U360 Business Sustainability Internship Program
U360 is an interdisciplinary, experiential internship program offered by the sustainability nonprofit Manomet. The program is managed by Manomet’s Sustainable Economies Program, which advises communities and businesses on practices that enhance their economic viability and human well-being while measurably reducing their environmental footprint.
U360 is designed to enhance students’ understanding of sustainability and small business management, through a series of Manomet-led workshops and direct engagement with the business sector. The program guides students through researching and interviewing small businesses, analyzing their current level of sustainability, and identifying areas for improvement. The U360 internship ends with each student creating a Case Study and Sustainability Action Plan for a business they interviewed and presenting it to a panel of business leaders in a final Capstone Competition, along with the student teams from other participating universities. As a high-impact internship, U360 also helps students develop vital career skills, learn and practice professional communication, gain extensive real-world experience, and begin building their network of professional contacts.
Each student is expected to interview at least 30 small businesses of their choosing (both locally and nationally) during the two-semester program, and they are trained to examine the businesses through a sustainability lens. This allows the students to learn first-hand the realities of owning and running a small business, and both the opportunities and challenges of applying practical sustainability to a specific business model. The U360 program provides students with an in-depth understanding of how the triple-bottom line (environmental, social, economic) approach is applied to small businesses; tools and strategies for applying sustainability principles in the real world; an opportunity to create a customized and feasible action plan for an actual business; and skills for effectively communicating with individuals and businesses about sustainability.
More information can be found at:
JOB DESCRIPTION
Details
- U360 is designed for students enrolled in business, economics, environmental, sustainability and/or liberal arts programs.
- This is a team program, and each year 3-8 students will be accepted for a school’s team (or for a multi-school cohort team when available and appropriate).
- The program is at least 8 hours/week, which includes team trainings, workshops and weekly meetings, and independent research, outreach, and interviews with businesses. Students create their own schedule and work remotely outside of the mandatory group time. (The workshops and team meetings will be scheduled once the team is formed, in order to accommodate every student’s schedule.)
- Students are required to attend all workshops and the weekly team meeting on campus or via video conference.
- This is an unpaid internship, but students can often earn university credit for participation (depending on university policies, major requirements, etc.). Ideally, the internship takes the place of a class in the student’s schedule, and is not being done on top of a full course load.
Timeframe:
- U360 is a two-semester internship; the program starts the first week of the fall semester and concludes on the last day of the spring term; excluding all university holidays, breaks, and final exam periods
- Applications are accepted through July 31, 2019; Select applicants will be interviewed and the internship job offers will be made during the summer
Experience required:
- Sophomore and higher undergraduate students are eligible
- Basic computer skills (specifically Microsoft Office programs and online platforms) are required
Additional skills and experience preferred:
- Ability to work independently and manage time effectively
- Ability to listen and communicate effectively
- High level of comfort contacting and interacting with people in the community (in person, over the phone, and via email)
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Attention to detail
- Interest in business and/or sustainability
Instructions for applying:
- Submit current resume with a cover letter and three references (name, relationship, email address, and phone number) to Lora Winslow, U360 Program Manager, at lwinslow@manomet.org. NOTE: at least one reference must be a professional reference.
- Complete this online questionnaire: http://goo.gl/forms/DFB3gWbSj9