Local change. National networks.
Semester for Impact (SFI) is a full-time, credit-bearing internship program educating and empowering the problem solvers of tomorrow. Open to all UVM students, the SFI program matches students with 30 hour/week internship in Vermont’s social change sector and awards up to 15 UVM credits toward your degree.
A UVM College of Arts & Sciences collaboration with:
Now accepting applications for Spring 2027
Any questions? Contact Semester for Impact liaison, Kate LaVigne, or UVM College of Arts & Sciences Internship Programs Coordinator, Kelly Bureau.
Program Components:
Semester for Impact is comprised of several components that make up your typical week in the program, plus a 3-day Launch Week.
3-day Launch Week Workshop
Students will attend a 3-day workshop in Boston at the beginning of the semester to begin building cohort identity, relationships, and start training as problem solvers.
Travel and lodging arrangements are made directly with SFI and costs are covered for students.
450-hour Internship
Students accepted to the program will be matched with an internship in the greater Burlington community that is focused on social change. All internships will be with a nonprofit, social mission business, or government agency. Internship sites are developed and uniquely tailored toward students’ interests. Students will work with the program Director to review potential internship placements and select the opportunity that best aligns with them. Students are also welcome to recommend potential sites, which will then be contacted by a member of SFI to request their interest in hosting an intern.
Students will work full-time Monday through Thursday at their internship so that they are on the job enough to do real meaningful work and become part of the team. During the course of the semester, students will receive direct, intentional mentorship from social change leaders and complete a scaffolded special project for their internship sites.
Social Innovator’s Toolbox (Wednesday seminar)
This course will expose students to the concepts and practices associated with social innovation and social entrepreneurship – i.e., the development and growth of new, sustainable, and scalable approaches to the major social economic, and environmental challenges facing society. Students will learn a variety of tools and methods used for the development, implementation, management, and assessment of social solutions that they will be able to use over the course of their careers. The course will emphasize the systemic, interdisciplinary, and often cross-sector nature of both the problems and their solutions.
Social Innovator’s Toolbox will be an online course in which students based in other New England colleges are also enrolled. If a student would like to take a normal, unrelated UVM course in place of Social Innovator’s Toolbox (in order to fulfil a requirement), they may choose to do so with permission from the College of Arts & Sciences Internship & Experiential Learning office.
Becoming a Problem Solver (Hybrid workshop)
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, interns will begin to develop their professional identity and understand how to navigate the workplace as they get a feel for their career path. Interns will interact with peers, identify and leverage their strengths and share their internship experiences. Through the “Becoming a Problem Solver” course, students will get experience solving problems within the workplace and within the nonprofit and social organization sector.
This course will be in a hybrid modality–with Tuesday’s session being online alongside students enrolled at other New England colleges, and the other part taking place on campus, in-person, on Thursdays.
How does the program work?
Semester for Impact is a UVM partner, meaning that UVM students will earn UVM credit for the program, and the advertised “program fee” will be covered by UVM tuition. Semester for Impact is the only way to dedicate an entire semester to an internship in Burlington whilst remaining enrolled at UVM. Once a student applies and is admitted into the SFI program, they will primarily work with the program Director on finding an internship / most other coordination for participation. The CAS Internships office will be there to support anything regarding credits/financial aid, or other general questions/curiosities.
Semester for Impact is run by the College for Social Innovation–a Boston-based organization that brings together colleges and social sector organizations to create fully-credited hands-on learning experiences that are meaningful, accessible, and life-changing.
Credit Information
SFI is designed to fit into a typical CAS student’s curriculum as elective credit. If you have concerns or questions regarding how the program will fit into your schedule, please contact cas.internships@uvm.edu.
UVM students will earn 15 credits for this program:
- 9 internship credits under CAS 2991 OL3 for the 400-hour internship
- 3 academic credits under CAS 1902 A for the Becoming a Problem Solver course
- 3 academic credits under CAS 2902 OL2 for the Social Innovator’s Toolbox course
These credits will count as electives unless the student receives permission to count some or all credits toward their major or minor from their department chairperson.
If a student needs to take a regular UVM course to maintain a trajectory (i.e. SPAN 002 after taking SPAN 001) or to fulfil a requirement instead of taking the Social Innovator’s Toolbox course, they may seek permission to do so from the College of Arts & Sciences Internship & Experiential Learning office. However, the CAS 2991 internship credit and the CAS 1902 credit for Becoming a Problem Solver are both requirements of this program.
Financial Information
Students will pay their normal tuition and fees to UVM and maintain their existing arrangements regarding housing, food, personal expenses, etc.
Students will receive the following from SFI:
- $595 stipend to use during the semester
- Travel + cost reimbursement in order to attend the 3-day Launch event in Boston
About the Application
The application is designed to take about 15 to 30 minutes to complete and is comprised of demographic information and several short answer questions.
If you have trouble at any point, you may reach out to the SFI team directly at sfi@collegeforsocialinnovation.org.
After you submit your application, you will hear from a member of the SFI recruitment team about next steps.
Eligibility Requirements
UVM students must meet the following requirements in order to participate in Semester for Impact:
- At least sophomore standing during the semester you intend to participate. In some rare cases we will consider a student with first-year standing who is in their second year at UVM.
- GPA above 2.0
International students who hold F-1 or J-1 visa status must seek permission from the Office of International Education in order to participate.
Student Testimonials
“Long after this semester ends, I’ll remember that moment when I saw someone go from being fearful and isolated to feeling understood. I’ll remember how powerful it is to realize that helping even one person can make a bigger difference than you ever expected.”
Psychological Science and Art History ’26
Elle St. Clair
ANEW Place“This semester, I was given so many opportunities that made the world around me come back to life. Both of my mentors provided me with so much stability, support, and guidance, all of which has become so invaluable to me. In all of the work that I have done, and in all of the work that I will do, I hold the wisdom they have gifted to me so tightly. They have truly made my passions and hopes alive again, and made me believe in new possibilities.”
History ’27
Chloe Burrington
Vermont Historical Society“SFI taught me a lot about how to adjust to doing new things, especially without the sheltered environment that the academic setting provides. I had never been a reporter before and especially as I started to write stories I cared about, stories that had real stakes in people’s lives, it was really hard to not put an incredible pressure on myself. My mentor helped me focus on what mattered, and instead of scaring me, the high stakes of my work made it feel even more worth doing.”
Global Studies ’25
Charlotte Oliver
Community News Service“At first, it was intimidating because it felt like so many things could go wrong- you could be asked questions you didn’t understand, or be given a problem you couldn’t solve, or even be faced with an angry patron. But through practice and support from my mentor, I got the hang of it, and now I work the desk like a rockstar.”
Computer Science ’26
Elijah Nunez
Fletcher Free LibraryStill have questions?
Email cas.discovery@uvm.edu — our team would be happy to assist.
