Oak Human Rights Internship Program: Summer 2024

A program brought to you by the Oak Institute, DavisConnects and Omprakash EdGE

 

 

The Oak Human Rights Internship Program seeks to foster critical reflection, dialogue, and action related to the broad theme of human rights across contexts. The program includes global and US-based internships, opportunities for funding, and cohort-based learning via Omprakash EdGE.

The program targets currently enrolled Colby students with exceptional academic backgrounds and an inspired commitment to effecting social change. It offers such students the opportunity for guided theoretical and practical engagement with the topic of human rights across differences of culture and power. Students will have access to a number of relevant faculty, visiting professors and activists, research workshops, personalized mentorship provided by Omprakash, and the Oak Human Rights Fellow.

We invite you to submit your preliminary registration below so that you can learn more about the program and begin browsing internship opportunities.  

 

What Is This?

 

The Oak Human Rights Internship program helps Colby students connect with human rights focused internship and research opportunities around the world and engage in critical dialogue and reflection about the complexities of defining, promoting and supporting human rights across differences of culture and power. 

The program combines the following elements:

  • Internships and research opportunities (online or in-person)*  — the Oak Human Rights Internship program supports students as they browse and apply for internships or research opportunities with Omprakash Partners working in the field of human rights. Students are not, however, required to pursue an internship or research position with an Omprakash Partner; it is also possible to intern with an organization outside of the Omprakash network or to undertake an independent research project. 

  • Online learning, mentorship, and community — all program participants will engage in an EdGE online course called 'Critical Approaches to Human Rights' which will help them to reflect upon the complexities of defining, promoting, and supporting human rights across differences of culture and power. This makes it easy for your faculty sponsor (should you choose to register for credit) to track your academic progress throughout the program. Additionally, students will receive guidance and support from an EdGE Mentor to deepen their learning and reflection throughout the experience. 

  • Digital storytelling to document your Oak Human Rights Internship experience — each student will create a series of multimedia blog posts that eventually form a Digital Portfolio that they can share with faculty sponsors and others; students will present their work at the Oak Human Rights Symposium at the end of the program.

  • Peer-to-peer learning, optional webinars, and periodic discussion groups to support community-building and critical reflection around human rights and closely related topics.

*Not sure whether you'd prefer to travel or intern remotely during? No problem! This program is designed to be flexible and adaptable to your own schedule and preferences. We encourage you to register below to get started with browsing internship opportunities as soon as possible, but you won't need to commit to anything until you feel comfortable doing so.

 

 

How does it work?

 

Program Overview & Timing

The Oak Human Rights Internship Program is open for Summer enrollment up until May 17, 2024. We encourage students to register early to make the most of the opportunity and to get started with the process of planning their experience.

During Summer, students will:

  • Participate in a multimedia online classroom exploring essential questions related to justice, rights, and inequality and the complexities of defining, promoting and supporting human rights across differences of culture and power;

  • Pursue a human rights-focused internship or research position (online or in-person, or possibly hybrid) OR undertake an independent research experience;

  • Build a portfolio of digital storytelling posts that documents their experience;

  • Participate in a Digital Symposium at the end of the program to share their work with each other and with a broader audience

Internship Planning

If you are planning to pursue an internship or research position, you may choose to intern with an Omprakash Partner organization, or find an opportunity outside the Omprakash network. 

For those interested in interning with an Omprakash Partner, you'll benefit from our expansive network of Partner organizations which includes over 220 grassroots organizations working in fields related to human rights in over 50 countries around the world. You will also receive support and guidance from Omprakash staff throughout the process of browsing and applying for internship positions. 

We encourage you to begin browsing and applying for internship opportunities as soon as possible. Check out our robust Partner network and search database to get a sense of how this works. 

Academic Credit & Funding

Students will have the option to earn one internship credit for successfully completing the program. The program provides a streamlined process for finding a Faculty Sponsor and registering your summer experience for credit via myColby. 

Note that participation in this program is free for all students, but there is no guarantee that everyone will receive additional funding to support their experience.

 

 

Ready to Get Started?

 

Register below with Cohort Code: 

 

[registration closed]