Summer Internships for Undergraduates in Research and Policy Related to Making the Most of Longer Lives

We are sorry, this position has been filled.

Thanks to the generosity of his family and in memory of the foremost pioneer in the field of aging policy, we are pleased to announce this call for applicants to our Robert N. Butler Summer Internship Program. The program is for Columbia University third and fourth-year students with a strong interest in lifecourse, lifespan and aging research and policy.

As a university-wide center, the Columbia Aging Center seeks to inspire talented students to become part of a pipeline of future leaders able to master the challenges societies and individuals must face as the world’s citizens live longer lives. Butler Interns will have access to Columbia University’s diverse scholars in the field of aging. Over the course of the 10-week summer internships, students will develop skills and acquire knowledge that will benefit them in pursuit of future studies and careers. Internships will include behavioral and social science research, policy analysis on specific issues, literature reviews, data collection, engagement with local businesses and organizations, event planning, laboratory and site visits, skill workshops, and more.  Butler Interns will become lasting members of the Columbia Aging Center’s community.

For application submission guidelines and FAQ, please visit: aging.columbia.edu

Details:           The 10-week internships begin late May 2017. Positions are roughly 20 hours per week. Internship stipend is $4,000.

Deadline:       Applications are due by 5 p.m. (EST) on Tuesday, January 31, 2017. Finalists will be contacted in late February 2017 for an interview. Interns will be announced by the end of March 2017.

COLUMBIA AGING CENTER

ROBERT N. BUTLER SUMMER INTERNSHIP APPLICATION PROCEDURES

With its ten-week summer internships, the Columbia Aging Center seeks to inspire talented students to become part of a pipeline of future leaders who are able to master the challenges societies and individuals must face as the world’s citizens live longer lives. Butler Interns will have rare access to the Columbia Aging Center’s diverse scholars, an intellectual hub of the field. Over the course of the internships, students will develop skills and acquire knowledge that will benefit them in pursuit of future studies and careers. Internships will include behavioral and social science research, policy analysis on specific issues, literature reviews, data collection, engagement with local businesses and organizations, event planning, laboratory and site visits, skill workshops, and more.

Eligibility:       Undergraduates enrolled in Columbia’s undergraduate schools and who as of January 31, 2017 are considered juniors or seniors.

Application submissions are to include the following:

1.    Completion of online “Application Cover Sheet” (http://www.tinyurl.com/ButlerCoversheet)

2.    CV (1 page)

3.    Scanned official Columbia University transcript

4.    Personal statement about career objectives and future academic plans (200 words max.)

5.    Short essay (1 page max.) on the impact you plan to make in the realm of geroscience and/or aging policy.

6.    Two letters of recommendation submitted by the referrer addressed directly to: Caitlin Hawke ([email protected]). These letters should be written by someone who can comment on your academic or professional performance and pursuits, character, and maturity, such as a professor, advising dean, or work/volunteer supervisor. Each letter of recommendation may be submitted either on letterhead or in an email and must be sent directly from the individual who writes it. Please advise your letter writer of the deadline: Tuesday, January 31, 2017.  You must include the names and emails of your reference writers when completing item 1 above.

 

Submission instructions:

Please compile items 2-5 above into one PDF document. Save the document using the following format: YOURLASTNAME_BUTLERSUMMER2017.pdf. For item 6, be sure to provide the name and email address of your two reference writers when you complete the online “Application Cover Sheet”.  All application materials (items 2-6) must be submitted by Tuesday, January 31, 2017, 5 p.m. EST via email to [email protected]. Finalists will be contacted in late February 2017 and invited for an interview prior to final selection in March 2017.  For answers to your questions, make sure to read our FAQ at aging.columbia.edu

Please read with care BEFORE contacting the Columbia Aging Center for additional information about the Robert N. Butler Summer Internship Program.

Where can I find application guidelines?

Download them right here: http://aging.columbia.edu/about-columbia-aging-center/opportunities/undergrad-internships

Does the Columbia Aging Center provide financial support to Butler interns?

Yes, thanks to the generosity of the family of aging pioneer Dr. Robert N. Butler, our interns receive $4,000 for their 10-week summer internships.

When is the application deadline for the Robert N. Butler Summer Internships?

Applications are due by email to ColumbiaAgingCenterPrograms by Tuesday, January 31, 2017 by 5 p.m. EST. This is a firm deadline; there are no exceptions.

I am not a Columbia University student; may I apply?

We regret that these positions are uniquely for Columbia undergraduates.  If you are a junior or senior in one of the undergraduate programs at Columbia (including Barnard), you are eligible.

I am not yet in my third year of undergraduate study; may I apply?

No, these positions require that you are a junior at the time you submit your application, ie. January 2017. If you are not yet a junior, please consider applying next year.  Conversely, if you have already graduated by January 31, 2017, you are not eligible.  You must be a junior or a senior Columbia student at of January 31, 2017 to apply.

May I send my recommenders’ letters to you?

No, letters of recommendation must arrive via email directly from the recommender. These are due on January 31, 2017. Please make sure the two people you ask are aware of that deadline/ They should submit their letters to us at the email address in the application guidelines: [email protected].  

When choosing a person to serve as a reference, consider asking someone who can comment on your academic/professional performance and pursuits, character and maturity ,such as a professor, advising dean, or work/volunteer supervisor. Each letter of recommendation may be submitted either on letterhead or in the body of an email and must be sent directly from the individual who writes it. You must include the names, numbers and emails of your reference writers in our “Robert N. Butler Summer Internship Application Cover Sheet” a link to which you will find on the application guidelines.

Should I contact you to find out if my recommendation letters have been received?

No, we will let you know.  If you do not hear from us, you may consider your application complete and under consideration.

When will I be notified about an interview?

Only finalists will be contacted for an interview. By late-February, finalists will be notified and invited to participate in an interview. Final selection should take place by early March.  Please do not contact the Center for updates prior to late March.

If I haven’t heard anything, who should I contact?

Again, please do not contact the Center for updates.  You will be notified as soon as there is news about your application status.

When are final notifications about acceptance into the program?

Final decisions will be made by March 31, 2017. You will receive an offer letter via email if you are accepted into the program.

When will the internship begin?

To help interns gain the most from their experience this summer, our Butler cohort will all start shortly after the end of the Spring 2017 semester in the second half of May.

What is the duration of the internship?

Internships are for exactly 10 weeks.