DavisConnects Summer EdGE Program

A program brought to you by DavisConnects in partnership with Omprakash EdGE

 

 

The DavisConnects Summer EdGE program provides Colby students with independent social impact internships and a digital space for shared learning and mentorship.

This program is a collaboration between DavisConnects and Omprakash, a global education nonprofit with Maine roots. 

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 DavisConnects Summer EdGE program helps Colby students connect with social impact organizations around the world and engage in critical dialogue and reflection about the complexities of striving for justice while crossing differences of culture and power. 

It is also designed to provide extra structure to independent summer experiences and help Colby students connect with mentors and peers with similar interests and areas of expertise.

The program combines the following elements:

  • Social impact internships (online or in-person)*  — the Summer EdGE program supports students as they browse and apply for internships across the Omprakash network. Students are not, however, required to complete an internship with an Omprakash Partner; it is also possible to intern with an organization outside of the Omprakash network or to undertake an independent study or project. 

  • Online learning, mentorship, and community — all Summer EdGE participants will receive guidance and support from an EdGE Mentor and will engage in an EdGE online classroom (mostly asynchronous, with an optional Zoom component) to deepen their learning and reflection throughout the summer. This also makes it easy for your faculty sponsor (should you choose to register for credit) to track your academic progress throughout the program.

  • Digital storytelling to document your summer EdGE 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 a live Digital Symposium at the end of the program.

  • Peer-to-peer learning, optional webinars, and periodic discussion groups to support community-building and critical reflection.

*Not sure whether you'd prefer to travel or work remotely during Summer 2023? 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 DavisConnects Summer EdGE program is open for enrollment up through May 31, 2023. We encourage students to register early to make the most of the opportunity and to get started with the process of planning their summer experience.

The program period technically runs from June 1 - August 15, but students who register early will be able to start as soon as they complete the necessary tasks in the Logistics section.

During the core program period, students will:

  • Participate in a multimedia online classroom exploring essential questions about social justice, inequality, and the complexities of trying to 'help others' or 'do good' when crossing differences of culture and power;

  • Pursue a social impact internship (online or in-person, or possibly hybrid) OR undertake an independent study experience;

  • Build a portfolio of digital storytelling posts that documents their Summer 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 during the summer, you may choose to intern with an Omprakash Partner organization, or find an internship 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 such as education, health, human rights, migration, sustainability, and social enterprise and more 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. 

Internships can be shorter or longer than the official program window. Regardless of when you choose to start your internship, however, 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

Students will have the option to earn one academic 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.

 

 

Who Should Join This Program?

 

Are you seeking a social impact internship, but not sure where to start? This program is the place for you!

Already have your eye on an independent experience, but not sure how to structure it into an approved program for academic credit? Great — you're still in the right place!

Please register below if you plan to do any of the following during Summer 2023:

  • Intern with a grassroots social impact organization (in the US or abroad) working in a field such as health, education, the environment, advocacy, migration, or social entrepreneurship.
  • Receive funding from either of the following programs in support of an internship or independent study:
    • Goldfarb Center Sandy Maisel Student Grant
    • Bunche Scholarship
  • Participate in the Oak Human Rights Internship Program
    • This program is required for recipients of the Oak Human Rights Internship Grant, and is also open to all Colby students, even if they are not funded by the Oak Institute. Participants will pursue internships related to human rights and engage with supplementary classroom content to support this thematic focus.

If you're not sure about your plans, register anyway! Admins from DavisConnects and Omprakash will review your information together and then reach out to you via email.  If you register and then end up deciding that this program is not a good fit, that's perfectly fine.

 

Info Session

If you have any questions, we will be hosting an Info Session on Thursday, March 23rd at 7:00 pm ET here.  We encourage you to join!

Next Steps:

 

  1. At the bottom of this page, create an Omprakash account (or login to your existing account) and register for this program. Use the Cohort Code: DAVISSUMMER23
  2. On the next screen, you'll have the opportunity to add a bit of info to your Omprakash profile before arriving at your Summer EdGE Dashboard.
  3. On the Dashboard, we'll prompt you to complete a Program Orientation survey to confirm that you understand how it all works, and to share your initial ideas and questions.
  4. We'll follow up with next steps from there! 


What Do Other Students Think? 

 

“I thought the EdGE platform was awesome. I’m really glad Colby has organized an opportunity like this to have some form of structure when we travel independently through DavisConnects. I especially liked the EdGE curriculum, and I think Colby students should be required to look it over if going abroad to work or volunteer because it contained a lot of important information/philosophical questions to think through."

-2020 EdGE Jan Plan Participant

 

 

 

Read more testimonials about EdGE...

 

 

Ready to Get Started?

 

Register below with Cohort Code: 

 

DAVISSUMMER23