals. Applicants will also be expected to submit an unofficial copy of their transcript and job résumé. For some applicants, a personal interview may be required. Selected students receive the $1,000 stipend award upon successful completion of 80 hours of service to the organization to which they are sent. Upon completion of the internship, students must complete an evaluation of their internship experience, submit an essay that describes their internship experience, and receive an overall “Satisfactory” rating from their employer.

For more information contact the Career and Scholarship Center.