Internships & Careers

The GenCen internship program helps students find and undertake internships in fields related to women's issues, gender, sexuality, and social justice. Students in WGS or LGBTQ Studies programs may also work with a faculty mentor and earn WS 493 course credit for their internship experience. Past students have completed internships related to social justice, human rights, community development, reproductive health, domestic violence, and/or environmental health and justice, both locally as well as abroad.

Through the program, students will intern with leading organizations working at the local, national, and international level on gender-related issues. Students will work with supervisors from the host organization and from within their department or college during their internship, benefiting from their supervisors' experience and expertise. The internship is designed to help students explore gender-related career fields while gaining valuable hands-on experience at local, national, or international organizations.

MSU programs and activities are not restricted based on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, or other protected identity. This opportunity is open to all qualifying applicants without preference based on protected identity, and all are welcome to apply.

GenCen invites undergraduate students wishing to gain research experience and serve the community to enroll in our Community Engaged Research Internship program. The GenCen undergraduate advisor, Pat Arnold, works with students to match them with local organizations offering opportunities for engaged research involving women, gender, and sexuality issues, as well as helps to set up internships for credit (WS493).

Research is community engaged when it involves reciprocal partnerships and addresses the needs of the community. Projects for this internship aim to contribute to the activities, priorities, and goals of the community organization. Outcomes of the internship may include: published reports, exhibits and multimedia forms of presentation, art installations, clinical and other service procedures, programs and events, policy briefs, court briefings, legislation proposals, and so on. Each internship will involve a student intern, a GenCen faculty supervisor, and a community organization working collaboratively to complete a research-based semester project on gender and/or sexuality that will comprise the student’s grade for the internship class (WS493).

The final product of the research internship will be pre-defined by the team and based on a rubric tailored to the needs of the project. Upon completion, these assignments may become components of the student’s job portfolio or included in graduate school applications. Students who are approved for an internship will be eligible for up to $2,000 in financial assistance provided through the GenCen Community Engaged Research Scholarship Fund.

MSU programs and activities are not restricted based on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, or other protected identity. This opportunity is open to all qualifying applicants without preference based on protected identity, and all are welcome to apply.

Each academic year, GenCen is able to hire 2-3 undergraduate student workers for roles in research, communications, and academic programs.

These are paid positions requiring a commitment of 10-15 hours per week during our office hours of 9:00am-5:00pm, Monday-Friday. Student workers must be enrolled at Michigan State University and should be sophomores, juniors, or seniors by the fall semester.

A successful GenCen student worker will possess the following qualities:

• Ability to work without assistance in Microsoft Office Suite (including Teams and Outlook)
• Ability to work independently with resourceful thinking, balance multiple projects, and take initiative
• Strong interest in gender, women’s issues, and diversity on an international level

Check back soon for information about GenCen's in-house student job opportunities for 2027-28.

MSU programs and activities are not restricted based on race, sex, ethnicity, national origin, or other protected identity. This opportunity is open to all qualifying applicants without preference based on protected identity, and all are welcome to apply.