By Emily Glory Peters and Kendra Pintor
Few things fast-track careers like internships. Yet even today, too many remain unpaid or offer stipends so small as to make them untenable for students with limited financial resources.
Last winter, Scripps launched a special initiative during Family Weekend to accelerate gifts to internship grants. Scripps families delivered, topping the goal at 110 percent and raising more than $15,000.
“Scripps’ donors are the sole funding source for internship grants. Their generosity last year helped us award a whopping 100 summer grants to level the career playing field for students,” says Director of Career Planning & Resources (CP&R) Ashley Valdez.
With the office typically awarding between 75–85 grants annually, the jump marks a return to pre-pandemic internship participation. Students are increasingly hungry for hands-on exposure, says Valdez, and employers are equally interested.
“Internship experience is now the top factor employers consider when hiring new graduates— even over major and GPA,” he adds. “The need for grant funding will continue to grow as our students seek more opportunities.”
From the Classroom to Community: Scripps Interns Across the Globe
In 2024, students interned at prestigious organizations, including 20th Century Fox Studios, the American Red Cross, Apple, the Guggenheim Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, and more. Some, like Claire Campbell ’24, followed their ambitions beyond US borders.
Internship experience is now the top factor employers consider when hiring new graduates— even over major and GPA
Dual majoring in interdisciplinary studies in culture and biology, Campbell headed to Africa as a Musizi University health analytics development intern. Claremont McKenna College and Claremont Graduate University alum Takako Mino co-founded the university to cultivate sustainable, multigenerational enterprises in Uganda.
“Claire enabled us to build several partnerships with health industry professionals and immersed herself in the local community, even participating in sports day for our partner school,” says Mino. “She was our first in-person Scripps intern, and we look forward to working with more in the future!”
Erin Davidson ’25
Back in the US, biology major Erin Davidson ’25 says she would have foregone her unpaid animal care internship at Lake Superior Zoo were it not for Scripps donors. She spent the humid Midwest summer caring for everything from primates to porcupines: preparing diets, watching training sessions, and observing veterinary procedures. By fall, Davidson’s path was clear.
“I am 100 percent sure I want to go into animal care as a career,” she says, noting she’s applied for graduate programs in animal behavior and is exploring zookeeper roles. That assurance is priceless, she adds, calling the internship experience “unforgettable.”
“I don’t think there are any words that can properly express my thanks for what people who have given to Scripps have allowed me to do and grow into,” she says. “But I think my future actions, applying myself, and not taking opportunities for granted is a great way to say thank you.”
Looking Ahead: Scripps’ 2024–25 Internship Challenge
While it’s important to celebrate a milestone like 100 internship grants, students’ financial needs still outstrip CP&R’s resources. Driven to close the gap, Scripps is building on last year’s success with the launch of the 2025 Internship Challenge.
I don’t think there are any words that can properly express my thanks for what people who have given to Scripps have allowed me to do and grow into
To spark participation, Scripps parents Mark and Molly Gamble P’25 have agreed to match gifts to internship grants 1:1 up to $20,000. If the goal is met by February 16, 2025, the additional $40,000 can create up to 20 additional grants.
That incremental difference, says Valdez, can be life changing.
“Financial obstacles are real, and can have long-term effects on students’ professional outcomes,” he says. “Anyone who gives will have a direct hand in dismantling these barriers so Scripps students can explore their unlimited potential. Every gift counts.”
The 2025 Internship Challenge is live now! Please visit our campaign site to make a gift today.