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SSI - Summer Student Internship Program
Since 1994, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals (ITEP) has offered student summer internships for Native American and other college students, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). This program provides the opportunity for students to gain hands-on skills with EPA or other governmental and tribal environmental offices.

The deadline for student intern on-line application is Feb 15th. (www.nau.edu/eeop) (Supporting documentation is due by Feb 22nd.) The host sites selected will be published on this website by January 25th (Host site applications came from all across the nation; from both tribal environmental offices, and USEPA offices working on tribal issues.). The intern selection process will begin February 22nd. The EEOP staff will select three intern applications for each host office. The interns will be notified and provided a copy of the host site application. The host office will review the intern applications and conduct telephone interviews with the potential interns. The host office will make the final selection and notification. The EEOP staff will be handling travel, housing and payroll arrangements.

There is an online intern application (www.nau.edu/eeop) that should be completed, followed by several additional documents can be mailed to the EEOP office. All the documents submitted will be evaluated for clear, effective communications.

SSI - Online Applicaton:

Apply online - Click HERE ** Note: Only US Citizens are eligible to participate in this program due to federal funding stipulations.

SSI - Electronic Applicaton: ONLY use this application if online application is NOT accessible. Otherwise, please use the online form above.

MS Word electronic application - Click HERE    This application is in MS Word Office 2007 format ** Note: Please submit electronic applications to: Carol.Seumptewa@nau.edu

Description of Past Internships:

Native Voices with several interns    Ari van Schilfgaarde

Frequently Asked Questions:

Download FAQ

The internship is designed to give college students an opportunity to:

• Assist EPA/Tribal agencies with environmental issues.
• Acquire ready-to-use skills.
• Gain actual experience while contributing to a project.
• Earn $4,000 during the ten week experience.
• Receive a limited housing allowance.
• Receive a limited travel allowance.

Eligible interns will meet the following requirements:

• Be a US Citizen.
• Be a full-time student (12 hrs undergrad, 9 hrs grad) with satisfactory academic standing.
• Major in environmental or related field like science, engineering, planning, policy, law, management, political science, anthropology, health, etc.
• Be proficient verbal and written communication skills.
• Interested in working with Native American tribes or topics.

After January 25th you can review the host site applications on this webpage. If you have any preferences on location, you can email those preferences to Mansel (Be sure to identify yourself.) or mention it in your letter describing your interests, which is part of your application.

To apply, submit:

• An online application by February 15, 2010
• A resume and three reference letters
• A letter describing your interests
• Unofficial transcripts
• Resume, reference letters, interest letter, and unofficial transcripts must be received in the EEOP office by February 22, 2010

Guidelines for letters of recommendation:
Click HERE

Selected Host Sites:    Nez Perce ERWM Air Quality Program, Lapwai, ID    Southern Ute AQ Program, Ignacio, CO    Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, Sault Ste Marie, MI    Wampanoag Natural Resources Dept, Aquinnah, MA

Yakama Tribe and Tribal Air Program R10, Seattle, WA    Navajo Nation EPA Air Quality, Ft. Defiance, AZ    Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Harbor Springs, MI    USGS Central Reg Energy Science Cnt, Flagstaff, AZ and Denver, CO

Alternate Host Sites:

• Yavapai-Apache Nation, Camp Verde, AZ
• Kickapoo Tribe, Horton, KS
• USEPA Region 10, Office of Air Waste and Toxics, Seattle, WA
• USEPA Office of Air and Radiation, OAQPS, Research Triangle Park, NC
• USEPA Region 9, Air Division/Air Quality Analysis, San Francisco, CA

Contacts or questions:

• If you want to check on your application, contact Carol.Seumptewa, 928/523-1496, Carol.Seumptewa@nau.edu (Carol is maintaining the application files.)
• If you have questions about the internship program, contact Mansel Nelson, 928/523-1275, Mansel.Nelson@nau.edu