About
History
The Northwestern University Public Interest Program was started in 2005 by two undergraduate students and a faculty advisor. The model was inspired by a similar program, the Princeton AlumniCorps Project 55 Fellowship. NUPIP is now managed by Northwestern’s Center for Civic Engagement. With support from staff, faculty, alumni, and community partners, the program’s unique model helps students develop their capacity to make an impact on issues they care about while introducing them to a wide range of careers in the public interest sector.
Fellowship Overview
NUPIP Fellows are top recent graduates from Northwestern University placed at Chicago-area nonprofits or civic organizations for full-time work over a period of 10-12 months. Candidates for NUPIP Fellowships go through a rigorous screening process, which includes an application and interview process with Northwestern staff, faculty, and alumni, and culminates with host organization applications and interviews. NUPIP supports regular professional development seminars, a professional mentorship program, and networking and community building activities.
Job Placement
During their senior year, students apply to NUPIP and are selected as finalists. Finalists are then matched to organizations and positions that align with their interests, skills, and experience. After interviews have been completed, organizations extend job offers to their top candidates. If the finalist accepts, they become a Fellow and are entitled to all of the benefits of the NU Public Interest Program. Job placements begin at various points in early summer to early fall based on the Fellow’s schedule and the organization’s needs.
Seminars
Throughout the fellowship year, Fellows participate in a series of professional development seminars. These seminars take place biweekly (twice per month) and explore a variety of topics related to nonprofit and public sector management, skill building, and career development. Seminars are held at public interest organizations throughout Chicago, typically featuring nonprofit or government executives or other community leaders.
Mentorship
Each Fellow is assigned a professional mentor who is well-established in the public interest sphere. The mentorship experience provides the opportunity for Fellows to receive individual support throughout their Fellowship experience, guidance on next steps in their career path, and connections as they establish a professional network in their field of interest.
Community
Fellows are part of a cohort of recent NU graduates working at nonprofits and government agencies throughout the Chicago area. Fellows go through the program together, participate in periodic networking and social events, and are connected to the broader community of NUPIP alumni, supervisors, mentors, faculty and staff, and other university partners. Many Fellows find the cohort and community to be one of the most valuable aspects of their experience.
Interested? Learn more about the Application Process.