Opening Doors

When Benjamin Albrecht ’26 heard he’d been accepted to intern at the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center (NMILC) in Albuquerque, he was thrilled. But as the political science major from Phoenix, Arizona, began tallying travel, housing, and program expenses for the unpaid summertime position, he realized the opportunity might not be possible. 

“I was originally not able to receive money from the College because limited funding was available for this specific program and I was the last to apply,” says Albrecht. “I still accepted the internship without the assistance, but it became a new expense that my family and I were having to work hard to find how to cover.” 

Then came a message from Kelly Harris in the Center for Careers, Life, and Service (CLS). Some unexpected funding came available late in the process to support experiences in the Four Corners area. Harris remembered Ben and noted that his experience would qualify. 

“She immediately thought of me and helped me through the process of applying for and accepting the funds,” Albrecht says. “This support was a big relief for my family and me. I really appreciate how much care the school showed in remembering my situation and working to help me when they were able.”

Ben’s story is one of 104 made possible this summer thanks to internship funding provided by Grinnell College and its generous alumni and friends. In 2025 alone, Grinnell awarded $545,023 to support summer internships, expanding access to hands-on learning experiences for students who otherwise might not be able to afford unpaid or underpaid roles.

Grinnellians this summer are interning at nonprofit and governmental organizations, startups, media outlets, and research institutions in 11 countries and 23 U.S. states, working in everything from environmental science to journalism, public service to publishing. And the College’s robust internship funding — especially critical for students pursuing opportunities in the nonprofit and public sectors — is changing lives.  

Bridging Education with Experience 

“Internships continue to be a critical dimension of the college-going experience for our students,” says Mark Peltz, Daniel and Patricia Jipp Finkelman Dean of Careers, Life, and Service. “These roles help students test and clarify their goals, make valuable industry connections, gain new skills and confidence, and ready themselves to pursue their post-college goals.”

This summer, 48% of interns who receive funding are international students, 15% are first-generation college students. Collectively, those students receiving support for internships represent 22 distinct majors at Grinnell. These numbers underscore the importance of funding in ensuring equitable access to meaningful, career-shaping experiences, especially for students like Albrecht who may face financial or systemic barriers. 

The Power of Giving 

The College’s ability to fund internship opportunities is due in large part to a dedicated network of alumni like Mike Lipsman ’72, who endowed an internship fund to support students working with nonprofits or government agencies in Iowa. 

“Giving back is strongly encouraged in my family,” Lipsman says. “I recall both my grandfathers telling me I should leave the world a better place than when I came into it.” 

As a Grinnell student in the 1970s, Lipsman did not have access to the same internship opportunities as students today. But while pursuing a graduate degree in community and regional planning at Iowa State, an internship with the City of West Des Moines helped shape his future career. 

“I think if you are unclear as to what career you want to pursue after college, an internship can help provide both focus and a filter for your options,” he says. “Internships give students access to real-world data, professional environments, and public service — none of which are available in the classroom alone.” 

Lipsman later supervised multiple Grinnell interns at the Iowa Department of Revenue. “Two of the interns told me their experience was instrumental in helping them get their first job,” he recalls. “They were able to show prospective employers a real research project they completed.” 

Learning on the Margins 

For Maddie Church ’27, an English major from Philadelphia, the ability to say yes to a dream internship hinged entirely on financial support from the College. 

This summer, she is working at Lanternfish Press, an independent publisher specializing in literature “on the margins of history.” There, she’s diving into editorial and publicity work: reading and ranking manuscripts, creating content for social media, and attending literary events across the city. 

“I’m highly interested in pursuing a career in publishing and wanted to gain some experience under the guidance of a press that fit within my personal and academic values,” says Church. “Lanternfish fit my personal goal to really get involved in the workings of a small press under close, individualized guidance, while staying within my academic focus on literature outside the traditional Western canon.” 

But like many small presses, Lanternfish’s internships are unpaid. Without CLS funding, the opportunity would have been out of reach. 

“This funding will cover my housing, food expenses, and transportation across Philadelphia, as well as to and from Grinnell,” she says. “I’m super grateful to both Lanternfish Press and the CLS for making this learning opportunity possible for me.”  

Building a Culture of Support 

For Grinnell, funding internships is about more than financial assistance — it’s about empowering students to explore their interests, strengthen their professional networks, and deepen their connection to the world beyond campus. 

“Grinnell College alumni continue to step up in major ways to support our internship program,” says Peltz. “From mentoring students to making gifts to hiring students, I’m so incredibly grateful for what our alumni make possible.” 

And alumni are increasingly seeing internships not as optional, but as essential. 

“Students need to develop good work habits and skills and experience working in a team environment, which one does not get in the classroom,” says Lipsman. “With the federal and state budget cuts that now exist many organizations cannot afford to hire interns. I hope the internship I’ve endowed helps fill that gap in a small way.” 

As Albrecht reflects on his upcoming summer in Albuquerque, he’s filled with a sense of purpose: “I aspire to a career that bridges social justice and human rights advocacy. This internship will help me learn what engaging with these critical issues looks like in a real-world career.” 

Get Involved 

Grinnell alumni can support students like Ben and Maddie in multiple ways: 

• Host an Intern: Email recruit@grinnell.edu to explore hosting or mentoring a Grinnell intern. 

• Make a Gift: Support future internship funding by contacting the Office of Development and Alumni Relations or visiting grinnell.edu/giving.