The DCNP-NGOLD Internship Program was launched in Spring 2014 with five students from NIU’s Center for NGO Leadership and Development (NGOLD) interning with five DCNP-member nonprofit organizations. This small trial project has since grown into a tremendous partnership that has generated positive outcomes for the local nonprofit sector.

Fast Facts:

• 70 interns have been placed so far
• Over 8,400 total service hours have been completed with DeKalb County nonprofit organizations
• All the interns are undergraduate students
• The top reasons students enroll in this program are to “make a difference” and “learn what a nonprofit job is like”
• Typical responsibilities include: program support, marketing tasks, social media management, event coordination, and grant funding research
• DCNP partners with NIU Career Services, NGOLD and other departments on campus to administer the program
• Interns receive a stipend of $575—this financial incentive is generously provided by the Douglas C. and Lynn M. Roberts Family Foundation

Long-Lasting Impact:

Rebekah Guillotte

Rebekah Guillotte was one of our very first interns when she was placed with Family Service Agency in Spring 2014. Later in her academic career, she interned at The Doorstep Project, Inc. Through these internships, Rebekah gained experience in fundraising, program development, and outreach.

But, she also gained much more.

In September 2016, Rebekah accepted an AmeriCorps VISTA position with the Boys and Girls Club of America. In her new role, she works to benefit the lives of Cheyenne Native American youth in Montana. She credits her experiences as an intern with helping her secure her job. Rebekah said:

“I am very grateful for the internship opportunities I was a part of. I am 100% confident that these internships made me more eligible when applying for AmeriCorps positions. Furthermore, having the experience I gained from these internships made me more confident and knowledgeable when applying for positions, especially those within nonprofit organizations. I was able to carry myself very well – with confidence and certainty – when being interviewed for positions which is why many organizations felt I was a good fit for their positions. Thank you!”

If your organization is a DCNP-member and could benefit from an intern, we are now accepting applications for Spring 2017!