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.

Eligibility: Undergraduates enrolled in Columbia’s undergraduate schools and who as of January 8, 2016 are considered juniors or seniors.

Details: The 10-week internships begin late May 2016. Positions are roughly 20 hours per week. Internship stipend is $4,000.  Please download the FAQ below.

Deadline: Applications are due by 5 p.m. (EST) on Friday, January 8, 2016. Finalists will be contacted in February 2016 for an interview.  Interns will be announced by the end of March 2016.

Download: PDFs of these guidelines and the FAQ.

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.

Application submissions are to include the following:
1.    Completion of online “Application Cover Sheet” (http://www.tinyurl.com/cacsummerintern)
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/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: Friday, January 8, 2016.  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_BUTLERSUMMER2016.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 Friday, January 8, 2016, 5 p.m. EST via email to [email protected].

Finalists will be contacted in late January or early February 2016 and invited for an interview prior to final selection in March 2016.  For answers to your questions, make sure to download PDFs of these guidelines and the FAQ.