You have your degree. Now what? Do you have the experience needed for employment in your degree field?

Work experience plays a major role when employers identify qualified employees. The problem many students face after graduation is having little or no work experience in their chosen field.

In the spring of 2004, the Chickasaw Nation created a solution to help students obtain work experience and increase their potential full-time employment. The tribal Division of Education established an internship program available to full-time Chickasaw students ages 18 to 25. The program was developed to train young Chickasaw ambassadors to become leaders in their local communities, states and nation while building relationships and strengthening employment prospects.

“The students benefit from the program by having the experience that organizations request prior to employment,” said Chickasaw Nation Internship coordinator Chenae Lippard. “The tribe also benefits by giving students opportunities to build relationships in Indian Country where they can make a difference and increase tribal awareness.”

The mission of the Internship program is to work in partnership with government and business leaders across the country to provide exclusive educational opportunities for leading Chickasaw students. The program directly impacts the future of the tribe by supporting a participant who returns with applicable experience, and potentially becomes a leader in the Chickasaw Nation or local community.

The internship program exposes Chickasaw students to new environments. It also provides opportunities to develop business and professional contacts, and builds valuable work experience for future employment. It encourages students to explore career opportunities in several areas. Students are able to specify specific internship interests that fit with their college majors. The Division of Education works to coordinate an internship that best fulfills the student’s needs.

“My internship in Washington, D.C. was an insightful and valuable learning experience,” said 2007 intern Kevin Kincheloe. “It has fueled my passion for politics, and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity the Chickasaw Nation has provided me. I am hopeful to use this experience to continue a career of service to my country and my tribe.”

Through the program, the tribe provides each student with a six-to eight-week internship opportunity, a weekly stipend, one round-trip airline ticket to the internship site and housing accommodations.

The internship program is conducted at different times throughout the year in locations determined by the tribe. Students apply and are confirmed by a selection committee. The Division of Education staff works with the student and employer to determine internship timelines.

The program was initially designed to send students to the nation’s capitol. After one year, the tribe discovered the wide range of student interests, which created opportunities in other cities across the United States, including inter-tribal placement. Since then, Chickasaw interns have served in Washington D.C., Arkansas, California, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, and in more than 14 tribal divisions, including Health, Commerce, Nutrition Services, Lighthorse Police, child care and more.

To qualify for the program, applicants must complete an intern application and submit all documentation to the Chickasaw Nation Internship program coordinator. Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 25 and be a full-time Chickasaw college student enrolled as a sophomore, junior, senior or graduate student.

For more information, contact the Internship coordinator Chenae Lippard at (580) 436-0877, chenae.lippard@chickasaw.net  or visit www.chickasaw.net.