Each academic year, we offer a selective internship program for undergraduates at UVA. Our internship is a unique engaged scholarship opportunity that links the classroom with the community through hands-on experiential education.
Students interning with us commit to:
- taking our fall and spring courses for our whole intern cohort and
- serving with one of several distinct programs, each guided by a member of our staff.
Keep reading below for more information about the required coursework and the specific programs you can apply for within our broader internship program for next year.
Apply by March 1 to join our internship program for UVA students for next academic year.
Internship Programs for 2026-2027
Experiential Learning Lab
We are excited to introduce our new Experiential Learning Lab! The center's Assistant Director of Engaged Scholarship will guide this cohort of interns as they collaboratively design and implement a series of educational and engagement initiatives centered on a single theme throughout the academic year. Through sustained focus on one topic, the Experiential Learning Lab promotes critical inquiry, experiential learning, meaningful community engagement, collaborative leadership, and hands-on program development. The 2026-2027 Experiential Learning Lab will focus on advanced technologies and their positive and negative effects on various communities and industries, locally, nationally and globally.
Through programming such as facilitated dialogues, multimedia content, expert panels, film viewings, and curated reading discussions, the Experiential Learning Lab aims to create lasting impact within the University of Virginia and the surrounding community. The theme for each academic year will be selected by the prior cohort of interns.
Education and Outreach
Join this program and lead efforts to create a welcoming and safe environment for all backgrounds, identities, and beliefs. Work closely with our Education and Outreach Program Manager to address issues and encourage courageous conversations about concerns affecting students and the larger community. Conduct research and co-facilitate trainings, workshops, and discussions with the Program Manager.
Iris Magazine
Grow your skills as a contributor for Iris, writing for each issue throughout the year. Gain fluency in your favorite genre and learn new ones with the support of returning students on the Iris team and a staff member drawing on years of experience writing and editing in different settings. Find new insights into the creative process by responding to other team members' drafts of opinion pieces, poetry, fiction, advice, interviews and more. Stay involved for subsequent years as a writer or apply to move into a leadership role on the team.
Explore Iris articles past and present at iris.virginia.edu and see how, after more than 40 years of publication, Iris continues its evolution from a photocopied newsletter for the UVA Women’s Studies Program of the 1980s to today's student-led, (mostly) online magazine. From trending topics to recurring ones, Iris gives you a place to speak to themes that resonate across generations.
Legal Clinic
Work behind the scenes of the Women's Center's free semi-monthly clinics and connect members of the Charlottesville and UVA community with local attorneys who volunteer their time to provide information on common issues such as family law, wills, etc. Build communication skills and gain insights into the impact that legal issues and access to services have across our community.
In addition to organizing regular semi-monthly clinics, our Legal Clinic interns can work on other projects such as compiling referral resources or organizing informational events on legal topics of interest within the UVA community.
Mentorship and Community Engagement (MCE)
Support the planning, coordination, and implementation of the program’s mentoring and college readiness initiatives. Provide operational and programmatic support for two core community-based leadership programs: the Young Women Leaders Program (YWLP) and the Men's Leadership Project (MLP). YWLP and MLP are leadership development programs that pair college student mentors with middle school youth to foster responsible, character-driven leadership among both undergraduates and youth from participating local schools.
Assist wtih college-readiness programming, as well, helping local high school students prepare for the academic and social expectations of college. MCE Interns are involved in a wide range of program operations: recruitment, mentor support, program development, event planning, and day-to-day logistics. Play a key role in coordinating program activities, managing materials and schedules, and helping ensure a positive and well-organized experience for all participants. Ideal candidates are highly organized, proactive, detail-oriented and solution focused, with an interest in community engagement, mentoring programs, and/or education access.
Please note: MCE Interns do not serve as direct mentors in our two mentoring programs.
Social Media Marketing Team
Build experience creating and curating engaging content that helps your peers thrive at UVA and beyond. Manage, expand, and analyze the effectiveness of the Women’s Center’s social media presence. Lend your insights and connections to extend the Women’s Center's reach across the full breadth of schools and student groups at UVA. Gain communications knowledge and skills that you can use in a wide range of professional settings after graduation.
Courses Required for Our Interns
The academic component of our internship program includes two mandatory courses: Front Lines of Social Change Part I & II:
- Part I is a 3-credit course offered in the fall semester
- Part II is a 3-credit course offered in the spring semester
Both courses are cross-listed with the College's Women Gender and Sexuality Department and the School of Education.
When to Apply
Applications to join our internship program for UVA students for next academic year will be due by 11:59 pm on March 1.