Rutgers Scarlet Service Internship (RSSI) Program provides select students from Rutgers-Camden, Newark, and New Brunswick with an opportunity to earn up to $5,000 while interning for a minimum of 150-hours over 10-12 weeks during the summer at a public service non-profit organization or direct-service government office. Students also participate in a concurrent virtual, asynchronous internship course designed to explore and engage with the topic of public service while building their career readiness and professionalism skills. 

Students are required to attend three in-person events/seminars at the beginning (April), middle (July), and end (September) of the RSSI Program. Specific dates will be announced soon. Travel to Rutgers-New Brunswick campus is necessary for two of these events.

Course Description

The RSSI course is a 3-credit, pass/no credit, virtual and asynchronous internship course that will require an estimated one (1) hour of coursework per week. This course is meant to ground students’ experience in their public service internships, providing them with the theoretical foundation and professional and civic skillset to thrive in their internship site and their communities. Through readings and reflections, students will explore and engage with the topic of public service while building their career readiness and professionalism.

The application process for this Program is open to Rutgers-Camden, New Brunswick, and Newark current sophomores and juniors who will have 61-91 credits completed by the end of the Spring 2024 semester. Applicants must have an overall cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher and be in good standing with the university. Applicants must also have the ability to travel to an internship site in New Jersey, New York City, or the Philadelphia region, and have a passion for community engagement and/or public service.

Students who participated in previous RSSI Program cohorts are not eligible to reapply.

Yes, international students eligible for Curriculum Practical Training (CPT) can apply to the RSSI Program. This includes the fulfillment of at least one academic year in the United States. You can find additional information on Curricular Practical Training (CPT) here.

Stipends, experience, knowledge, scholarships, networking, and events!

Stipends and Experience: Students selected for RSSI receive $5,000 for completing complete a minimum of 150-hour hands-on summer internship in public service where they make a difference, contribute to solutions of societal problems, view American life from a fresh perspective, and develop a better understanding of their responsibilities as citizens. Rutgers stipends are paid in two installments as long as students are making satisfactory progress towards internship goals.

Note: Students are responsible for all applicable taxes on their $5,000 stipend. Additional compensation will not be provided for a student’s commute to and from the internship site.

Knowledge and Scholarships: Accepted students participate in a concurrent virtual, asynchronous course designed to explore and engage with the topic of public service while building their career readiness and professionalism skills. RSSI students also receive a scholarship to cover the expense of the 3-credit course.

Networking and Events: Meet talented students from across Rutgers University who have a passion for making the world a better place. Students selected for RSSI will participate in three seminar events at the beginning, middle, and end of the RSSI program where they will hear from guest speakers from the world of public service and build fellowship with one another. After their summer internship experience, students will share their stories and experience at a September celebration with the broader university community.

Apply here

All eligible students must apply by Monday, November 27 at 12:00 PM. Candidates complete an application form, attach a resume and unofficial transcript, and respond to three essay prompts. The application form also asks for the name, title, and contact of two references, of which at least one should be academic-based.

Student applications will be reviewed by a selection committee and RSSI administrators. All student applicants will be notified of their status in the program by mid-January 2024.

Selected students will be responsible for scheduling their interview slots with internship sites in which they are interested. Specific information about the virtual interview process will be shared in the spring semester. After the interviews, students will rank their internship site preferences and employers will rank their student preferences. The RSSI administrators will determine summer matches based on these rankings.

Apply here

Contact Program Lead Heather Escalona, at rssi@echo.rutgers.edu to learn more.

Apply here for the Rutgers Scarlet Service Internship Program for Summer 2024.

All internship sites must:

• Have a mission in service to the public
• Be a nonprofit with 501c3 status or a direct service government office
• Provide a primarily in-person (at least 75% in person) immersive, high-impact learning experience
• Host an intern for a minimum of 150 hours over 10-12 weeks between late May and mid-August (averaging 15 hours per week)
• Provide experiences that incorporate opportunities for the intern to engage directly with the community served by the organization or indirectly through employees who can do so
• Have no affiliation to Rutgers University

We look to allow for a focused learning role, complete with mentorship, feedback, and the ability to ask questions. The focus should be a professional development experience – not just completing tasks. Click here for a list of the eligibility criteria and items that we typically ‘red-flag’ when reviewing applications. Rutgers departments are ineligible.

Yes, you can offer more than one internship for consideration. When completing the RSSI Employer Application linked at the bottom of the page, you will have the opportunity to indicate the total number of unique internship type(s) you would like to offer.

All internships must be primarily ‘in-person’ experiences (at least 75% in person) unless the university determines a switch to remote due to health and other environmental factors.

Only organizations that are external to Rutgers University are eligible to apply for RSSI.

Follow this link to a walkthrough document that outlines learning objectives and how to create them for your internship experience.

• Student applications are due in November.
• Employer applications are due by Wednesday, December 20, 2023. These applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
• Those selected to participate in our 2024 program will be notified by mid-January.
• If selected, employers will be asked for their availability for interviews held in mid-February with selected students.   

Selected employers will participate in virtual interviews with students, hosted by the RSSI Program. After the interviews, students will rank their internship site preferences and employers will rank their student preferences. The RSSI administrators will determine summer matches based on these rankings.

All final matches between students and employers will be determined on a rolling basis, no later than the end of April 2024.

Please see the question below regarding guaranteed acceptance or student placement.

Rutgers University does not guarantee acceptance into the Rutgers Scarlet Service Internship Program or guarantee that all placement sites or experiences will receive a matched student. We have a limited number of employer positions available for this program. If you are not accepted into the program, please know we can assist you in gaining awareness of your organization by setting up a Rutgers Handshake profile. Please email recruiting@echo.rutgers.edu for more information.