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Urban Leadership Internship Program (ULIP)

The Urban Leadership Internship Program (ULIP) is an integrated educational internship program that combines professional practice, civic engagement, leadership development, and urban exploration in the Dayton community. Interested students can fill out the ULIP Interest Form with questions or request to be notified when information sessions are scheduled and when the application is posted in the fall semester.

Mission and General Information

Support student growth and understanding in professional settings, civic engagement, and leadership.

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Based in the heart of the Dayton community, ULIP connects Miami students to urban residents through a ten-week service-internship program that teaches students to analyze the complex, interconnected relationships between business and community.

student in daytonWith the support and guidance of their internship and service agencies, the student interns are expected to integrate into urban Dayton life; learn from community leaders; and serve the needs of the local community, contributing to the livelihood and wellbeing of Dayton’s urban communities.

ULIP specifically partners with internship employers who can provide a meaningful work experience, appropriate supervision, and who are involved in the urban Dayton neighborhood in which they are located.

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ULIP Summer in Dayton. Learn about the impact of a ULIP internship from Summer 2024 interns.

 

Application Information and Program Resources

Read more about the application process, timeline, and resources for applying to ULIP. Timelines are updated annually in the fall.

Application and Review

Interested students should complete the ULIP application by the extended deadline of Thursday, October 24, 2024 by 11:59PM. The application requires that applicants include their resume and responses to the supplemental questions (limited to 1000 words). Please attach both in PDF format in the application. 

One letter of recommendation is required from a Miami University faculty or staff member or from an appropriate reference from outside the Miami community who can speak to the applicant's qualifications. Applicants must provide their recommender with the Letter of Recommendation form.

All letters of recommendation must be received by the application due date. Applications are not complete until both online application and the letter of recommendation are received.

Students are selected based on:

  • Responses to the supplemental questions (listed below).
  • Evidence of motivation and self-directed learning.
  • Commitment to social justice, community impact and change.
  • Demonstrated commitment to or interest in serving in an urban community.
  • Skills attained through previous work and volunteer experience.
    Potential for learning through an interdisciplinary work experience.
  • Academic performance (minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA).
  • Resume information.

Application Link: https://miamioh.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3h3OmdpZ4NY7OYK 

Letter of Recommendation form link: https://miamioh.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eycy5lMvshfI21M 

Supplement questions:

  1. This program is quite different from a standard professional internship. You are expected to engage deeply with the Dayton community and immerse yourself in the urban environment of Dayton. Why are you seeking this kind of community engagement experience? What do you expect to learn? Please be thoughtful and reflective in your responses.
  2. Reflect on the most significant learning experience you have had, either in or out of the classroom. Why was it significant and what contributed to your learning?
  3. Reflect on an involvement, either current or in the past, in which you handled a significant responsibility or were challenged in a significant way. What do you need to do to further develop your leadership skills?
  4. Describe a community service experience, either one you have participated in or one that you would like to participate in, that embodies your definition of service. From your perspective, what are the key elements of the experience that distinguishes it as service?
  5. How do you anticipate your experience in this internship program to contribute to the wellbeing of the Dayton community? In other words, who, or what, are you hoping to serve, and why? (You are not expected to have a specific internship agency in mind, but please be thoughtful in your response about the type of work that you would like to engage in, if you are selected to be part of the next ULIP cohort).

Timeline

  • August 30, 2024 – Application is released on this Honors website
  • Mid-September - Fall Information Sessions 
  • October 24, 2024, by 11:59 PM – Application is due, including letter of recommendation
  • October 25, 2024 – Decisions announced by email
  • November 1, 2024 – Accepted students required to confirm intent to participate
  • Winter/Spring 2025 - Admitted Summer 2025 cohort works with ULIP coordinator to determine internship placement
  • Spring Semester 2025 – The Summer 2025 Cohort completes HON 290G to prepare for their summer internship experience
  • Summer Term 2025 – 10-week internship and HON 340A, the online internship class
  • TBD (late July or early August 2025) – ULIP Reflection Celebration Dinner

Program Commitments of the Accepted Student

  • Successful completion of HON 290G, the ULIP spring introduction and preparation course*.
  • Successful completion of a ten-week full-time integrated internship/service program during Summer 2025.
  • Successful completion of the HON 340 online course during Summer 2025.
  • Attendance at the ULIP Reflection Dinner to present on their experience and thank community partners at the end of the summer internship experience.

*ULIP interns who are not members of the Honors College will be force-added into the Honors course prior to Spring registration.

Information Sessions

If you are a current second- or third-year Miami University student and would like to learn more about the Summer 2025 Urban Leadership Internship Program, please attend one of the information sessions below. Each information session will cover the same information, so please only attend one session.

  • Friday, September 6 - 12:00-1:00 PM [online]
  • Sunday, September 8 - 5:00 PM [Scholar Leader Community Meeting - Scholar Leader LLC only]
  • Tuesday, September 10 - 4:30-5:30 [online]
  • Wednesday, September 11 - 5:30-6:30 [online]

All virtual information sessions will use Zoom. At the scheduled appointment time, to access the session, simply click the following Zoom link to join.

ULIP Partners with Non-Profit Employers

The following are some of the internship employers at which our students have had the opportunity to work:

  • Intern and employer talk at computerAdvocates for Basic Legal Equality
  • Artemis Center
  • Boonshoft Museum of Discovery
  • Brunner Literacy Center
  • Catholic Social Services
  • Dayton Children’s Hospital
  • Five Rivers Health Centers
  • Five Rivers MetroParks
  • Foodbank, Inc.
  • Greater Dayton Volunteer Lawyers Project 
  • Miami Valley Child Development Centers
  • YWCA Dayton

Contact

If you have questions or would like more information, contact Jordyn Clark, ULIP Coordinator, at clarkj2@MiamiOH.edu.

Honors College

Peabody Hall
701 Western College Drive
Oxford, OH 45056