Thanks to scholarships, students launch into World of Work

This summer, 49 students working in unpaid internships will get help with living expenses through WOW scholarships

Michael Solowey ’19 had closely followed the organization To Write Love On Her Arms before applying to be a summer intern. The non-profit headquartered in Melbourne, Florida, provides resources for those struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury, and suicidal thoughts. For Solowey, his initial interest in being a part of the organization was put on pause because the internship was unpaid, and he would be responsible for his living expenses.

Solowey, like many students at Brandeis University and colleges across the country, recognized that internships are invaluable experiences on resumes and help set the tone for future career exploration, but unpaid opportunities are challenging. For Brandeis undergraduates, the Hiatt Career Center’s World of Work (WOW) Fellowship program helps to alleviate this burden by awarding scholarships to students who have secured unpaid summer internships across multiple industries and geographic locations.

WOW fellowships are highly competitive and supported by various sources, including the Louis D. Brandeis Legacy Fund for Social Justice, Judith Cossin Berkman ’59 Endowed Internship Fund in Social Work, Alexander P. Heckler/Governor Ann Richards Internship Fund for public service, the Rauch Family Trust Internship Award for business-related fields and Earl and Shirlee Katz Endowed Internship for Jewish Communal Service.

Solowey was awarded the Louis D. Brandeis Legacy Fund for Social Justice fellowship, funded by Jules Bernstein '57, that supports work at organizations that address issues of social justice. The financial support Solowey is receiving this summer gave him a sense of relief. “This award has removed a lot of the anxiety that I had because I was not in a position financially to support my living expenses over the summer.”

As Solowey embarks on his journey to Florida in late June, he will join 49 other WOW fellows this summer who will represent Brandeis at employers across the country. The students encompass a diverse mix of backgrounds, interests and skills in the workforce.

Sophomore Lucy Miller-Suchet will intern at Open Source Wellness, a San Francisco-based non-profit that focuses on behavioral healthcare. She is excited to explore a new career path.

“Without funding through WOW, I would not be able to do this internship,” said Miller-Suchet. “I am now able to pursue this opportunity which will help me decide if a career in public health is the right fit for me.”

WOW applicants identify and develop concrete personal, academic and career goals that they can achieve within the parameters of their internship. Fellows are paired with Hiatt staff mentors who help track their progress on their learning objectives throughout the summer. Beginning in early June, fellows post photos and articles on the WOW program blog as well as on the Hiatt Career Center Twitter account (@HiattatBrandeis).

Learn more about the 2017 fellows and their travels on the Hiatt website and World of Work blog.