CLS Externship Program

What is the CLS Externship Program?

The Externship Program creates short-term job shadow opportunities for Grinnell College students, taking place during spring break. Each extern is paired with an industry professional with a Grinnell College connection – either an alum or parent, with a wide range of career fields, organization types and work environments available to explore.

An externship experience is designed to help students:

  • Explore possibilities for post-graduate life;
  • Clarify interests, strengths, and values;
  • Create connections and develop a professional network;
  • Gain insight into professional work environments and work/life balance;
  • Reflect critically on the experience and develop action steps to achieve goals.

Externships can take place virtually or in-person, and generally involve shadowing a professional through a normal day’s activities. It can also include informational interviews, introductions to other professionals, tours of work sites, inclusion in group meetings, sample projects or research, and a homestay experience in the case of in-person externships.

The Externship Program is exploratory in nature and open to 1st through 3rd year students. For in-person experiences, funding is available to students with demonstrated financial need to support travel and other expenses.


Important Links


Host List

Please note that host list spreadsheet is protected from changes, but to see all information within a cell you can review it in the preview box at the top of the spreadsheet or you can adjust the height of the rows. Rows highlighted in blue are virtual experiences. Spreadsheet updated 11/6/23 with host changes.


Timeline

Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023: Externship Program Information Session, 6:00 – 7:00pm, HSSC S3325

Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023: Externship Program Information Session, 12:00 – 1:00pm, HSSC S3325

Friday, Nov. 3, 2023: Student Externship Application Opens, 9:00am

Thursday, Nov. 9, 2023: Iron Out Your Résumé Workshop, 6:00pm – 7:00pm, HSSC S2314

Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023: Iron Out Your Résumé Open Review Session, 12:00 – 1:30pm, HSSC Atrium

Monday, Nov. 27, 2023: Exploratory Drop-In Hours, 2:00 – 4:30pm, JCC 2nd Floor

Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023: Exploratory Drop-In Hours, 2:00 – 4:30pm, JCC 2nd Floor

Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023: Student Externship Application Closes, 3:00pm

Friday, Jan. 12 – 19, 2024: Externship placement offers sent to students via email

Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024: Deadline for externs to submit Externship Program Funding Requests (in-person externships only), 3:00pm

Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024: Externship Student Orientation #1, 6:00 – 7:00pm, HSSC S3325

Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024: Externship Student Orientation #1, 12:00pm – 1:00pm, HSSC S3325

(Students can choose which Orientation #1 session they attend; you do not need to attend both sessions of Orientation #1)

Week of Monday, Feb. 5, 2024: Funding offers sent to externs via email

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024: Program requirement deadline for externs to have emailed hosts

Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024: Funding acceptance signed documents due, 4:00pm

Friday, Feb. 16, 2024: Program requirement deadline for externs to have met with hosts via video/phone

Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024: Externship Student Orientation #2, 6:00 – 7:00pm, HSSC S3325

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024: Externship Student Orientation #2, 12:00 – 1:00pm, HSSC S3325

(Students can choose which Orientation #2 session they attend; you do not need to attend both sessions of Orientation #2)

Thursday, February 29, 2024: Program requirement deadline for CLS Travel Details Form and Campus Travel Registration Form & Information to be submitted (in-person externships only), 3:00pm

Thursday, February 29, 2024: Deadline for externs to request CLS sponsored transportation (in-person externships only), 3:00pm

Saturday, Mar. 16 – Sunday, Mar. 31 – Spring Break Externship Program takes place

  • Friday, March 15 & Saturday, March 16: College Spring Break Airport Shuttle to Des Moines, more info here
  • CLS sponsored van to & from Des Moines airport: Thursday, March 21 (times TBD – request form will be available)
  • CLS sponsored van to & from Des Moines airport: Tuesday, March 26 (times TBD – request form will be available)
  • Saturday, March 30 & Sunday, March 31: College Spring Break Airport Shuttle return to Grinnell from Des Moines, more info here

Monday, April 8, 2024: Program requirement deadline to submit post-externship reflection paper and post-program evaluation survey, 3:00pm


Spring Break 2023 Highlights

George, Spring 2023 Extern