Whitman College Celebrates National Intern Day

Today, on National Intern Day, Whitman College is celebrating the ongoing success of the Whitman Internship Grant (WIG) program—a competitive grant that provides funding to Whitman students who secure or build an unpaid internship opportunity.

Now entering its 26th year, the program has supported more than 1,500 students in their internship pursuits. This summer, the WIG program is supporting more than 90 internships in locations across the globe, including 25 in the Walla Walla Valley. 

Any Whitman College student who is enrolled full time and is eligible to work in the United States may apply for this grant, either for a semester or during the summer months. International students who are permanent residents or who have received OPT/CPT authorization may apply. 

Intern Voices From On the Job

Linnea Morris ’25, a rising senior who is majoring in Politics, secured a summer internship at BIG Recyclers in Walla Walla. “I have really enjoyed working for an organization started and supported by passionate and knowledgeable community members who saw a way to change something in their community, acted on it, and continue to grow their efforts for change.”

“I have appreciated the support that I have received from my lab colleagues,” says Marika Cartier ’26, a Biology major who is an intern at the Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine at Seattle Children’s Research Institute. “Everyone in the lab has been so open and willing to help me or answer my questions.”

“I met some really amazing, kind and helpful connections in my field,” says Geology major Ben Todd ’26 who interned at Washington State University.

Todd also has this advice for other students who participate in an internship: “Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you can.”

“One thing I appreciate most about my internship is the invaluable hands-on experience I get with paralegal/legal assistant responsibilities,” says Rocio Josephine Lybarger-Yanes ’25, a Politics-Environmental Studies major, a summer intern with Michael A. Jacobson, PS, Attorney at Law. “And while it was intimidating at first, I have never been in an environment that expands my quick and adaptive learning skills quite like this.”

“I’ve loved getting to learn about analytical chemistry, which is a subsection of chemistry that I haven’t explored yet at Whitman," says Anna Shimkus ’26, a Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology major, with a summer internship with Ingram Lab at Northern Arizona University. “I found that leaning in and not being afraid to ask questions helped me to learn so much more during my internship experience.”

Biology-Environmental Studies major Erin Grossman ’26 traveled to Madre de Dios, Peru for an internship at Hoja Nueva, an environmental conservation organization. “I have really enjoyed being fully immersed in the biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest during my internship. It has allowed me to have a deeper appreciation for this complex ecosystem.”

An assortment of blog posts from current and recent interns are available online.

Whitman students interested in learning more about the WIG program are invited to schedule an appointment with Nadine Stecklein, Assistant Director for Internship Programs.

Employers interested in creating an internship for Whitman students can learn more from the Career and Community Engagement Center (CCEC) or call the CCEC at 509-527-5183.