DANVILLE, KY—A veterinary clinic in New Zealand. The office of a U.S. senator. The endocrine surgery lab at Johns Hopkins University. These are just a few of the work environments Centre students have experienced as part of the College's Internship Plus (CIP) program.

Internship Plus is a competitive process that allows students to earn extra financial support for internships, either during the summer or CentreTerm, the three-week winter learning experience. Career Services helps out by locating top-notch internships and offering advice for students interested locating internships on their own.

"My CIP was an incredible experience," says Matt Lane, a senior from Louisville. "Over the summer, I interned with the owner and master of a violin shop in Louisville. Mr. Mark Edwards has operated his business there for the last 30 years and is a respected member of the musical community. CIP gave me the opportunity to explore a side of the music business that not only interested me, but one that I also had not given serious consideration before. So, for three months I apprenticed with Mr. Edwards and learned about the centuries-old traditions of violin making, how to make different parts of the violin, put them together, care for them, repair them, varnish them, among hundreds of other new skills. For those students who take advantage of the CIP program, it will surely be beneficial. Some will find that the internship is maybe not exactly what they want to do with their life and the experience looks great on a resume, but at least they explored that option. For me and a few others, contacts made during the CIP have formed the foundations of our plans. So successful was my CIP that I will be working for Mr. Edwards after graduation."

If a student’s proposal is accepted, Centre will provide up to $750 toward a CentreTerm internship and $1,500 toward a summer internship, minus taxes. The student is expected to ask the internship sponsor to provide matching funds in the same amount.

"CentreTerm and summer are the most popular times for Centre students to participate in internships, and Centre Internship Plus can provide extra financial support for high-quality experiences during those times," says Mindy Wilson, internship and outreach coordinator. "We know that finances can play a big role in a student's decision to participate in a really great internship opportunity, and we want to help offset that factor."

At the end of their internship, Centre Internship Plus interns prepare a presentation attended by an evaluating committee and to which the campus community is invited.

Last year, almost three percent of the student body received CIP funding to assist with their internship expenses. Recent recipients have interned with the U.S. Department of State, the Naval Historical Center, the Columbus Museum of Art, and the Kentucky State Crime Lab.

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

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