VSU Seeks Student Interns for Georgia Tech Summer Program

VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University’s Office of Career Opportunities is seeking students to work as paid, full-time interns for Horizons at Georgia Tech, a summer children’s program at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. The deadline to apply is Feb. 16.

Horizons at Georgia Tech is a six-week program taking place June 7 to July 13. It offers free academic and recreational instruction to low-income students in grades first through ninth in the Atlanta area.

VSU students selected as interns will serve as assistant teachers, supervising children, developing and implementing lesson plans, and assisting with hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics activities.

“This is a great opportunity for those who are studying in the field of education or interested in becoming teachers to be in the classroom, gain skills, and be mentored by master educators,” said Carla Jordan, assistant director of VSU’s Office of Career Opportunities. The Office of Career Opportunities has partnered with Georgia Tech for the past three years to provide interns for the Horizons at Georgia Tech program.

“The program gives VSU students a chance to take what they’re learning and implement it in a real-world setting,” Jordan said. “It takes the classroom experience and brings it to life.”

Tavion Morris, a VSU student from Atlanta, has interned at Horizons at Georgia Tech for the past two summers and plans to participate again this year.

“I have yet to come across a program that helps underprivileged children like this program does,” said Morris, an engineering studies major who expects to graduate in Spring 2019. “That caught my eye, and it made me want to give back to the community that I grew up in.

“The experience I've gained from Horizons has not only opened new doors for me as far as connections but has also helped shape me into the responsible, trustworthy, and hardworking man I am today.”

Jordan said the ideal intern is someone who is interactive, energetic, professional, and caring.

“Most of all they just need to have a strong work ethic because they’re being paid for the opportunity,” she said.

Each intern will receive $2,800 — $10 an hour — for a total of 280 hours of work. This includes mandatory training sessions before and after the program.

Interns are responsible for locating and paying for housing during the program.

The internship is open to current VSU students who are in good academic standing and who pass a criminal background check.

Swimming lessons are included in the Horizons at Georgia Tech program as a way to build confidence in children. Applicants are not required to know how to swim but should be comfortable standing in a pool.

The Office of Career Opportunities will assist applicants in crafting a proper resume and cover letter.

Horizons at Georgia Tech is committed to the development of the whole child through experiences that build problem-solving skills, foster awareness of community responsibility, instill respect for themselves and others, and encourage a lifelong interest in learning. The program’s primary goals include preventing summer decline in academic achievement and raising students’ expectations and aspirations.

Contact Darius Anthony, internship coordinator for VSU’s Office of Career Opportunities, at (229) 333-5942 or dlanthony@valdosta.edu to learn more.