Humanities Hub
Expanding paid internships. Strengthening the humanities. Connecting classroom learning to real-world impact.
Funded by a $2.4 million, five-year grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Humanities Hub brings together efforts across majors like History, Languages & Literatures, Communication & Media, and Philosophy & World Religions – making career preparation more visible, accessible and impactful for students.
Want to join the Humanities Hub? Apply Now!
What Is the Humanities Hub?
The UNI Humanities Hub is a new initiative designed to expand paid internship opportunities for humanities students while strengthening connections between UNI and community partners across Iowa and the Midwest.
By embedding internships into coursework and supporting faculty and community partnerships, the Hub helps make career preparation more visible, accessible and impactful for humanities students.
Paid Internships
The goal of the Humanities Hub is to connect UNI students to paid internships. Aiming for 250 over five years – starting with 30 in year one and growing to 60 per year.
Real-World Experience
These internships will connect humanities majors with nonprofit organizations, community partners and employers across Iowa and the Midwest, linking classroom learning with real-world applications.
Career-Ready Skills
Students will develop their communication, adaptability, creativity and critical thinking skills – all of which are highly valued by employers across industries.
Opportunities for Students Beyond Campus
Through the Humanities Hub, students will have the opportunity to work off campus with nonprofit organizations, community groups and employers across Iowa and the Midwest. These paid internships allow students to apply what they’re learning in the classroom to real-world settings while building professional experience and community connections.
Plus, students can participate in networking events, workshops, and guest speaker events – offering even more opportunities to build career connections.
Alumni Success Story
"The internships I did while I was a student at UNI were an invaluable opportunity to gain real world experience and eventually led to my career as director of the Cedar Falls Historical Society. I am glad that my position now allows me to help facilitate those same opportunities for current students."
– Carrie Eilderts, Director of the Cedar Falls Historical Society
Common Questions
For students
- How do I get involved with the Humanities Hub?
- All students are invited to attend Humanities Hub events. Keep an eye on our calendar to see where we'll be next
- To apply for an internship stipend, fill out the student application above
- How do I find and apply for an internship?
- Find and apply for internships on Handshake
- Contact UNI Career Services for more tips on finding an internship, and for help preparing application materials for internships
- Who is eligible for an internship through the UNI Humanities Hub?
- Declared eligible major:
- Art: History Emphasis (BA)
- Communication (BA)
- English (BA)
- History (BA)
- Music: General Studies in Music (BA)
- Music: Music History (BA)
- Philosophy (BA)
- Religious Studies (BA)
- Spanish (BA)
- Junior standing
- Minimum 2.5 GPA in their major
- Completion of at least 12 credit hours in the major prior to the semester of the internship
- Additional course prerequisites as required by departments
- Declared eligible major:
- How do I register my internship for credit?
- All Humanities Hub interns must be enrolled in an internship class. Class registration is completed via Handshake
- To submit your experience on Handshake:
- Login to Handshake using your CatID
- Select Career Center
- Click "Experiences"
- Submit an Experience, selecting the appropriate class from the drop down menu:
- History: HIST 3179 History (Humanities Hub)
- Communications: CM CORE 3900/5900 Internship in Communications and Media
- All other eligible majors: UNIV 3159 Humanities Hub Internship Seminar
- Submit an Experience, selecting the appropriate class from the drop down menu:
- Once your Experience has been approved it will be added to your course schedule
- What are the deadlines?
- Priority consideration is given to applications received prior to October 30th, 2026 for internships taking place in the Spring 2027, and April 2nd, 2027 for those occurring in Summer or Fall 2027. Individual internships may have specific deadlines, so please read postings carefully.
- For internships, you must submit your experience to Handshake and complete any necessary trainings and paperwork by the last day a class can be added without department approval.
- How many internships can I take?
- The UNI Humanities Hub will pay for one internship per eligible student during their time at UNI.
- Different departments have different requirements for how many internships must be completed. Be sure to check with your advisor to confirm your internship requirements for graduation.
- How will I get paid?
Internship stipends will be issued as a scholarship award to your U-bill account once you’ve completed your internship requirements.
- Will this stipend impact my financial aid?
It may. You’ll need to discuss your individual situation with the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.
- What happens once I submit my interest form?
- First, your form will be reviewed to determine whether you’re eligible for an internship stipend. Once your eligibility has been determined, you’ll be contacted by the Humanities Hub Coordinator to discuss next steps. You may begin searching for internships at anytime.
For Employers
- How can I host a Humanities Hub intern?
- Fill out the employer interest form above
- The Humanities Hub Coordinator will connect with you to discuss your needs and next steps
- How can I advertise internship opportunities?
- All Humanities Hub internship will be posted via Handshake
- If you have job descriptions prepared, submit them using the Intern Job Posting Form
- You’ll be able to review the applications as they’re received and make your hiring decisions
- What are the expectations for intern supervisors?
- By hiring a Humanities Hub intern you are committing to providing students with meaningful work experiences. There are three main requirements for supervisors:
- Monthly approval of work hours
- Completing a midterm and final evaluation
- By hiring a Humanities Hub intern you are committing to providing students with meaningful work experiences. There are three main requirements for supervisors:
- How much are interns expected to work?
- Interns should complete 150 hours of work over the course of the semester
- How will interns be compensated?
- Interns at nonprofits will receive a $2500 stipend paid by the Humanities Hub
- Internships at for-profit organizations require cost sharing. The Humanities Hub will pay 50% of the stipend while the employer is responsible for the other 50%
- How many interns can I host?
- There’s no limit on the number of interns any organization can host
- Students are limited to one stipend per individual