In its 23rd year, Gen&WS 660: Internship in Gender and Women’s Studies is offered every spring for graduating Gender and Women’s Studies students through an application and interview process. The internship course provides a venue for students to put theory into practice, to participate in community-based organizations, to engage in a service-learning course and to think critically about participating as feminists in activism. It is designed to provide students with opportunities to learn and work in organizations in ways that connect their coursework in gender studies to specific issues in the community, while also developing professional skills.
The seminar provides a framework to think critically, through discussion, readings and assignments, about how practice is informed by theory and experience, as well as how theory informs our practice. The seminar allows students to learn about the wide range of organizations in our community that work on issues related to gender and social change, as well as activism around social justice and feminism. In addition, the internship program offers students the opportunity to develop and enhance skills directly transferable to a professional setting.
Application Information
The spring 2022 application will be posted here in October. Please send your questions to Susan Nelson (susan.nelson@wisc.edu) in the meantime.
Recent Internships
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Alliance for Women's Health, the Office of the Gender & Women's Studies Librarian, PATCH - Providers and Teens Communicating on Health, Wisconsin Women's Council, Girls, Inc., the Guerilla Feminist, Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault, End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin, and others.
FAQs
Why enroll in this class?
Gen&WS 660 internship sites are vetted! We invite organizations to participate with a clear set of expectations and a commitment to provide meaningful, rigorous, and autonomous learning opportunities for students.
The seminar portion of Gen&WS 660 makes this course unique and, sometimes, magical. The seminar brings students together to learn from each other about different professional settings and rethink what feminist work looks like. Together, the internship and the seminar set the stage for a professional network that helps launch your career.
Do I need to have an internship before I apply?
No. The Gen&WS 660 instructor recruits a group of internship sites and supervisors who will interview students. Students contact the agencies where they are interested in working to arrange an interview. The agency then selects the intern that they would like to hire.
Can I continue with an internship that I already have?
This is certainly a possibility. Reach out and let the instructor know more about the situation and we’ll see how we can make it work.
What if I am not offered an internship?
We have many partners looking for an intern from this seminar. All the students who enroll in the course will have an internship.
Application Information
Students get out of the internship experience what they put into it. Throughout the semester, students are expected to set goals to measure individual growth. Even before the course begins, prospective students clarify what they hope to learn during an internship through the application process. It is important for student to ask themselves how a commitment like this will fit into their schedule.
The goal of the seminar is to bring together a group of GWS students excited to step outside of the classroom to engage in feminist praxis while learning what feminist work looks like in a variety of community-based settings. Students leave this course with a more developed set of professional skills and an increased level of professional confidence.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Apply knowledge of gender and women’s studies to practical and professional experiences outside of the classroom.
- Develop a professional feminist network.
- Engage in feminist social change and social justice.
- Gain professional experiences and skills to further personal goals.
- Further understanding of gender & women’s studies application in professional settings and career development.
Expectations for Interns
- Complete 10-12 hours of work each week at their internship site.
- Be prepared, present, and engaged as a professional in their internship setting.
- Attend, prepare for and actively participate in the weekly seminar.
- Complete course assignments, including visit another internship site, and projects as required in the syllabus.
What do alums of the program have to say?
This is a fantastic and valuable class – I learned so much!
I gained a lot of knowledge about feminist activism that I haven’t learned in other GWS courses.
The combination of internship experience and advanced coursework was very unique and valuable.
The field experience is incredibly valuable & I made SO many wonderful and important connections.
It is a wonderful experience – both the internship and the supportive (learning) community.
I learned SO much. This class is so valuable every GWS student should take it!
