For Students

For the past few years, the Office of Religious Life has sponsored 8-week Faith-Based Internships for students to grow vocationally as they develop relationships with mentors, learn how to serve the communities they work with, and reflect on the meaning of their work.

Depending on their placement, students will be given a variety of responsibilities, from loading content on global data platforms to organizing a summer camp for disabled youth or assisting refugees in client meetings. Students will be given the opportunity to develop mentorship relationships with their supervisors, observe how nonprofits and government organizations function, and engage with faith-based communities. 

 

Frequently Asked Questions:

How is the FBI program different from other internship opportunities?

As the Office of Religious Life, we are concerned with how to integrate the internship experience with the pursuit of human meaning. Student interns are invited to reflect on weekly contemplative practices that encourage reflection on questions such as ‘“Can we make a University compassionate?” and  “What does being a child mean to you?” In addition, students are also given the opportunity to participate in a mindfulness with breathing series with Buddhist meditation practitioner Santikaro and a Speaker Series, featuring the candid stories and experiences of certain supervisors from our program.

Do I have to be religious to apply?

No! We realize that though we are the Office of Religious Life, not all of the students or the organizations we involve in this program identify as religious. However, one way to consider ‘religion’ is to understand it as spiritual life or contemplative life; that is, the contemplation of what is important, meaningful, or valuable.

Will the internships be virtual? 

The program format (virtual, hybrid or in-person) will depend on the preferences of the host organizations, student intern and national/local policies regarding Covid-19. Students should refer to the list of internship placements to see the references of each organization. Please note that certain placements with preferences for in-person or hybrid internships may become completely virtual if needed. 

How does the placement matching process work?

Students are invited to apply to up to 3 internship placements with the Faith-Based Internship program. Interested applicants should note that the internship descriptions are loose guidelines for possible summer projects, but more specific work expectations will be set between the student and their supervisor shortly before the internship start date. 

After students submit the online application, there will be an initial interview process with the Office of Religious Life in mid-January. Students will then be referred to organizations that best fit their interests and qualifications, and invited to participate in a second round of interviews with these organizations. The first round of acceptances to internship placements will be shared late-January/early-February. Students will be required to confirm their internship position within 3 days of being notified.

What are the requirements of the internship program?

Students participating in our program will be expected to:

  • Communicate to the ORL and FBI partners in a timely manner
  • Complete the necessary paperwork for funding and on-boarding
  • Participate in a virtual pre-internship orientation in May
  • Fill out the work expectations form with their supervisor previous to starting the internship
  • Participate in weekly check-in calls with other interns
  • Complete a mid-summer reflection form halfway through the internship
  • Send in 3 photos of their summer experience, which will be entered into a photo competition with a prize
  • Complete an end-of-summer reflection form
  • Prepare for and attend a virtual storytelling gathering in the fall

Students are also given the option to join the following programs:

  • Oral History Project
    • The Oral History Project on Religion and Resettlement (OHPRR) is a growing archive of oral histories from resettled refugees in the United States whose religious and spiritual lives have been consequential in their journey, resettlement, and integration. Students will be expected to outreach to refugee communities, conduct the oral histories and transcribe them for our archive. 
  • Mindfulness with Breathing
    • A unique opportunity to learn about and practice Buddhist meditation with Santikaro, a meditation teacher who has been collaborating with Princeton students for the past couple of years. The course is cumulative and will carry us through the various steps of anapanasati, or “mindfulness with breathing” tradition. Further, the series will also be curated to the interests of participants, with each week focusing on a specific Buddhist teaching, such as compassion and gratitude.
  • Community of Sant’ Egidio
    • Sant’Egidio is a Christian community born in Rome that has become a network of communities in more than 70 countries of the world. The Community pays attention to the periphery and peripheral people, gathering men and women of all ages and conditions. Students can volunteer to tutor unprivileged elementary school students with the School of Peace, or write letters to elderly folks in nursing homes. 
What is the application process of the FBI program like?

Applicants are required to submit the following materials through this form by Monday, January 13. 

  • One-page resume
    • The resume should outline the student’s academic studies, work experience, and relevant skills / groups for Faith-Based Internships.
    • See the Center for Career Development’s Resume Guide for helpful suggestions on crafting a resume 
  • A cover letter for up to 2 internship placements
  • Two references (one academic, one non-academic) who would be able to speak to your candidacy for this internship program
    • Please provide two reference, preferably people who know you in a personal capacity, who would be able to speak to your candidacy. Common references include professors, lecturers, on-campus employers, coaches, former employers, or high school teachers. We prefer at least one reference to be from a Princeton University faculty or staff member, including preceptors and coaches). Your references cannot be peers or family members. 
    • We suggest that you inform your reference that they may be contacted by the Office of Religious Life regarding your application to the Faith-Based Internship program, and ask them for permission to share their contact information. 
What is the timeline of the program?
  • Friday, March 22: Paperwork for students due 
  • April/May: Pre-Internship Orientation
  • May 20 - May 24: Students schedule work expectations call with supervisor
  • Monday, June 3: Start date for internships, partner orientation 
  • July 1 - 5: Midsummer reflection form due 
  • Friday, July 26: End date for 8-week internships 
  • Sunday, August 18: End of summer reflection form due  
  • October: Storytelling gathering 
How will funding work for these internships?
  • All FBI students receive a stipend for the summer program to aid them in cost of living over the course of the internship. Students are paid a stipend of $5,600 for the duration of the program (8 weeks), which is expected to cover transportation, accommodations, food and basic living expenses. The stipend is adjusted to $6,800 for students doing in-person internships in locations with a higher cost of living: such as Boston, California, Chicago, New York City or Washington D.C. In the case that internships become virtual, students will still receive $5,600.
  • If applicable, students are required to fill in a travel request form in Concur prior to funding
  • Students are paid through the SAFE student funding portal prior to the start date of their internship. We encourage students to set up Direct Deposit so that funding can be directly transferred to the student’s bank accounts. 
Who is eligible for a Faith-Based Internship? 

All first year, second year and third year undergraduate students currently enrolled in Princeton University are eligible to apply to our program. However, certain placements are only available to second and third year students. Please refer to the descriptions of internship placements for guidance. 

 

Anecdotes from Former Faith-Based Interns

“One thing I did every morning was go to virtual disabilities camp. I didn’t think it was going to be that fun but it was. The last day of camp we had a big dance party. They had a DJ come and play music. We were all dancing and the campers were all super engaged. I’d spent all this time planning this virtual camp, making video activities and field trips, and it actually turned out to be a meaningful experience for the kids.” - Naomi Frim-Abrams ‘23, Catholic Charities Cleveland Intern

“Through this internship, I became aware of the intersection between faith-based organizations, community organizations, religious institutions, and city agencies. Faith-based organizations are often the bridges between these various sects of the city, and before this internship I wasn't aware that these organizations were the playground for such interactions.” -Nimrah Naseer ‘23, Muslim Community Network Intern

“Getting to do independent work into issues facing immigrant children was quite meaningful during my time at CYFD. Throughout the week, I'd be diving through news articles and reports that provided a broad summary of topics, then I'd have an opportunity to work with the office as they managed specific cases of individual children facing these concerns. I've come away with an understanding robust in policy, community, and personal perspectives.” - Chris Leahy ‘23, New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD) Intern

“One week, dring our weekly check-ins, I expressed a little bit of nervousness to reach out to some of my coworkers. I hadn’t connected with them individually and ended up just seeing them on these larger zoom calls. I ended up reaching out and connecting with several of them individually and those conversations were just incredibly rewarding. It was amazing to see who they were as people, how they got there. Spending time with such amazing strong women was very inspiring.” - Saoirse Bodnar ‘22, UN Women Intern