The University of Kentucky Appalachian Center and Center for Service-Learning and Civic Engagment are set to launch an internship program, AppalachiaCorps, this summer.
The two-four month internship program is designed to pair service-oriented, driven students with opportunities for experiential learning and research in Eastern Kentucky and the greater Appalachian region.
"We are excited to provide paid internship opportunities for students to be able to partner with community organizations in the Appalachian region," said Kathryn Engle, associate director of the Appalachian Center. "The AppalachiaCorps program will allow students to be plugged into many great projects in Eastern Kentucky and beyond and make an impact in their communities."
Students will have paid internships through an organization of their choice, which allows for a learning experience tailored to the individual student and their career goals. They will gain valuable experiences in leadership, skill-building and networking in the region. Academic credit is available for those who are interested. Students engaging in Appalachian research projects are also eligible for the program.
Students interested in participating in the program should fill out the online inquiry form by Friday, April 16, although applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Students will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
An information session will be held 1:30-2:30 p.m. Monday, April 19.
“The AppalachiaCorps program provides students with an opportunity to become leaders in either their home region or a region of their interest, while also giving them the creative freedom to work with a community organization of their choice that aligns with their own passions,” said Grace Moses, a UK 2020 graduate who participated in the pilot program last year.
"The AppalachiaCorps internship program will help mold the leaders and educators of tomorrow for the Appalachian region," said Virginia M. Mooney, a 2020 master's graduate from the College of Social Work. "They will be able to empower and work with communities or social justice issues that they have a passion for. This program also prepares students to grow and learn as individuals and to gain knowledge that will last a lifetime."
The program is available to all students in good standing at the university, both graduate and undergraduates. Applicants must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students can come from any discipline. Students in the UK College of Arts and Sciences, from the Appalachian region, who are first generation, and those working through the Federal Work-Study program are strongly encouraged to apply.
For more information, visit https://appalachiancenter.as.uky.edu/appalachiacorps
The University of Kentucky is increasingly the first choice for students, faculty and staff to pursue their passions and their professional goals. In the last two years, Forbes has named UK among the best employers for diversity, and INSIGHT into Diversity recognized us as a Diversity Champion four years running. UK is ranked among the top 30 campuses in the nation for LGBTQ* inclusion and safety. UK has been judged a “Great College to Work for" three years in a row, and UK is among only 22 universities in the country on Forbes' list of "America's Best Employers." We are ranked among the top 10 percent of public institutions for research expenditures — a tangible symbol of our breadth and depth as a university focused on discovery that changes lives and communities. And our patients know and appreciate the fact that UK HealthCare has been named the state’s top hospital for five straight years. Accolades and honors are great. But they are more important for what they represent: the idea that creating a community of belonging and commitment to excellence is how we honor our mission to be not simply the University of Kentucky, but the University for Kentucky.