Social Impact Internship

Home University Credit

Participants may be able to arrange academic credit for the internship placement directly through their home university by speaking with their academic department and study abroad office. When applying to the program, students choosing this option will need to provide TEAN with the details of the credit and any special requirements as it relates to the internship placement. Students are responsible for paying their home university for any tuition or fees associated with the credit.

TEAN encourages participants to discuss the academic credit options with their home university early in the application process. Academic credit for internships must be approved and arranged before the internship begins, as credit typically cannot be arranged retroactively.

Bhubaneswar, India

Formerly home to thousands of ancient temples earning it the nickname as India’s ‘Temple City,’ culture-rich Bhubaneswar is the capital city of the Indian state of Odisha, which was formerly known as Orissa. Designed in 1946, Bhubaneswar was one of the country’s first planned cities and is still at the forefront of India’s economy and commerce.

As one of the fastest growing cities in India, Bhubaneswar is an emerging commercial hub in eastern India and was ranked as the best place to do business in the country by the World Bank in 2014. With more than 100 educational institutions and a reputation for supporting manufacturing and Information technology advancements, the city is growing rapidly – which coincides with a boom in slum areas as well. As per the Bhubaneswar slum profile of 2008, there are 377 slums, including 99 authorized slums and 278 unauthorized slums with a population of 308,614.

Pre-Departure Training

Included in the program fee is a two-day weekend training held in Chicago. Pre-departure training is run approximately one month prior to the commencement of the project, acting as the first half of student training before beginning the internship. It is compulsory for all students. The training walks students through core methodologies surrounding business and startups, crisis management and project development.

The focus is on the personal development of the student while balancing the information necessary to communicate to ensure their safety, security, and success in their country of placement.

Typical topics covered include:

• Expectations
• Social enterprise
• Exponential technology
• Project processes
• Crisis management
• Team building activities
• Personal and professional development
• Presentation skills
• Learning about the country and project

Arrival and Orientation

You will arrive in Bhubaneswar two days prior to the first day of your internship and your onsite project leaders will meet you at the airport to help transfer you to your accommodation. You’ll stay in temporary accommodation for two nights before transferring to your project site. Onsite staff will also provide you with a local SIM card so you can have phone access. (Do not expect easily accessible WiFi here, however!) You’ll have these two days to recover from jet lag and acclimate to your new environment.

In addition to your Pre-Departure Training, you’ll also complete an orientation on the first day of your internship to further prepare you for the task at hand. Led by your onsite program managers and local partners, the orientation is typically held on the project site to further introduce you to where you’ll be working. Throughout the day, you’ll learn more about India, your new host city and local culture, various business models, showing empathy for others, expectations for the project ahead and more.

Housing

Accommodation is basic and clean. You will have access to clean drinking water, a bunk bed, mattress, pillow, sheet and blanket. Our accommodation has running water, electricity, showers and Western bathrooms but keep in mind that you’ll be in a developing country, so the infrastructure and facilities are less reliable than what you’ll be used to! We are lucky enough to have air conditioning in the bedrooms to keep you cool and to ward off mosquitoes. The bathrooms are cold water only and some of them are bucket based showers, which you’ll come to find are actually more refreshing than normal showers in India’s heat and humidity.

Eligibility

• All Social Impact Internship Program applicants are expected to have an appropriate academic background related to the internship placement duties. Students with experience in business, social work, community development, entrepreneurship, environmental science, international studies and engineering are a good fit for this program.
• Students who have completed at least one year of university work and have grade point averages above 2.5 are eligible for most internships.
• High proficiency of English language
• Applicants must be eligible to apply for an India Business Visa

Application Deadlines

TEAN has a rolling admissions process. We recommend submitting your application for the Summer program anytime starting from November. Late applications may be considered. Contact TEAN if the application deadline has passed.

Summer 2020

Summer 2020

Program fee and accommodation (4 weeks): $3,890
Program fee and accommodation (8 weeks): $6,330

What’s Included

• Internship Placement
• Guaranteed, pre-arranged project housing for the duration of program
• Meals – breakfast and dinner provided on weekdays only
• 2-Day Pre-Departure and Social Development Training in Chicago including accommodation, meals and $200 flight stipend
• Overseas health insurance, plus evacuation and repatriation insurance
• Services of local support staff
• SIM card
• Pre-departure training, advising and information packets
• Onsite training in social impact, business knowledge and soft skills
• Airport pickup and reception upon arrival
• Any transport required for project
• Team polo shirt
• Farewell Dinner at the conclusion of program

What’s Not Included

• International airfare ($1,200-1,800)
• Business visa
• Wireless internet
• Weekend meals or personal travel costs

*Numbers are estimated based on previous student experiences and budgets. Actual amounts will vary depending on student.

How it works

Take a look through the above information including career fields, program fees and dates.  If you have any questions contact us. The TEAN Internships Team will guide you through the entire process – from application to after you return home.

1. Apply

Apply online when you are ready. Make sure to meet the application deadline. See Program dates above.

2. Video Interview

Once TEAN receives your application, we’ll be in contact to schedule a video interview with you.

3. Confirm Your Place with a Deposit

After your interview, you will be notified if your application has been successful. If so, you’ll be requested to pay your program deposit. Once your deposit is paid, TEAN will begin the process of securing your internship project placement. This deposit is fully refundable if you are not placed in an internship. Please read the full internship refund policy.

4. Internship Placement

Our placement team will collaborate with you to ensure we secure a suitable role for your project placement. Upon securing a placement, you will be provided with an Internship Placement Profile that describes your project and duties.

5. Acceptance

You will confirm your place by submitting your signed Internship Profile Placement by the given deadline. At this point, TEAN will work with you to provide pre-departure information including flight booking information, visa guidance and housing details.