China Center
Undergraduate Internship Grant
- Basic
Description:
Under a generous grant from the Freeman Foundation,
Valparaiso University China Center Offers up to 10 internship
grants annually to VU undergraduate students to conduct internship
primarily but not exclusively in the Hangzhou area of China.
The goal of these grants is to allow students with strong commitment
and practical plans use the facilities VU has established in
China to complete a productive internship as part of the requirements
of their majors or the efforts to enrich the experiential training
of their study at VU. These grants are open to students of all
majors. The selection process that leads to awarding these grants
is competitive and rolling until the funds budgeted for the
academic year is depleted. The China Center will make a decision
on whether or not to award the grant within a month after the
application form is received. In some cases, the China Center
may ask the applicants to provide additional information before
a decision is made.
- Specifics
of the Grant:
The average research grant is 1,000.00 with
specific amount awarded depending on the length and nature of
the proposed internship project. To qualify, an applicant must
be enrolled as a full-time VU students, having completed at
least one full semester of course work at VU, and have a solid
internship proposal which must be endorsed by his/her academic
adviser with the approval of the chair/dean of the related department/college.
Normally, these grants are given to applicants whose internship
will be conducted in China. However, exceptions can be made
to applicants who show strong reasons why their internship projects
can be completed exclusively in a company in US but with strong
and proven ties with China. The duration of the internship may
vary but normally it should involve no less than the equivalent
of 80 hours of work in a company or institution.
- Type
of Internship Projects:
The China Center may consider any of the following
three types of internship projects:
-
Internship project as an extension of a course (Done either
concurrently or after the course is completed. This type of
research must have the endorsement from the faculty who teaches
the course);
-
An independent internship course that earns VU credit and fulfills
major/minor requirements;
-
An independent internship project initiated by a student who
will complete the internship outside the regular semesters (e.g.
summer, fall or spring break) and not seek VU credit for the
work but will use the internship to enhance his/her academic/professional
experiences.
- Support
from the China Center:
The China Center, in addition to review the
grant proposals, will also provide the following support to
any recipients of the research grant:
-
Helping match the interest and desire of a prospect student
with that of a prospect company including provide a list of
companies in the Hangzhou area of China who are willing to accept
interns who meet their criteria;
-
Advising before or after the internship proposal is filed;
-
Working with the recipients of the internship grant to develop
a practical plan on how to complete the internship project in
an efficient and timely fashion;
-
Providing logistical support for the recipients (through both
the staff at the China Center at VU and the staff working at
the Valparaiso University Education Center in Hangzhou) for
this/her internship project in China including the arrangements
for local lodging and translation, establishing contact people,
and other travel arrangements;
-
Serving as a hub of contact between the recipients and the various
personnel involved in the internship projects.
- Responsibilities
of the Recipients of the Internship Grant:
Students who have successfully completed the
internship proposal and received internship grant must:
-
Follow the internship plan as much as possible and inform the
China Center if there is going be a major revision of the proposed
internship plan;
-
Keep an account of the expenses and collect all the required
receipts;
-
File an expense report at the end of the internship grant period
to the China Center and VU’s Financial Office;
-
File a final report to the China Center within a month after
the internship project is completed and submit a copy of any
output resultant from the internship, e.g., paper or report;
-
Acknowledge the China Center in publications resultant from
the grant;
-
Follow all the rules and requirements expected on him/her from
a hosting institution.
- Opportunities
for Follow-up Funding:
China Center may provide additional funding
for recipients of the internship grant who plan to present their
internship results/finding at professional conferences or gatherings.
The amount of such funding will be determined by the China Center
and requires a separate application form.
- How
to Apply:
Please complete the application form
and return it to Dr. Zhimin Lin, Director of China Center.
|
