IPL COVID-19 Guidance

IPL has been exploring the best possible plan for advising you in light of COVID-19 and supporting social-distancing steps to minimize the spread of the virus.  Our goal has been to minimize disruption to your internship search while taking in to account your safety and well-being.  If you are a student preparing for a internship, check out the information below.

The IPL staff is available to help students navigate the internship process.  In addition to the information regularly available on our website, we’ve identified some best practices and recommendations to this unique situation.

Looking for more communication from IPL?

  1. Contact IPL via our student information form so that we can follow up with you.
  2. If you’ve been in communication with IPL regarding your summer or fall internship, update us on your progress at IPL@uis.edu.

Students Planning a Fall 2021 Internship or Project

Please complete this webform, which will take about a minute and can be submitted via smart phone.

This information will help us better identify your plan, and guide you to locate viable options for this summer and upcoming semesters.

IPL continues to reach out to many employers to identify those who are seeking interns, and those who may be able to provide virtual/remote internships.  This may also include some of our UIS campus departments.  This information will be made available to students still looking for a summer internship.

While many organizations have had to shift their work environments or focus, it does not mean that there will not be opportunities for you.  Here are some suggestions for you during this time of flux:

  1. Check out our employer list.   We will be adding to the list as we get more feedback from employers.
  2. Do your homework.  Now is the perfect time to learn more about organizations that interest you.  Monitor social media accounts, LinkedIn pages, and websites in your industry of interest.
  3. Focus on your resume.   Reviewing and refining your resume will ensure that you have an effective and targeted tool ready to go.  You might also consider tailoring your resume to let employers know that you are available to work remotely, if that is the case for you.
  4. Track your targeted organizations and contacts as you apply for internships: organization, contact names with communication options, most recent date outreach was made, summary of responses from contacts, and target date for next outreach.  You should be applying for multiple internships, rather than focusing on just one.
  5. As you apply for, or follow up on, internships, consider modifying your communication, taking into account recent changes to the work environment:

Dear {{name or organization}},

I can only imagine how hectic things must be for you and your organization right now.  I am touching base with you to explore how I might be a resource as a student intern this summer.  More than ever, I believe I could be a good fit as an intern to your organization, and have attached my resume for your review.  The following are some skills I possess that may be needed for an intern:

  • skill #1
  • skill #2
  • skill #3

I am looking to begin my internship in August, and am available for remote or virtual internship work.  Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

{{your name}}

  1. Use Career Connect to identify businesses that may be hiring.  Check out the Career Development Center’s resources for additional assistance.
  2. Be patient and take a deep breath!

Students also have the option of engaging in a more independent project and enrolling in IPL 301.  This is similar to an internship, but requires a more individualized approach.  You would identify or develop a project that you would work on under the guidance of a mentor, or expert in that field.  Consider Research Projects or Sponsored Programs at UIS.

Students Who Have Already Secured a Spring Internship

We hope that you will not experience any disruptions to your internship plan.  Confirm with your employer that everything is still on track for this fall.  Additionally, should your site have to modify their procedures due to Covid-19, you may want to reach out to your internship supervisor or hiring manager to ask about a contingency plan.  For example, is working remotely an option?  Contact IPL if you face challenges or have questions.

Remember to submit your course application!  Please submit these ELECTRONICALLY to internship@uis.edu.  You can download and complete this form electronically, and obtain signatures or approval digitally or via email (you also can forward email approvals in lieu of signatures).  You can also scan or take pictures of the documents to email if necessary; just make sure the images are legible.

Student Resources

Resources for Remote Work

If you are considering a remote-working internship, these resources can provide additional preparation.

Finding remote internships:

Remote Job Boards: