Student Summer Internship (SSI) Program
Since 1994, the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) has offered student summer internships for Native American and other college students with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). This program provides the opportunity for students to gain hands-on skills with EPA or other governmental and tribal environmental offices.

 Learn about previous internships.

The internship is designed to give current college students an opportunity to:

  • Assist EPA/Tribal agencies with environmental issues.
  • Acquire new skills in a work environment.
  • Gain actual experience while contributing to a project.
  • Earn $4,000 during the eight-week experience.
  • Receive a housing allowance.
  • Receive a travel allowance.

Eligible students must meet the following:

  • Be a US Citizen.
  • Possess at valid driver’s license.
  • Be a full-time student during Spring 2019 (12 hrs undergrad, 9 hrs grad) with at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA.
  • Be majoring in an environmental or related field like science, engineering, planning, policy, law, management, political science, anthropology, health, etc and have an interest in pursuing an environmental career upon graduating from college.
  • Possess proficient verbal and written communication skills.
  • Have a strong interest in working with Native American tribes or projects benefiting Native American tribes.

Application Process:

Potential Intern Host Sites for Summer 2019:

Several potential host sites will be available for your review and consideration. When you are providing your preferences, we recommend you carefully consider the project description and the skills. The ITEP staff will consider your input when making offers.

Please submit your documents by email or mail:
Email documents to: eeop-intern@nau.edu

Mail documents to:
ITEP-EEOP Internship Program
PO Box 5768
Flagstaff, AZ 86011

Application Deadline: February 25, 2019.

Selection Process:
The intern selection process will begin March 4, 2019. The EEOP staff will select two or three applicants for each host site. The intern applicants will be rated based on the following:

  • Quality of the application packet;
  • Interest in environmental careers as demonstrated by the essay and school transcripts, work, volunteer, and school activities;
  • Interest in tribal communities and issues as demonstrated by the essay and work, volunteer, and school activities;
  • Match to the skills and interests requested by the host site.

The host site staff will review the applications and conduct telephone interviews with the potential interns. The host office will make the final selection.

Selected Interns:
The intern will work at the host site but will be paid by Northern Arizona University (NAU). The EEOP staff will work with the selected students to arrange travel, housing and payroll. Students will be paid by NAU and payment is based on students completing an 8 week, 40 hour per week internship.

Earning Academic Credits

Northern Arizona University does not offer academic credits for the ITEP-EEOP internship, however we will cooperate with any department or college that is willing to award academic credit for the internship. Be sure to review our program with your department to make sure it meets their requirements.