About the travel grant
The Joseph H. Melrose International Internship Travel Grant funds travel and related expenses for students interested in volunteering with an international organization or NGO. The grant is named for the late Ambassador Joseph H. Melrose, Jr. (Class of 1966) who spent 33 years with the Foreign Service before returning to Ursinus as Ambassador in Residence from 2002-2014. The Hub for Civic and Global Leadership seeks to continue his legacy by expanding opportunities for students to gain practical experience working locally, nationally and globally, encouraging them to become socially responsible citizens and global leaders.
Recipients of the travel grant will receive funding to work alongside professionals in an organization dedicated to building long-term, sustainable solutions in communities in hard-hit areas around the globe. The internship must be in a developing country for a minimum of four weeks.
What is expected of an intern?
- Interns could be involved in a number of different areas, including community health initiatives, education, conservation, or communications and media outreach.
- Interns may be expected to take on a lot of responsibility; they should be good at problem-solving and comfortable figuring out how to do things on their own.
- Interns should be flexible and work well under pressure.
- Interns should have strong communication skills and be able to relate well to many different types of people.
- Interns should be culturally sensitive and have an interest in travel.
Where will the internship be?
- Eligible internships must be with a non-governmental organization, governmental or international institution located in a developing country.
- Applicants must make their own arrangements to work with the organization or institution.
- Interns should be prepared to live in an environment that lacks the kind of amenities and creature comforts found in the United States.
What costs will be covered?
- The international internship travel grant will cover the costs of travel to and from the internship.
- Depending on funds available, the grant may cover the costs of local transportation, accommodations and meals during the length of the internship.
Who may apply?
- Students with any major may apply.
- Applicants must be current Ursinus students or recently graduated seniors.
Examples
- Susy Zelaya Rivera ’19 interned with Project HOPE in the Dominican Republic, where she worked on an initiative to reduce high neonatal mortality rates
- Julia Rakowski ’23 volunteered with an organization in Honduras that focuses on coral reef restoration, invasive species removal, and community outreach
- Molly Blume ’23 volunteered with an organization in Dharamshala, India that teaches English and computer skills to low-income women
- Katy Dietrich ’25 traveled to Sri Lanka to learn about elephant conservation; she helped feed, clear grazing paths and enclosures, oversee bathing, and helped in veterinarian work for elephants