Externship Fellows

Taking learning outside the classroom

The Extern Fellowship supports experiential learning and student opportunities

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About Extern Fellowships

The purpose of this program is to help University of Nebraska students take externships (work experiences like an internship where the student receives academic credit for their work) in industry or government that will improve their understanding of challenging technology governance issues. In particular, this program is intended to help defray the cost of spending one academic semester (including summers) in an unpaid industry or government externship more than 100 miles from Lincoln, Nebraska.

NGTC awards two to four Extern Fellowships each academic year. The typical award is $3,500.

"We want to ensure students don't have to turn down remarkable opportunities just because they can't afford to relocate. It's critical that students are able to focus on their studies and their work - not spend time worrying about the cost. The Extern Fellowship helps make that possible." - Elsbeth Magilton, UNL College of Law Externships Director

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Application Timeline

Applications will be accepted at all times and decided on a rolling basis, however, a priority deadline for applications will be set in October for spring externs, March for summer externs, and June for fall externs of each funding year. The Committee will meet as a whole at least once before deciding to award a Grant to anyone who applies by the priority deadlines. The Committee meeting will occur on any date before October/March/June 30th of the current funding year.

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Fellowship Eligibility

A person is eligible for an Governance and Technology Center Extern Fellowship grant if the person

  • Is an enrolled student at the University of Nebraska
  • Is spending one academic semester (including summers) in an unpaid industry or government externship more than 100 miles from Lincoln, Nebraska.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants should send a one page letter (described below) and a Resume/CV to Gus Hurwitz. The awards committee includes the Center’s Director, and an administrative representative (Dean or Director) from the Career Development Office.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Nebraska Governance and Technology Center Extern Fellows will be expected to write a one to two page essay at the end of their externship discussing how the externship affected their understanding of technology governance issues.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Your one page letter should explain:

  • Your interest in the challenges of technology governance
  • How this externship relates back to your interests and the work you expect to be doing
  • Any classes that you have taken relevant to the technology governance and the externship

An additional document should outline:

  • Who it is with
  • Location of the office you’ll be working in (must be at least 100 mi from Lincoln, NE)
  • Name of on-site supervisor
  • Dates/semester attending
  • Whether you’ll be taking any other courses during the externship
  • Estimated budget/cost breakdown for travel and housing, and if you receive federal student loans (no need to provide specific numbers, just generally, as grant funding creates special considerations students will need to be aware of when accepting)
  • Provide the name of one faculty member who can speak to your interests and (this may be the externship’s faculty supervisor)