{"id":91,"date":"2024-01-25T19:10:13","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T19:10:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/cas-experiential-learning\/?page_id=91"},"modified":"2026-04-15T15:29:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T15:29:17","slug":"semester-for-impact","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/site.uvm.edu\/cas-experiential-learning\/?page_id=91","title":{"rendered":"Semester for Impact | Burlington"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Local change. National networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drawing from the success and resources of Semester in the City: Boston<\/a>, the sibling program of Semester for Impact, and in connection with other colleges around New England, SFI students are part of a diverse and multi-talented national cohort dedicated to social change. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
Apply Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n


Apply by April 30th for Fall 2026!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
Nominate a Student!<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Click here<\/a> to see what internships SFI has in store for Fall 2026!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any questions? Contact Semester for Impact liaison, Kate LaVigne<\/a>, or UVM College of Arts & Sciences Internship Programs Coordinator, <\/em>Kelly Bureau.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
\n

Program Components:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Semester for Impact is comprised of several components that make up your typical week in the program, plus a 3-day Launch Week.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
3-day Launch Week Workshop<\/summary>
\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Travel and lodging arrangements are made directly with SFI and costs are covered for students.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n

400-hour Internship<\/summary>
\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Social Innovator’s Toolbox (Wednesday seminar)<\/summary>
\n

This course will expose students to the concepts and practices associated with social innovation and social entrepreneurship \u2013 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Becoming a Problem Solver (Hybrid workshop)<\/summary>
\n

On Fridays, 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 \u201cBecoming a Problem Solver\u201d course, students will get experience solving problems within the workplace and within the nonprofit and social organization sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This course will be in a hybrid modality–with part of Friday online alongside students enrolled at other New England colleges, and the other part taking place on campus, in-person.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

How does the program work?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Credit Information<\/summary>
\n

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<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

UVM students will earn 15 credits for this program: <\/p>\n\n\n\n