Ducks Give 2024

Internships provide real-world work experience to build a bridge between classroom studies and one’s future career. These experiences are avenues to increased skills, expanded networks, enhanced social capital, and offer direct pathways to job offers. 

Your support of the Davidson & Wilmot Internship Fund can help ensure UO students get the support they need to participate in meaningful internships that prepare them for their professional careers. This fund assists undergraduate students, regardless of major, with expenses while in an unpaid internship for credit. Having this vital support means our students can gain meaningful work experience without going into debt to pay for rent, food, utilities or other expenses.

With this support, Jessica Molina, a senior psychology and art major who plans to become a clinical mental health therapist, called her internship “completely life-changing” because it directly impacts student success.

“Success in critically enabling [students] to understand their career path, success in providing support in marginalized communities, and success in fostering those who want to take action and make the world a better place. I cannot thank the donors and staff enough for their generous support, and the gift it meant to me to be able to intern in the Philippines.”

Other students like Lucy McCowen, a junior Public Relations major with aspirations to work for a professional sports franchise, thought an unpaid internship wasn’t an option, no matter how beneficial and relevant it would be for her career. She said the funding “opened up a whole new world of opportunities” for her to intern with the Portland Pickles. 

 “I learned that delegating, communicating, and working hard are needed to have a strong team. Learning those essentials during my internship has truly benefited me in a professional aspect.”

Internships Matter. Your support matters. Give today and help students take that next step of career readiness with an internship.