(Shepherd higher education consortium on poverty)’s nine-week program pairs students with nonprofit organizations that work to diminish poverty in communities across the country.
- Academic programming and training through Internship Academy, guided reflections, guest speakers, and SHECP Annual Conference
- 100+ internships in focus areas such as:
- Clinical medicine & health outreach
- Law, advocacy & public defense
- Food & housing security
- Public & behavioral health
- Education
- Immigration & refugee support
- Cohort living with fellow interns who are working within the community you serve. SHECP provides housing, travel to the Annual Conference, and a $1,250 stipend to support living expenses. Additional funding available through the Office of Civic Engagement.
The SHECP Summer Internship program is designed for students with an academic grounding in the complexity of poverty, including its definitions, causes, and potential solutions. Interns must be at least 18 years of age and in good academic standing with their institution.
5 Students Participate in SHECP Internships in Summer 2025
Dr. Amy Patterson, Hannah DeGuira (C’26), Olivia Moellering Baratas (C’27), Daphne Nwobike (C’26), Eleora Ephrem (C’26), and Victoria Quintero (C’26)
Sewanee is a new member of the (SHECP), which is composed primarily of liberal arts institutions that examine poverty issues through curricular and co-curricular avenues. As Director Amy Patterson explains, the Office of Civic Engagement wanted to join SHECP in order to provide urban-based, summer experiences for students, to provide students with a cohort of others interested in nonprofit work, and to build connections to other institutions with robust poverty-related programs.
Application Process:
*Applications will be due January 23, 2026*
If selected as a SHECP intern, students will engage in a matching process that includes working with SHECP staff to identify opportunities that balance their professional goals and interests with the needs of SHECP community partners.
About SHECP:
SHECP encourages the study of poverty and inequality as complex social problems, by expanding and improving educational opportunities for college students in a wide range of disciplines and career trajectories. Through its programs, SHECP and its member institutions prepare students for a lifetime of professional and civic efforts to diminish poverty and enhance human capability, while also supporting connections among students, faculty, staff, and alumni engaged in the study of poverty.
To learn more about SHECP use the following resources:
If you are looking for additional information, anything that you could not find on the resources provided reach out to Dr Amy S. Patterson at aspatter@sewanee.edu.