Carolina Covenant Professional Development Grants

Students may apply for funding to support:

• Unpaid research assistantships and internships
• Unpaid travel costs associated with a professional development experience (interviews, internships, conference attendance, etc.)
• Unpaid career-advancing, mentored service, or shadowing in a career field of interest
• Certification courses and exams such as Certified Nursing Assistant, Emergency Medical Technician, Professional in Human Resources, etc.
• Test preparation courses for standardized tests required for graduate school (MCAT, LSAT, GRE, GMAT, etc.). Test prep books are not considered eligible as they can be checked out from the UNC Libraries and the Learning and Writing Center.
• Professional attire (NOTE: If this is your only need, apply for Styled for Success funds instead.)
• Supplementation of underpaid research assistantships and internships. Scholars who have secured a funded experience but believe their experience is underpaid (i.e. insufficient to cover basic needs, travel, and housing) should first attempt to negotiate with their employer. Guidance on how to do this can be provided by the Assistant Director for Career Development and Outcomes. If the employer is unable to offer more, Scholars can provide documentation with their application for additional funding.

• Costs associated with moving for a full-time opportunity.
• Costs of furniture, amenities, etc. beyond basic costs of living.
• For-credit coursework at UNC or another institution.
• Study abroad opportunities.
• Opportunities that require international travel that is not sponsored by a UNC department. International travel sponsored by a student organization will not be approved.

The maximum grant award is $4000. In most cases for full-time internships/research positions (30-40 hours/week), the following breakdown will apply:

• Full summer internship (8-10 weeks): $4000
• Half summer internship (5-7 weeks): $2000
• Micro-internship (1-4 weeks): up to $1000
• Conference registration and travel: up to $2000
• Travel to interviews: up to $500 reimbursement

Awards will be scaled to fit each student’s individual needs and based upon hours per week. Meaning, if a position requires fewer than 30-40 hours/week, the award may be scaled down accordingly.

Receiving funding from other university sources may affect your grant award. If you receive notice of an approved application and then subsequently receive other university grant awards, your application status may change and your award total may be reduced in part or in full.

The online application will include:

• Information about you
• A description of the experience for which you are seeking funding
• A brief summary of your current career goals and how this experience will impact your trajectory towards these goals
• A reflection on the NACE Career Readiness Competencies
• Contact information for your Covenant Mentor and the supervisor of your summer experience

By submitting an application, you are committing to participate in assessment efforts such as completing surveys and participating in check-ins with Covenant Staff over the summer. You are also granting permission for Covenant to share your information, media, and narratives you submit for assessment, storytelling, and communications purposes.

• Independent search: Explore Handshake and LinkedIn for opportunities in your field and attend career fairs sponsored by University Career Services (UCS). Look at the job pages of companies at which you want to work. Talk about potential opportunities with your mentors, instructors, and peers. Sign up for the Internships Found Here newsletter from UCS. Review the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Database.
• Pitch an Idea: Think about a place you would like to intern, serve as a research assistant, or a career development experience you would like to have and write to the leaders to pitch an idea. Carolina Covenant can work with you to craft a letter.
• Get Support from the Covenant Career Team: Make an appointment with the Covenant Career Team for personalized guidance.

Funds will be distributed in lump sum in the amount awarded directly to your student account. Most funds will be distributed on or around the first week of Summer Session I. It is your responsibility to manage and apply these funds for the designated experience to ensure you have adequate support throughout the experience and summer.

It is strongly recommended that recipients of this grant are not enrolled in summer courses at UNC. This allows for more of your funds to be directly available to support you and allow you the time, energy, and focus needed to fully immerse yourself in your summer experience.

If you are enrolled in courses for the summer, the grant will first be applied toward your cost of attendance and fees. Any funding not absorbed by these costs will appear as part of a refund that you can use toward other costs associated with your summer experience. This means that you will receive less of your grant in-pocket if you enroll in summer courses.

If you are not enrolled in courses for the summer, the full amount of the award will be available in your account for you to support the needs outlined in your application. You will receive the funds in the same account in which you receive your financial aid refund. If you are not a May graduate, you will be enrolled in a zero-credit, no-charge placeholder course which will show as “SUOP”. The placeholder allows funding to be added to your budget and funds to be given when you are not enrolled in coursework.

If your enrollment plans change, you must alert the Covenant office at your earliest convenience, ideally before making any changes to your enrollment status. Your application for funding will ask you if you will be enrolled in courses during the summer, so if your plans change after you submit your application, it will cause delays and potentially reductions in your funding. Please contact us for guidance during your consideration process so we can inform you of potential changes and how to best proceed.

We expect that awardees will participate in all evaluation and assessment efforts and share photos and videos about your experience, which may be used in future reporting and promotional communications. By submitting an application, you are consenting to participate in these efforts.

Notify the Carolina Covenant Team. We care about you and will work with you to determine the best next steps.

We expect this opportunity to provide a positive experience for you and hope that you are excited. We also know that many students may experience various mental health challenges even while engaging in a worthwhile experience. Dr. Jayne Davis – Director of Covenant Scholar Well-being – will be available to you over the summer months by appointment to support your well-being needs. Make an appointment with Jayne here.