UIC Illuminate

We invite our employer partners to join this special opportunity to partner with the University of Illinois Chicago to identify superior talent to join their workforce pipeline as a summer intern. Participants may already have an existing recruiting relationship with UIC or with another campus career office, however this program will be exclusively coordinated through the main Career Services office.

Each participating employer will be asked to reserve at least one internship slot for an undergraduate
UIC student during the summer, fall, or spring term. Students can apply for these opportunities, competing only with other UIC students for these positions. Employers with a strong interest in
attracting candidates who support their commitment to building a capable, dedicated, excellent, and diverse workforce can take advantage of this unique opportunity to raise their level of visibility with UIC student candidates.

• Internships must be substantive, career preparatory experiences that provide the intern with opportunities to build skills and gain experience that will improve future professional development and marketability.
• Positions can be remote, in person, or hybrid, with the assumption that students have clear
  expectations about the nature of remote work and a clear line of supervision and accountability for the work being conducted.
• The program welcomes profit organizations who can compensate interns as well as a few select non-profit organizations who may be able to take advantage of special funding from UIC to compensate their summer interns.
  • Intern pay rate should be at least at the hourly minimum wage for the City of Chicago, or the state of Illinois, whatever is applicable.
• Cooperating supervisors and selected students must be willing to provide mid-term and end of term evaluations of their intern(s).
• Organizations must complete an Intent to Participate form, stating their commitment to providing at least one experience exclusively to a UIC student. This form will be on file with the Career Services office, who will reach out to employers each year to confirm participation in subsequent terms.
• All internship opportunities should have a start and end date for the purposes of evaluations that will be collected by UIC at the end of the experience, however the participating organizations may reserve the right to keep interns on staff past the official end date. Organizations must notify Career Services if, for whatever reason, they need to modify or change the end date of the internship. Participating companies should also notify Career Services if there are any serious performance issues that arise while the student is employed as an intern.
• All positions will be posted in Handshake with a special designation that these are the dedicated positions featured in the UIC Illuminate program. Special outreach and marketing efforts will communicate to students that these employers have made a unique effort to guarantee that a UIC student will join their team!

• To apply, students must be undergraduate or graduate students in good academic standing. No other special application is required outside of the submission of the resume and cover letter for each position of interest.
• Students applying for non-profit opportunities should check with financial aid to determine their eligibility for receiving a grant BEFORE applying. In some instances, students’ financial aid may be affected by the grant offered through this program.
• All positions will be posted in Handshake, designated as special Illuminate Internship Program positions.
• Students are not guaranteed a position, although only UIC students will be allowed to apply to these specific openings.
• Each position will specifically list the qualifications and experience preferred for each opportunity.
• Candidates must be prepared to participate in interviews for the positions and prepare to arrive/log in on time and represent themselves and the institution in a professional manner. Students are welcome to engage campus career services staff for assistance with preparing resumes, cover letters, and interviewing practice prior to participating in the program.
• If hired, students must abide by all requirements of the internship position, as well as all UIC codes of conduct while working with the company/organization. Students have a responsibility to reach out to the Career Services office to inform them of any issues that would prevent them from fulfilling their obligations.
• Students will be assigned a supervisor and will work with that supervisor to engage in a mid-summer and final evaluation that will be shared with the Career Services office.
• Students should be prepared to complete any paperwork required by the company or UIC that will assist with payment and compensation. International students should consult with the Office of International Students about Curricular Practical Training options if they are applying to Illuminate positions.