Hess Center Fellows Program

Agency Application Information

Thank you for your interest in the Hess Center Fellows at Birmingham-Southern College. This exciting new program allows engaged Birmingham-Southern students to spend eight weeks during the summer working full time as an intern on a specific advocacy project for a non-profit organization. We would like to develop a partnership with the participating organizations and have specific goals and expectations for the internships. The following are our basic expectations for the Hess Fellow internships:

The Hess Fellow will have the opportunity to learn about his or her specific organization’s issue(s) in depth, focusing on a designated advocacy project, as well as becoming knowledgeable about the organization’s mission.
The Hess Fellow will have the opportunity to learn about the organization’s specific goals, challenges, and successes.
Ideally, he or she will walk away with a clearer sense of how the organization’s advocacy efforts affect the surrounding community and hopefully learn about similar advocacy efforts in the nation and/or throughout the world.
The Hess Fellow will learn how the organization functions, operates fiscally, and its broader role in the public sector.
The Hess Fellow will have the opportunity to attend a variety of staff/board meetings.
The Hess Fellow will meet with people in departments within the organization and/or board members.
The Hess Fellow will learn about the organization’s relationship with their constituents.
The Hess Fellow contact person from the organization will communicate with the intern in the Spring concerning preparation, responsibilities, project responsibilities, and dates of internship. Interns will work forty hours per week for eight weeks during the summer. If housing is necessary, the organization will provide suggestions.
The organization will offer input on student applicants in December by reviewing applications. Birmingham-Southern faculty and staff will assess student applications and assign internships based on a written application, interview, input from participating organizations, and student interest in organization. Interviews for student placements are available at the participating organization's request.
The organization will designate a staff person for the intern by May 1st. The staff person and intern should meet weekly throughout the summer.
The organization will complete a written assessment of the student and program at the end of the internship period.

We hope that your organization is interested in joining with us as we educate the next generation of citizen leaders. If your organization is interested in applying for a Hess Fellows Intern, please complete the on-line Agency application by December 1 (Monday if the date falls on a weekend).