Students engage in virtual, in-person sustainability projects through internship program

The Sustainability Internship Program (SIP) is a perennial internship program founded by the Office of Planning, Sustainability, and Project Management (PSPM) that originated as a for-credit spring course. The program offers hands-on learning experiences for the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) undergraduate students in various fields with a view to further the mission of social, economic and environmental sustainability in the campus community. More than that, the projects provide a framework for students to apply classroom knowledge to real-life situations.

Interns in the SIP will be placed at a UIC department or affiliated organization alongside with weekly seminars and field-outings that cover a range of sustainability topics. These activities help interns in developing leadership, project management experience, and necessary skills while engaging them with sustainability topics and the UIC Climate Commitments. Since 2014, interns have successfully collaborated with mentors and PSPM staff to reach incredible achievements, such as getting the UIC campus certified for Bee Campus USA in 2020. In the past, students have interned for the UIC Energy Initiative, Facilities Management, Bike UIC, the College of Engineering, Centers for New Horizons, Ameresco, Chinese American Service League, and more.

The program offers a for-credit internship during the spring semester and a paid summer internship that lasts from June 1 to Aug. 6. During the program, interns will meet regularly with their mentors and other SIP interns to share their experiences and findings. Before the pandemic, SIP students also pay visits to off-campus sustainable businesses, such as the Lakeshore Recycling Plant to understand UIC’s waste processing plan, as part of the internship program. In the end of the program, interns will present their findings at the final presentation to other interns and PSPM’s staff. More information about the program can be found on PSPM’s website.

Applications for SIP Summer 2021 are currently open for paid internships in different fields, including data analysis and recycling. Information about each position can be found here. To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to Kate Yoshida at kyoshi3@uic.edu.