Internships & Volunteers

Internships

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Interns have a substantial relationship with the Women’s Resources Center. Those who intern at the WRC have the opportunity to be more heavily involved with project planning and execution, strengthen their leadership skills, and develop a body of work across the semester. Interns commit to eight hours (minimum) of work a week, to attend weekly intern meetings, and participate in professional development opportunities.

Internships offered through the Women's Resources Center (WRC) are designed to fulfill students' internship requirements within their major. More information about these positions can be found below. Students may only hold 1 internship at a time.

Only students in qualifying courses are eligible to apply for these internships. Examples of past internship courses include CHLH 485, IHLT 474, GWS 399, but other similar courses may be eligible.. This position lasts for 1 academic semester. 

Interns may be eligible for up to 5 paid internship hours at a rate of $15/hour (beginning January 2025). However, the total number of hours per week for this position will be determined based on the student's internship course requirements. Work hours are expected to take place at the Women's Resources Center during business hours (Monday - Friday; 9 AM - 5 PM).

The WRC offers 3 distinct intern positions: gender equity, prevention outreach, and advocacy.

Students of ALL identities are welcome and encouraged to apply. No previous experience required. 

General questions about the WRC Internship program should be directed to Amie Baumeister at baumstr2@illinois.edu.

Available Internship Descriptions

Gender Equity Internship

Gender Equity Program Interns, along with support from the Assistant Director, contribute to the coordination of WRC’s gender equity programs. This position will include but is not limited to creating agendas, leading meetings, and delegating tasks to volunteers on WRC (Women’s Resources Center) Program planning committees, recruiting and scheduling workshops and presenters; recruiting volunteers, performing program promotion and outreach; and assisting with program evaluation. The position involves a mix of administrative and coordination work which may include, but is not limited to: 

  • Chair program planning committees including member recruitment, creating agendas, ensuring program objectives are being met, and delegating tasks to volunteers
     
  • Working with Women’s Resources Center staff, identify key learning outcomes for the WRC programs and develop assessment tools to measure success of the program (like Dish It Up, Women's History Month, Lactation Space Project, Etc.)
     
  • Lead planning of WRC events including recruitment of presenters, speakers, and vendors, acquiring space, fundraising, and developing a marketing and outreach plan

Advocacy Internship

Advocacy Interns contribute to the Women’s Resources Center’s goal of providing inclusive and comprehensive support to survivors of sex-based misconduct on campus. The Advocacy and Support Division provides trauma-informed crisis intervention and survivor-centered advocacy for victims/survivors of sex-based misconduct and coordinates campus outreach presentations and events. This internship focuses on exploring professional avenues of providing advocacy and assists in the creative expansion of advocacy services at the University of Illinois.

Please note: this position does not provide direct advocacy services to victims/survivors of sexual violence but will center unique projects that support professional staff’s provision of advocacy services. Responsibilities may include:

  • Increasing campus and community awareness of advocacy services by creating and sharing educational materials on survivor resources, rights and options.
     
  • Expand communication skills through monthly contributions to the WRC Prevention Newsletter and social media content creation.
     
  • Performing outreach for students groups to encourage engagement with the WRC's programs & resources. Outreach includes tabling and workshops across campus.
     
  • Assisting with program design and implementation for awareness months, including Stalking Awareness Month in January, Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month in February, and Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April.

Prevention Outreach Internship

The Prevention Outreach Intern contributes to the Women's Resources Center's goal of preventing sexual violence by utilizing a public health approach to raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual violence and to promote a campus culture grounded in empowerment and respect. This internship focuses on community outreach and provides students with the opportunity to engage in sexual violence prevention through educational campaigns, programs, and initiatives. Responsibilities may include:

  • Assisting with FYCARE program coordination, including tracking attendance records, managing official FYCARE inbox, preparing workshop materials
     
  • Increasing community members’ knowledge of sexual health, healthy relationship behaviors, consent, bystander intervention, and resources through outreach initiatives, including educational social media campaigns, tabling, infographics, newsletters and workshops
     
  • Performing outreach to student groups in order to encourage engagement with the WRC's programs & resources
     
  • Assisting with program design and implementation for awareness months, including Sexual Health Week in September, Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, Stalking Awareness Month in January, and Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April

Internship Timeline

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for course credit internships ONLY

Spring 2025 Internship Timeline
  • October 3: Spring 2025 internship applications open
  • October 18: Spring 2025 internship application deadline
  • October 28 - November 8: Spring 2024 internship interviews
  • November 20: Applicants notified of decisions
Summer/Fall 2025 Internship Timeline
  • more info available in January

Apply

Applications for Spring 2025 internships will open on October 3.

View the Application

Volunteering

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Volunteers are an essential part of the Women’s Resources Center. Volunteers regularly assist administratively within the office; host events, programs, and workshops; conduct outreach about our services and activities; and help assess and envision the evolution of our Center. Volunteers also have the opportunity to develop personal and professional skills; gain valuable experiences in women’s organizing; and strengthen our campus community’s dedication to gender equity.

We're looking for volunteers to help make the WRC a dynamic, exciting and safe place for students of all genders!  Whether you only have a couple of hours to jump in when most needed (hey there, on call volunteer!), want to make WRC part of your general routine (welcome to our general office help team) or want to part of shaping the programs that we host (program committees), we've got an opportunity to fit your interest and schedule.

 

Student Programming Committees

Program Committees work with Women’s Resources Center staff and interns to plan, promote, and evaluate gender equity and prevention programming at the WRC.  Committee members meet weekly to set program objectives, develop workshop ideas, identify speakers, and publicize WRC programs.

Program committees are open to all students at any time. To join, stop by any of the committee meetings listed below or email Amie at baumstr2@illinois.edu for more information.

Learn more about our programming committees.

Day Time Committee
Monday 2-3 pm Women's History Month

Scholarship

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Philip Monypenny Scholarship

Students involved in the WRC as consistent volunteers or interns, who are also enrolled in a degree program within the department of Political Science are eligible to apply for the annual Philip Monypenny scholarship. This $500 scholarship was established in the name of Philip Monypenny, who was head of the department of Political Science from 1967 to 1972. Learn more.