While some of her peers were relaxing over summer vacation, Eythana Miller was reviewing music and art exhibitions and conducting interviews for METAL Magazine. It was a dream internship for college students who, like Miller, are interested in pursuing a career in journalism.
“It was illuminating as to how an arts-focused publication manages its editorial process,” said Miller, a political economy major in her final year at UC Berkeley. “I plan to keep working toward journalism and watching for exciting opportunities as they arise. I don’t have a clear cut path laid out, but I know that industry experience, even through internships, can round out your perspective and show graduate schools and employers another side of you beyond academics.”
The Social Sciences Career Readiness Internship Program (SSCRIP) made Miller’s experience possible. The initiative launched in January for third- and fourth-year students majoring in the social sciences.
The program has three key aspects. First, it enrolls students in a semester-long class where alumni give real-world advice and teach students how to expand their professional network. Second, it brings in campus partners like the Career Engagement office to help students polish skills like interviewing and writing cover letters. And third, it provides participants with a paid summer internship.
“It was incredibly helpful to receive a stipend over the summer and not have to pay for expenses like flights and housing that normally come with a program like this,” said Miller. “I’ve supported myself since I was 18, and I am very familiar with budgeting, saving, and working more hours than my academic life or mental health would ideally allow. It’s a relief when programs take care of costs so I can stay engaged with the work I’m involved in.”
Raka Ray, the dean of Berkeley Social Sciences, created SSCRIP with these financial concerns in mind. Many of the program’s participants come from lower-income backgrounds or are the first in their families to attend college. Internships can significantly improve their odds of landing a good job after graduation. One study found social sciences majors were 40 percent less likely to be underemployed five years after college if they had a previous internship. However, low pay and cultural barriers put these opportunities out of reach for many.
SSCRIP’s goal is to level the playing field by preparing all students for the job market.
Suzanne Allen began working as the SSCRIP coordinator in September. The UC Santa Cruz alum regrets not taking advantage of internships during her college years.
“Much to my chagrin, the idea of doing an internship did not occur to me,” said Allen. “I’m horrified to admit this, but I still don't know where the career services office is at UC Santa Cruz. I struggled with learning how to build a professional network. So I feel strongly that if we are going to do right by all of our students, particularly those from backgrounds with fewer financial resources or different cultural perspectives, we need to coach them on how to build a network and let others advocate on their behalf.”
Navigating the job market can be difficult. Allen calls the way in which job openings are shared a “hidden cultural system.”
“There are so many situations that are not intuitive,” said Allen. “Just last week, a student told me that from her cultural perspective, asking for help from an alum would be considered showing weakness. There are all these complexities that we are trying to identify and demystify in order to give all of our seniors an equal shot at a great first job and the beginnings of a wonderful support network.”
Eythana Miller
Allen previously worked as the internship director for Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. As with Berkeley’s social sciences students, Duke’s public policy majors have many potential career paths available after graduating, and that freedom can feel overwhelming.
“Choosing a single professional direction is very stressful, especially if you are feeling that there is only one right ‘next step,’” said Allen. SSCRIP’s one-unit professional development course provides guidance on setting career goals and brings successful alumni to campus to speak with the class. “You can see how much Cal alumni enjoy helping current students and how the students are gaining confidence in professional settings. Building professional relationships is a critical new skill that needs to be practiced in real life and in real-time.”
After the school year, SSCRIP students embark on meaningful internships from Berkeley to Barcelona, where Berhan Weldemichael interned at #HomelessEntrepreneur. Weldemichael is a non-traditional student, meaning that he did not attend college immediately following high school. After starting a family and earning his associate’s degree, however, he set his sights on UC Berkeley.
“I wanted to earn my degree at an institution that has an outstanding name, such as Berkeley, to leave a legacy for my children,” said Weldemichael. “I wanted to break the education barrier in my family tree by being a first-generation college degree holder.”
SSCRIP partners with international placement partners to match participants with host organizations in many desirable cities around the globe. This support for international internships appealed to Weldemichael, who is majoring in global studies with a peace and conflict focus. As an intern at #HomelessEntrepreneur, he coordinated fundraising events, exercised his public speaking skills, and participated in the organization's 150-kilometer walking initiative to raise awareness around homelessness during the Summer Olympics.
“SSCRIP was amazing from start to finish,” said Weldemichael. “I am privileged to be among the selected candidates. Having the opportunity was surely something I did not take lightly. SSCRIP equipped us with all the information, so there was no problem in getting integrated into the workforce. I will tell everyone about this program.”
Berhan Weldemichael
Elsewhere in Spain, Claudia Martinez worked as a career development intern for REMAR, a nonprofit in Madrid that provides humanitarian aid, basic needs, and free social services to vulnerable populations worldwide. Martinez provided Spanish assistance to individuals seeking employment. She used her SSCRIP training to help people write resumes, prepare for interviews, and settle into new jobs.
“This experience taught me a lot about navigating professional workplace settings and establishing connections with my colleagues,” said Martinez. “I learned the importance of diligence and understanding when working with individuals facing various challenges. As someone passionate about grassroots community service, I found this work incredibly fulfilling.”
“I’ve worked every summer to support myself while studying, and interning abroad wouldn’t have been feasible without the financial support we received as interns,” continued Martinez. “UC Berkeley’s interns were the only ones in the cohort who received stipends, which truly made me feel that my university and its alumni go above and beyond to support their students.”
Martinez credits her internship experience for helping her secure her current position as a research assistant at UC Berkeley’s Center for the Study of Child Care Employment. She says her time at college has taught her to keep an open mind, seize the moment, and recognize that rigid plans are not guaranteed.
“As a first-generation college student, I chose to attend UC Berkeley because I knew it would be a transformative experience for me,” said Martinez. “The academics and opportunities, like the SSCRIP program, are unmatched and hard to find at most universities in the U.S.”
Berkeley Social Sciences doubled this year’s SSCRIP cohort from last spring’s pilot, with further plans to expand in the coming years. The program, which is entirely funded through philanthropic investment, now reaches students in every department in the Division of Social Sciences.
“The opportunities I’ve had at Berkeley, like SSCRIP, have completely changed how I think about my future,” said Miller, the METAL Magazine intern. “I know something will come up at the right time because of the experiences I’ve had and the connections I’ve made. Though internship placements and experiences vary widely, I’d recommend SSCRIP to anyone who’s willing to try something new and wants to get a taste of a field they find interesting.”
Claudia Martinez
