Did you know that applied and project-based experiences, particularly internships, give students an edge with employers after graduation? Recent surveys show that 60% of hiring managers are much more likely to hire a recent graduate with internship experience on their resume. Internships give students valuable experience and help them develop skills employers are looking for! In this class, students will explore the career planning process including self-exploration, occupational exploration, internship planning, and how to conduct a job search. After taking the course, students will be better prepared to make informed career decisions and to locate satisfying internships or positions after graduation. Assignments include working on career materials to apply for internships and/or jobs in the future, such as a resume and cover letter, and creating a professional brand online (LinkedIn). Any CAS student interested in completing an internship or expanding their career development should register for the course.
Students can contact Elizabeth Jones, CAS Academic Internship Coordinator, at jonesel@up.edu with any questions.
When it comes to strengthening one’s ethical decision-making muscles, there are few exercises more powerful than first-hand experience or dialogue with “those who have gone before.” At the Dundon-Berchtold Institute for Moral Formation and Applied Ethics, we seek to create space and facilitate opportunities for students (and faculty and staff) to wrestle with the real-life ethical tensions of their personal and professional worlds as they discern and hone their values in the pursuit of a coherent morality.
What does this look like? In one particular case, it takes the form of the Ethics and the Professions Internship (EPI) program. EPI is a paid 8-week summer internship in which undergraduate UP students are funded by the Dundon-Berchtold Institute and matched with Portland-area organizations who invite the interns into their teams for a two-month robust, project-based work experience.
On a practical level, interns gain real work experience, enhance their technical skills, participate in team meetings, and handle a range of projects depending on the mission of their host organization—everything from conducting research to generating marketing and media content to stewarding donor relations.
But EPI takes this enriching internship experience one step further. As part of the program’s intentional focus on ethics, EPI interns have a one-on-one conversation each week with a different member of their host organization around vocation and the moral moments of professional life. Themes in these conversations might include questions such as What does duty look like in your professional life? Does this organization have habits or protocols for ethical decision-making beyond mere compliance? How does your work life influence the person you are becoming?
“What intrigued me most about the EPI program was the opportunity to sit down each week for a 1-on-1 conversation with a working professional and engage in honest, open conversations about ethical dilemmas at work, organizational mission, culture, and decision making.“
-Lauren Carlos ‘21
Moreover, interns are often partnered with organizations whose field is outside of or tangential to the students’ specific academic majors and intended career paths. This diversified exposure—combined with the insightful weekly one-on-one ethical conversations—gives students “a preview of coming attractions”: they get to experience and observe early some of the ethical decisions and tensions that arise in work in general, regardless of what career they pursue.
In addition to interns’ 20 weekly hours of work, Dundon-Berchtold staff provide a formative accompanying experience to further enhance the impactful internship experience. The program design follows a carefully crafted arc of work-related themes, including organizational culture, ethical decision-making, teamwork, and feedback. Each intern has a weekly check-in with Dundon-Berchtold staff to reflect on their internship work and their one-on-one ethical conversations. The interns also meet regularly as a cohort to learn about each other’s experiences, hear from guest speakers, and dialogue about assigned readings on weekly themes. Each intern also has dedicated time each week to work on a summer-long Ethics Exploration project: an independent, informal research project on a topic of their choice related to ethics and work.
Summer 2020was the inaugural season for the Ethics and the Professions Internship program. With the onset of the global pandemic, the intended in-person internship program was necessarily converted to an entirely remote teleworking experience. Thanks to the flexibility of the interns and the willingness and adaptability of the placement hosts, each of the 6 interns held a tele-internship at one of 4 partner organizations. Far from being minimized by the pivot to virtual, the interns’ experiences were filled with meaningful conversations, empowering work projects, and, for some, even concrete steps toward their next life adventures, such as law school, work as a courtroom clerk, and acceptance into AmeriCorps!
For students interested in applying for the Ethics and the Professions Internship program, details are available on the Dundon-Berchtold Institute’s internship webpage. The application window is open every January, and we have been delighted with the growing interest of so many students eager to be part of the 6-to-8-intern cohort.
“I applied for the Ethics and Professions Internship program because I wanted to analyze everyday work occurrences through a different lens. It was important to me that I was able to see the intention behind different actions, to identify the motivation driving someone or some policy. I wanted the opportunity to really reflect on the thought processes behind the work, and how to keep respect for both the people being served by the company and the employees within it.“
-Mollie Rutz ‘20
As part of the Dundon-Berchtold staff who accompany the EPI interns through their summer experiences, my colleague and I firmly believe we have the best jobs at the University of Portland. We get to dialogue with incredible students each week as they observe, discuss, and engage with the complex ethical fibers of the working world—and of life in general. Not only do they enrich their professional skillset, but their worldviews expand, their understanding and ownership of values deepen, and in many ways they catch a profound glimpse of the future self they want to become. It is truly a privilege to witness this chapter of students’ vocational journeys.
Hannah Pick currently serves as the Program Manager for the Dundon-Berchtold Institute. She primarily oversees the Institute’s student experience programs, research initiatives, professional development for young campus practitioners, and scholarly and marketing output. With a master’s in higher education and student development, Hannah has a passion for students’ holistic formation, academic success, and vocational discernment. When not at work, Hannah is an amateur community-theater actress, a freelance writer and editor, wife to a talented pianist/composer/music educator, and mom to a 6-month-old bundle of vitality and joy.
The Office of Student Accounts is looking forward to the Fall 2021 semester!
Now that the summer semester is in full swing, we look forward to welcoming our students for the fall semester at the end of August. The first fall invoice will be emailed to your student’s up.edu email account on July 1, 2021. Fall tuition will be due on August 2, 2021.
A few housekeeping items need to be completed before the tuition due date. Students must complete their financial aid requirements by the priority deadline of July 9, 2021. These requirements include but are not limited to:
On August 2, 2021 students will need to pay any outstanding fall semester balances not covered by financial aid. Students can use a one-time payment to pay the outstanding balance or establish a monthly payment plan using the instructions below. Please be aware that federal financial aid will not disburse to student accounts until 10 days before the first day of class.
Health Insurance Requirements and Waiver
Students who currently have health insurance may waive the University of Portland health insurance beginning July 15, 2021. You can find more information about the waiveron the Student Accounts website. The requirements for waiving the insurance can be found on the Health and Counseling Center’s website.
We strongly encourage students not to wait until the last minute to complete the health insurance waiver in case additional information is required by the Health Center to have the waiver approved. The deadline is August 27, 2021 and no extensions are allowed. Once the waiver is completed a confirmation will be provided to let the student know if the waiver is approved or denied. If the waiver is approved, it can take up to 48 hours for it to be posted to the student account. Students will be able to see the approved waiver posted under payments on Banner Self-Serve. Please note the charge itself is not removed, but the waiver is posted under payments.
We encourage students to always check their Banner Self-Serve account for any changes to their balance due.
Parent Proxy
In order for our office and other offices across campus to discuss detailed information about student information such as account balances, health insurance waivers, financial aid requirements and any other items, we need Parent Proxy to be completed. Learn more about Parent Proxy – please note your student must initiate the set-up process.
Online Payments
The Office of Student Accounts is excited to share that the Tuition Management System (TMS) payment plan is fully integrated to the Nelnet Enterprise System. Nelnet is a third-party the University has selected to provide students and their families the opportunity to utilize monthly payment plans and e-payments. Nelnet has added features that have enhanced enrolling in our monthly payment plans and making one-time payments. There are two ways students can access the new processes:
1. Students can start by logging onto PilotsUP
Navigate to the Banner Self-Serve
Select Student Account Tab
Choose Account Summary (to look up the account balance)
Click the Pay Now button
2. Students can also begin by visiting the landing page
Students may authorize others to access their agreement and make payments on their behalf. The student will need to set the authorized user up before they can establish an account via mycollegepaymentplan.com/uportland in order to set-up a payment plan or make a one-time payment. Please note that an Authorized Payer for the Nelnet Enterprise System is different than the Parent Proxy Access required by FERPA regarding sharing information with anyone other than the student.
Monthly Payment Plans
The structure of our monthly payment plans will also have a new look. It will be important to pay close attention to the enrollment dates for the plans:
Fall Payment Plans: Opens on June 1 (5-4-3-month plans) *$48 Enrollment Fee
Last day to enroll in a 5-month plan is July 13
Payment period: July 15 – November 15
Last day to enroll in a 4-month plan is August 12
Payment period: August 15 – November 15
Last day to enroll in a 3-month plan is September 13
Payment period: September 15 – November 15
SpringPayment Plans: Opens on October 1 *$48 Enrollment Fee
Last day to enroll in a 5-month plan is December 12
Payment period: December 15 – April 15
Last day to enroll in a 4-month plan is January 13
Payment period: January 15 – April 15
Last day to enroll in a 3-month plan is February 11
