The College of Arts and Sciences launches REAL Program-- set to distribute $550,000 to over 125 students
The College of Arts and Sciences of Santa Clara University is pleased to announce the inaugural launch of the REAL Program, which provides paid research, internship, project, and creative work opportunities to students.
In its first year, the program, which stands for Real Experience. Actual Learning, will distribute $550,000 to more than 125 students across 18 different majors.
The REAL-funded projects will be for undergraduate opportunities lasting up to 10 weeks over the summer. Students will receive stipends of up to $5,000 and will gain a rich understanding of a particular field, discover their strengths and interests, discern their career goals, and explore future employment fields.
“No student should have to turn down an internship or research opportunity because they have to work another job to make ends meet,” says Dr. Katy Korsmeyer, Director of Special Projects for the College of Arts and Sciences. “We believe very strongly in the value of experiential learning opportunities and want to ensure our students have such opportunities for career discernment.”
While the REAL Program is off to a flying start, the program has even higher aspirations.
“It’s incredibly exciting to see the program grow so quickly. To think, we created this idea just 6 months ago, and to be at this point today, is amazing,” comments Dr. Debbie Tahmassebi, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “At the end of the day, we want to serve all of our students. Our ultimate goal is to provide at least one paid experiential learning opportunity during each College of Arts and Sciences students’ time at Santa Clara. It’s an ambitious goal, but the benefits to our students is worth striving for.”
For more information about the REAL Program, please visit www.scu.edu/REAL or contact Daniel Iritani, Director of External Relations for the College of Arts and Sciences.
About the College of Arts and Sciences at Santa Clara University
The College of Arts and Sciences is the heart of Santa Clara University. Our faculty integrate transformative teaching and innovative scholarship to engage students in the processes of learning, discovery and reflection as members of a community of scholars. The College of Arts and Sciences Corporate Partners Program aims to redefine corporate engagement with undergraduate universities. As the Jesuit university in the Silicon Valley, the College of Arts and Sciences is distinctly positioned to provide companies a unique platform to serve their community. For more information, see www.scu.edu/cas.
About Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University, a comprehensive Jesuit, Catholic university located 40 miles south of San Francisco in California’s Silicon Valley, offers its more than 9,000 students rigorous undergraduate curricula in arts and sciences, business, and engineering; master’s degrees in business, education, counseling psychology, pastoral ministry, and theology; and law degrees and engineering doctoral degrees. Distinguished nationally by one of the highest graduation rates among all U.S. master’s universities, California’s oldest operating higher-education institution demonstrates faith-inspired values of ethics and social justice. For more information, see www.scu.edu.