Financial Support

Do you need help traveling to and from your Nashville internship, research, or student teaching opportunity? The Career Center is now offering rideshare assistance through Lyft!

To qualify for the program, students must have a Lyft account (and users must have payment on file). Another factor to consider is any ride taken that meets the established parameters will pull from the user’s Program funds even if the ride is not for their approved internship. The user has 24 hours after the ride to update the funding source to the appropriate account (credit card or another Lyft Program). It is your responsibility to ensure the funds are used appropriately. You are solely responsible for updating rides to correctly charge the appropriate funding source. 

Details of Award:

• Students will be awarded up to $500 in rideshare credits.
• Students must have a Lyft account.
• Rides must be between 5 am and 7 pm. 
• If selected, students will: attend a financial literacy workshop, visit the Professional Headshot Photo Booth located in the SLC, 2nd floor, and take a pre and post-internship survey. 
• Students will be eligible to receive rideshare support once per academic year.

Eligibility Criteria:

• A full-time Vanderbilt student in good academic standing
• Secured an internship, research, or student teaching opportunity for the semester the Lyft Pass is awarded. Applicants must submit an offer and/or acceptance letter.
• Internship or research is within 20 miles of Vanderbilt. Students will submit the internship location on their application. 

Disqualifiers:

• Student traching internship or research outside of the Nashville metro area.
• Have an on-campus internship/research position

Fall Award Cycle/Timeline:

• Application Opens: December 2nd to January 9th
• Review Period Starts: January 10th
• Award Notifications by: January 16th

How to Apply: 

Submit a full application by January 9th on the Award-a-Dore platform. Search “Lyft” under the “Search Scholarships” Tab for more information and the application.

You will need to submit the following key materials and essay questions with your application (please upload any documents in a PDF format): 

• Resume 
• Essay Question: Brief description of internship/research experience and why the internship will be helpful to your career empowerment journey (300 word count max). 
• Confirmation/Offer letter of internship

Grading Rubric Criteria: 

• Strength of Resume 
• Strength of Statement for Essay Question  
• Internship/Research/Student Teaching Confirmation  
• Career Center Engagement 

Description 

The Levy Internship Fund provides eligible Students with up to $6000 for un(der) paid summer internships. Eligible applicants can apply for summer internship funds during either the fall or spring semesters. Funding can be used for housing costs, meals, transportation costs (to/from internship, commuter travel, etc.), professional attire, and any necessary expenses to complete their internship.  

Eligibility Criteria 

• VU Students who have demonstrated financial need.  

• VU Undergraduate: First-year students through juniors are eligible to apply.  

• Secured Eligible Summer Internship  

• Eligible internships include a minimum of 8-week unpaid or underpaid summer internship experiences.  

• Internship vs. Research Opportunities: The Levy Internship Fund requires that your summer experience must be classified as an internship opportunity by the issuing employer. If your research opportunity does not meet this classification, you won't be eligible for funding 

Disqualifiers 

• VU Undergraduates may only receive the Levy Internship Fund once. 

• Any opportunity that is not a minimum of eight weeks is not a qualifying summer internship.   

AY 24-25 Award Cycle/Timeline: 

New this year! We will open one application from late fall through mid-spring.  

• Application period: November 15, 2024 - March 16th 2025 

• Application review starts: March 17th  

• Internship Acceptance Letter Submission: March 23rd 

• If you did not submit an offer letter with your Award-a-Dore application, please send it to ccfinancialsupport@vanderbilt.edu - Subject line "Semester YR - Levy Offer Letter" by March 23rd. 

• If you submitted your offer letter with your application, there is no need to send it to the email above unless you change your summer internship plans. In that case, we will need the new offer letter for review. 

• Award notification by: Week of March 31st - April 4th  

• Fund Disbursement: Funds are disbursed at the beginning of May to early June for summer internships. 

Pre-Requisite Workshops & Required Post-Survey:  

Students receiving a Levy Internship Fund award will be required to participate in a pre/post-workshop session to maximize their internship experience.  

Levy Pre-Requisite Workshop Offerings (must only attend one):  

• Tuesday, April 15th | 12-12:45 pm CST 

• Wednesday, April 16th | 12-12:45 pm CST 

• Thursday, April 17th | 3-3:45 pm CST 

Post-Internship Survey  :

• In late August, after your internship, you will be required to complete a post-survey to share details about your summer experience.  

How to Apply:   
Please submit a completed application through Award-a-Dore. You will need to submit the following key materials and essay questions with your application (please upload any documents in a PDF format): 

• Resume 

• Essay Question: Brief description of internship experience and why the internship will be helpful to your career empowerment journey (500 word count max).  

• Budget of how funds will be used. You can find a budget template here for your reference: Budget Sample Template. 

• Confirmation/Offer letter of internship (Pending availability):  

• While it's not mandatory to have an offer letter confirmation when submitting your application, it is beneficial.  If you do not include an internship confirmation with your application, you must send your summer internship confirmation to ccfinancialsupport@vanderbilt.edu by March 23rd. 

Grading Rubric Criteria: 

In order to maximize your application, review the criteria listed below, as these will be the focal points for assessment by the review committee: 

1. Strength of Resume 
2. Strength of Budget: Comprehensive and Thorough 
3. Strength of Statement: Answered the What and Why 

We will also include two bonus criteria that will be an added point each: 

• Proactive Internship Search - Started steps to obtain internship (shown proactivity – i.e. Submitted applications, started/completed interview process, secured internship, etc.) 

• Career Center Engagement - The applicant has interacted with the Career Center in some capacity (coaching appointments, drop-ins, career fair, events, etc.) 

Resources: 

• Levy Internship Fund Informational Webinar  

• Budget Template 

• Big Interview - ResumeAI Support 

Undergraduate students interested in media-related careers are encouraged to apply for a stipend through the Lovinger Family Internship Fund. Recipients will be awarded up to $5,000 to help offset the costs of low or no-pay internships or programs, regardless of location. Several factors determine award amounts, including financial need, location, weekly hours, and anticipated graduation date.

Applicants may apply before receiving an internship offer but must have secured a written request before processing the award. A complete application includes uploading a resume via Handshake, an internship description, a 200-300 word essay on what you hope to learn through this experience, and a proposed budget (transportation to the city, housing, daily transit). Applicants must be current Vanderbilt undergraduate students returning full-time for at least one undergraduate semester in the fall after their internship or program.

2024-2025 Timelines and application links will be added at the beginning of 2024 Fall Semester.

Resources:

• Budget Template

Undergraduate students who have been accepted into the Vandy in Hollywood Summer Internship Program are encouraged to apply for a stipend through the ViH Internship Fund. Recipients will be awarded an amount within the range of $1,500 – $3,000 to help offset the costs of low or no-pay internships. Award amounts are determined by several factors, including financial need, location, hours per week, and anticipated graduation date.

Applicants may apply prior to receiving an internship offer but must have secured an offer in writing by May 1 before awards will be processed. A complete application includes a resume via Handshake, an internship description (if accepted), a 100–200 word essay on what you hope to learn through this experience, and the proposed budget (transportation to the city, housing, daily transit). Please put all of your answers into a word document and upload it as an additional document.

Applicants must be current Vanderbilt undergraduate students returning full-time for at least one undergraduate semester in the fall after their internship.

2024-2025 Timelines and application links will be added at the beginning of 2024 Fall Semester.

Resources:

• Budget Template