The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) is the recipient of an award for summer internship support. HACU, a national, non-profit organization, has a long and distinguished record of providing summer internship opportunities through the organization?s National Internship Program (NIP). Through the NIP academically prepared students throughout the US and Puerto Rico have received quality internship assignments with various federal government agencies. Students who participate in the NIP are exposed to various career options in the Federal sector that serve to assist them in making informed career choices and solidify career objectives. By partnering with the Federal government, HACU has been able to successfully place over 7,000 students in internships since NIP commenced in 1992. In an effort to continue its collaboration with HACU, the National Science Foundation, a participating government agency for the last six years, will offer challenging assignments that will broaden the exposure of students pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). These internships create a unique opportunity to assist in the fulfillment of goals aligned with the America Competes Act, and allow the Foundation to actively participate in developing the intellectual capital needed to achieve excellence in STEM education.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) partnered with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) with the goal of providing Hispanic students a unique professional development experience in the fields of Science, Math, Engineering and Technology (STEM). HACU represents more than 400 colleges and universities serving the largest concentration of the nation’s youngest and fastest-growing minority population. HACU’s flagship program is the HACU National Internship Program (HNIP). Since its inception in 1992, this program has worked with public and private sector partners to provide successful internships to over 9,000 higher education students. HNIP has been identified by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as a "best practice" tool for the recruitment of Hispanics into the federal government. By providing a comprehensive range of services to students, supervisors, and federal agencies, HNIP has become a model program for both student development and outreach to college students. Since 1996, HACU and the National Science Foundation have collaborated through HNIP. The National Science Foundation has hosted 196 HACU interns in fifteen summer cycles and one spring cycle with excellent results. During the period of the award (Summer 2008 – Summer 2010) HNIP placed a total of 45 interns at the National Science Foundation. In addition to the placement of interns at the NSF, a select group of HACU interns represented the NSF at HACU’s annual conference, as well as at other scientific national conferences such as SACNAS. These students promoted the National Science Foundation's mission, activities, partnerships, programs and career opportunities as well as took advantage of available networking opportunities. Intellectual Merit of the Activity: An internship at the NSF provided Hispanic students an invaluable opportunity to develop their leadership and research skills while allowing them access to important professional networks that have been historically unavailable to them, particularly to those students attending MSIs. The internship experience represents an excellent door by which Hispanic students can be developed into future leaders and advance their respective fields. Broader Impacts of the Activity: The proposed activity significantly contributes to broadening Hispanic participation in the STEM fields. It provides Hispanic students with a substantive experience that not only inspires them but also provides them with the necessary support to achieve leadership roles. These participants through their advancement, and their service as NSF Ambassadors, will serve as role models to other Hispanic students and disseminate information in their communities.
