The InternGF Summer Internship Cohort connects UND and local partners to provide interns in Grand Forks with meaningful summer experiences. The main goals are to expose students to local industries, foster professional connections, and encourage them to envision their future in Grand Forks.
By partnering with UND’s Center for Innovation and the UND Experiential Learning Center, and funding support through grants from the Knight Foundation’s Donor Advised Fund at the Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks, and Region, the program specifically targets interns working in the Grand Forks region.
Through this program, student interns network with peers and young professionals, explore the region’s culture, and engage with opportunities designed to help them consider Grand Forks as a place to launch their careers after graduation.
With six sessions throughout the summer, student interns receive a walking tour of downtown Grand Forks, volunteer at local shelters and non-profit organizations, tour industries they may not have known about, get active at the fitness center and on the greenway, experience the arts first-hand, and network with their peers as well as business professionals in Grand Forks. This program offers fun and drives real results.
On the first day of this cohort, each intern was asked to fill out a survey, which included several questions about Grand Forks. On the last day of the cohort, they filled out the same survey with the same questions. The program impacted how they responded to the survey, which resulted in a change of answers.
At the end of our cohort, 67% of students disagreed with the statement, “there’s nothing to do in Grand Forks,” compared to 53% at the start. With that, students’ knowledge of how to become an involved member of Grand Forks grew by 18% throughout the cohort.
Students’ confidence in leadership grew throughout the experience; confidence that they can make an impact in Grand Forks grew by 24%, confidence that Grand Forks leaders care about them grew by 8%, and confidence in accessing leadership and resources grew by 19%. Along with that, students’ confidence in their networking capabilities grew by 14%.
The InternGF Summer Internship Cohort Experience is changing how students view Grand Forks, helping them build networks and see a future here after graduation.
Learn more about the program at GrandForks.org/summer-intern-cohort-series