Internship in Civic and Community Engagement (PHI 496)

A University at Buffalo student engages community stakeholders at a resource fair.

Gain valuable experience while making our communities a better place! 

Project description

Want to make Buffalo and Western New York a better place? This internship program places qualified undergraduate students into internships with local community and civic organizations. Under the supervision of an assigned mentor, interns will gain experience working side by side with a variety of stakeholders to tackle pressing challenges in our community. By the end of this program, interns will not only develop valuable professional skills but also contribute to building a more inclusive and resilient Western New York. 

Project outcome

Students will complete an internship with a local community/civic organization and a PowerPoint presentation. 

Project details

Timing, eligibility and other details
Length of commitment About a semester; 3-5 months
Start time

Spring 2026 (January/February)
In-person, remote, or hybrid? Hybrid Project (Can be remote and/or in-person; to be determined by mentor and student)
Level of collaboration Individual Student Project
Benefits

Academic Credit

Independent Study course (set up in mentor's department for a specific student or group of students) 
Who is eligible All undergraduate students 

Project mentor

David Emmanuel Gray

Associate Teaching Professor

Philosophy

Phone: (716) 645-0164

Email: degray@buffalo.edu

Start the project

  1. Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
  2. After you receive approval from the mentor to start this project, click the button to start the digital badge. (Learn more about ELN's digital badge options.) 
Start the Digital Badge

Preparation activities

Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. After you’re approved to begin the project, your mentor will send the relevant materials. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase. 

  • Secure an internship with a local community/civic organization in Western New York.
  • Work with organizational supervisor on an outline of expected deliverables to be completed by the end of the project. (It is okay if this is preliminary, as things may significantly change or evolve during the course of the internship.) 

Keywords

Intern, internship, philosophy, ethics, politics, political, justice, community, civic, engagement, economics, sociology, public, administration, urban, nonprofit, management, business, entrepreneurship, law, legal