Student Career Advancement Fund
Student Career Advancement Fund
At the University of Delaware, we provide students with resources, experiences and opportunities for academic success and career achievements as they take the next steps in their life journeys.
Under the direct supervision of the UD Career Center, philanthropic support of the Student Career Advancement Fund will help expand programs and resources to prepare students for professional success. By making a gift through Delaware First: The Campaign for the University of Delaware, you can directly support student opportunities through the areas below.
UD Career Center General Fund
The UD Career Center is the campus hub of career readiness opportunities and experiences, and a conduit to the employers hiring Blue Hens for jobs and internships. We work to empower all UD students to achieve their professional aspirations during their time at UD and beyond, designing a life that is satisfying and successful. Your financial support will enable the Career Center to preserve current services and launch new career initiatives.
Grants and Funding
Support students pursuing critical, yet financially burdensome, internships and professional experiences with funding that offsets barriers such as lost wages, travel costs and living expenses. By eliminating these challenges, you will help students have the opportunity to gain critical work experience, develop new skills, better understand career paths and increase their employability by graduation.
With three major programs, the Career Center supports equity in career experiences and works to make career education attainable for every student.
Internship and Career Experience Grant
Established in 2019, the Internship and Career Experience (ICE) Grant provides a funding source for undergraduate students who have obtained an unpaid/underpaid internship or professional experience where a financial barrier could impact their participation. The grant is intended to support students with their needs in completing a professional opportunity by funding budget items like housing (as needed for the experience), food, travel, etc. Since 2019, the ICE Grant has supported:
- Over 200 undergraduate students
- Funding with average amounts of $1,814 in the summer and $867 in the winter, with some grants as high as $4,500 (summer) and $1,500 (winter)
- Student experiences outside of winter/summer by expanding to a rolling application
- Over $300.000 so far
Career Connections Micro-grants
These grants support students working with programs designed to expose them to industries of interest through job shadows, informational interviews and individual work connections. Through programs such as the Summer Job Shadow, the Career Center hopes to increase full participation from as many students as possible by providing financial assistance requests within the application of the program itself.
Student Organization Professional Development Funding
Through a partnership with the University Student Centers, the Career Center provides funding to Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) to expand their career development programming through the RSO Professional Development Fund. By working with the Student Allocations Board, organizations may request supplemental funds to attend professional conferences, host alumni or employer panels, engage with professional networks or bring career-centered speakers to their meetings.
Without the funding generously provided by donors through UD, I am uncertain if I would be in my internship…This funding is paramount because it allows students to pursue their desired internships without the burden or worry of not being able to afford it holding them back. This funding is an incredible resource for determined students who want to learn, gain job skills and gain experience in their desired field."
Senior, Political Science Major and History Major - Senate Intern
Faculty-Staff Career Innovation Grants
Expand career readiness programming by supporting grants for UD faculty and staff who create professional development and networking activities for their students. Funding is provided to offset costs associated with infusing career-related experiences into curricular, academic departments, Division of Student Life and UD Athletics initiatives. Past grant awardees have used funds for large group trips to visit employers or attend professional conferences, and to host networking events, career preparation seminars and career fairs.
Average grant amounts: $1,250 to cover travel and event expenses
I think these grants are fantastic! This particular grant allowed me to bring my students closer to anthropology in ways that are not possible if we stay in the classroom and discuss these topics in an abstract manner. These are the kinds of activities that students at privileged institutions take for granted. By having these options at UD, we are giving our students opportunities they deserve to enrich their education. I am forever thankful to the Career Center for offering this opportunity."
Professor of Anthropology - Visit to the American Anthropological Association's (AAA) office
For more information, contact Nathan Elton, Executive Director, Postgraduate & Student Success Integration, at 302-831-8574 or nelton@udel.edu.
The UD Career Center is part of the Division of Student Life, which advances equity and inclusion, deepens student learning and drives holistic development through education, experiences and communities.