Penn State Abington Economic Development Internship Fund

Through the generosity of multiple alumni donors, in partnership with Alumni Relations & Development, the Center for Career & Professional Development is pleased to offer financial support for students completing economic development internship experiences. The Penn State Abington Economic Development Internship Fund (PSAEDIF) will sponsor select internships at start-ups, companies/corporations, and not-for-profit organizations that enhance business activity in Pennsylvania, with a preference for those internships located in the Greater Philadelphia Region (Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware Counties).  

Funding of up to $4,000 is available for each student chosen through a competitive application process. Funds are not guaranteed. The number of stipends and dollar amounts will be based upon available program funds and demonstrated student interest.  

This internship funding is not intended to replace wages. Instead, it is meant to help alleviate supplemental costs associated with pursuing an internship including housing, transportation, and food.  

Student Criteria

  • Students must be enrolled in a degree program and in good academic standing.
  • Students must have secured an internship that meets the professional standards established by CPD and their respective academic department.
  • Students must intend to receive credit during the semester in which their internship occurs and must have initiated the process for registering their internship for credit.
  • Students cannot be a previous economic development internship fund recipient or a Germer-Taub Scholar.

Employer Criteria

  • The employer must be located in Pennsylvania with a preference for those located in the Greater Philadelphia Region.
  • The employer must demonstrate commitment to job creation, business development, and/or the internship must be working on a project that grows the business in a demonstrable way. 

Student Commitment

  • Students must successfully complete the internship, as defined by their employer, and receive a satisfactory grade in the internship course.
  • Students must submit a post-internship reflection summarizing their experience.
  • Students must write a thank you letter to the donor. 

To apply for the Economic Development Internship Fund: 

Summer 2026 Internship Application 

  • Deadline to apply - April 24, 2026 

Frequently Asked Questions

For next steps, see the FAQs below.

Through the generosity of multiple alumni donors, the Center for Career and Professional Development is pleased to offer financial support for students completing internship experiences with employers that are creating new business development and jobs.  

You must have secured and registered an internship for credit. The internship can be a Required internship or can be an Exploratory internship (completed by any major). 

Your internship employer must be located in Pennsylvania, with a preference given to those internships located in the Greater Philadelphia Region (Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware Counties).

The employer must demonstrate commitment to job creation, business development and/or the internship must be working on a project that grows business in a demonstrable way.

This may include companies in various stages of development, including start-ups and not-for-profits, which may be fledgling, growing quickly, or more established. In cases of established companies, they may be considered if the intern would be working on initiating new products, repositioning product lines, transforming technology, or initiating a transformation of the company’s entire business. 

Preference may be given to those in unpaid or low-paid internships.

  1. You must have an internship to submit an application.
    1. Interested in applying but haven’t secured an internship yet? Use the resources located on CPDs website and meet with a Career Counselor to get personalized guidance on internship searching and creating a resume and cover letter.
  2. Register your internship for credit using the Internship Application Process.
  3. Submit the Internship Funding application.
    1. This includes a 250-word essay or a video submission detailing 1) how the internship will positively impact the student’s career exploration and goals for their career and 2) how these funds will benefit you. Please be thoughtful in your responses. 

All applicants will receive notification within 3 weeks after the submission deadline. 

Several criteria will be weighed to determine the award amount, with amounts ranging from $500 to $4000. These criteria include but are not limited to number of hours required at your internship, if your internship is unpaid or low paid, and if your semester is during the summer (due to added expense of paying for summer credits). 
This internship funding is not intended to replace wages. Instead, it is meant to help alleviate supplemental costs associated with pursuing an internship including housing, transportation, and food.  

Once you have been chosen to be awarded funds, you will receive an award letter with instructions on how to register on PaymentWorks, the University’s third-party vendor for providing secure and compliant payments.  

You will then receive 2 installments of direct payment to your student account. The first installment will be at the midpoint of your internship, and second and final payment upon successful evaluation by your internship supervisor. 

The Economic Development Internship Award may be taxable for federal, state, and/or local tax purposes. Please seek advice from a qualified and reputable financial or tax professional, as the University cannot provide individual tax advice. 

Specific deadlines to register your internship for credit can be found in the Internship Application Process. 

Specific deadlines to apply for funding can be found in the Internship Funding Process. 

Unfortunately, we cannot accept incomplete or late applications. Please plan your internship search keeping these deadlines in mind. We encourage students to start their internship search at least 6 months in advance.