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.

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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.

A small group of students and faculty stand in conversation inside a modern campus lounge, with several people dressed in business or business-casual attire, suggesting a professional or networking setting.

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.

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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.