Goals
Four goals guide the Humanities in Action program:
- Increase student participation in internships
- Enhance career readiness and professional development
- Increase the number of humanities majors
- Improve local communities
The Humanities in Action program enables humanities students to gain practical experience about the relevance of a humanities degree through a career-focused curriculum and meaningful internship experiences.
Career readiness competencies will be infused throughout each humanities major, ensuring that all humanities majors develop the skills required for success in today’s workforce. This professional development within the classroom culminates in a paid internship experience in a nonprofit organization during the spring, summer, or fall semester.
"Ball State is continuing to innovate in ways that meet Indiana’s workforce and community needs. By connecting talented Ball State students with paid, real-world experiences, we’re strengthening talent pipelines, supporting mission-driven organizations, and helping communities thrive. Humanities in Action is an excellent example of how higher education can create practical pathways for students while delivering meaningful impact across the state."
- Becca Rice, Vice President for Government Relations and Industry Engagement
Process Overview
The
NACE Career Readiness Competencies will be integrated into each humanities major. Humanities majors will engage with each of these eight competencies as part of their required coursework, and learn how to articulate and apply these learned skills to their internships and future careers. Students will also have the opportunity to reflect on their experiences with the NACE Career Readiness Competencies and maintain a journal of these activities. By developing and strengthening these competencies, humanities majors will be empowered to launch a successful career post-graduation.
The academic components of the Humanities in Action program culminate in a paid internship for students. Benefits of an HIA internship include:
- Earning $15/hour for work during the internship semester
- Fall and Spring Interns: Earn a $2,100 stipend for working 10 hours/week throughout one 14-week semester (140 hours total)
- Summer Interns: Earn $3,000 stipend for working 20 hours/week throughout one 10-week summer semester (200 hours total)
- Being matched to a meaningful internship experience by the HIA Leadership Team
- Applying career competencies to invaluable real-world experiences
- Broadening networking connections within the nonprofit sector
- Gaining a better understanding of the relevance and marketing of a humanities degree within the modern-day workforce
CSHU 369 is the academic course at the heart of the HIA program.
Students who apply and are accepted into the paid internship program will enroll in CSHU 369 during the semester of their internship. This course provides professional development, career preparation, and insight into the nonprofit sector and its role in improving society. Students will learn about, and reflect on, how their internship experiences (and humanities training more generally) help them to gain mastery of the NACE career readiness competencies. Students will also learn how to translate their skills and experiences into professional language that can be used in resumes and job interviews. Overall, students will develop a better understanding of how a humanities degree prepares them for fulfilling careers.
CSHU 369 at a glance:
- 3 credit hours
- All online format
- Primarily asynchronous instructions, with the exception of two synchronous components
internship Application
Internship Application
Students are eligible for a paid Humanities in Action Internship when they have met all the following criteria:
- Have a declared humanities major
- Eligible majors are classical cultures, English, history, modern languages (French, Japanese, multi-language, or Spanish), philosophy, religious studies, and women's and gender studies
- Earned class rank of junior or senior by the time of their internship
- Completed at least 12 credits toward their humanities major by the time of their internship.
- Maintain good academic standing
Additional Requirements for Public History Majors
CSHU 369 can substitute for 3 of the required credit hours of HIST 369 (and 150 of the required internship hours). For this to happen, Public History majors are required to complete HIST 368 prior to being enrolled in CSHU 369 or beginning their internship hours.
The HIA program strives to make the internship application accessible to as many students as possible. However, due to a limited number of paid internship positions available per semester, the application process can become competitive. Here are some tips to help students submit successful internship applications:
- Plan semester schedules in advance and register for courses immediately when your assigned window opens
- Knowing your class schedule in advance allows you to identify your availability for internship hours
- Fall and Spring applicants will have to specify 10 hours available for internship work within regular business hours, Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM, in shifts that are a minimum of three hours
- Summer applicants will have to specify 20 hours available for internship work within regular business hours, Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM, in shifts that are a minimum of three hours.
- Be able to summarize your previous paid work experience in 1-2 paragraphs
- Have an idea of what top three nonprofit sectors interest you and align with your career goals. The Nonprofit sectors are:
- Advocacy & Community Development; Animal Welfare; Arts and Culture; Education; Environment and Conservation; Foundations & Philanthropies; Government/ Public Organizations; Health; Human and Social Services; International & Foreign Affairs; Professional Associations; and Religious
- Understand that the HIA program guarantees that every student will be matched with a meaningful internship experience, but students are not given specific choices within the matching process
- Attend upcoming informational sessions to learn more about the HIA program and application process
Eligible HIA students can apply for a paid internship by completing the online application.
Currently, the HIA application period is closed. Applications for Spring 2027 internships will open in Fall 2026.
Check back here for updates regarding the Spring 2027 application details.
If you have additional application questions, reach out to the Program Manager.
Internship Experience
Once applicants have been accepted into the paid internship portion of the program, students must complete the following to finalize their internship placement:
- Sign and submit a Student Internship Participation Agreement
- Register for CSHU 369 during the semester of their internship
- Respond promptly to all communication from the Program Manager during the internship matching process
- At the request of the nonprofit organization, schedule an interview to meet with one’s provisional supervisor and begin learning about the work of that organization
Once these steps are completed, the Program Manager will confirm the internship placement.
During the internship semester, students will complete:
- An internship orientation with the Program Manager
- Fall orientation will occur the week prior to the start of the fall semester
- Spring orientation will occur the week before classes begin
- Summer orientation will occur during the end of the spring semester
- Required hours of work per week at their assigned internship site. Students will establish a consistent work schedule with their internship supervisor
- Fall and Spring interns work an average of 10 hours per week (a total of 140 hours) to earn a $2100 stipend
- Summer interns work an average of 20 hours per week (a total of 200 hours) to earn a $3000 stipend
- CSHU 369 coursework concurrently to their internship experience
Following the completion of the internship experience, HIA students can engage in ongoing professional and leadership development opportunities, including:
- Attending an etiquette dinner (required)
- Serving as a student representative on the HIA Advisory Council
- Telling your HIA story via university blogs, social media, or student interest meetings
Get Involved
The HIA program is designed to benefit community partners just as much as students. As a nonprofit organization in the HIA program, you can expect to experience the following benefits:
- Increased organizational networking and visibility within the community
- Tailored MOU process resulting in an internship arrangement that meets the goals of the nonprofit organization
- Ball State-funded internship stipends to attract a diverse, more competitive pool of high-quality student interns
- Administrative support, including evaluating student applications and organized placement matching to align organizational needs with students’ interests and skills
- 140 hours of intern labor provided by fall and spring students and 200 hours of intern labor provided by summer students
- Ongoing opportunities for additional organizational support provided by the HIA Leadership Team
Examples of Humanities Intern Projects
The Program Manager will work alongside nonprofit organizations to identify humanities-related projects that fit the goals of the organization. Some example projects include:
- Leading PR campaigns, writing grant proposals, or drafting policy changes
- Collecting, documenting, and sharing client experiences to better tell the story and impact of the nonprofit organization
- Exploring opportunities to expand or improve nonprofit programs to Hispanic clients and communities
- Providing cultural insights or continuing education opportunities to nonprofit staff or client programs
- Overseeing the recruitment and retention of volunteers, including strategic operations to strengthen volunteer partnerships with varied faith communities
- Using a broad humanities lens for research projects, program development, and advocacy
The HIA Leadership Team is always eager to connect with the good work of non-profit organizations. Contact
Kendall Ellis to schedule an exploratory meeting.
HIA is committed to providing meaningful internship experiences to all students. Offering paid stipends for student work is a significant part of ensuring the program remains accessible.
An endowed fund has been established to guarantee this paid internship experience for generations. For individuals and organizations interested in financially contributing to HIA’s endowed fund, you can donate here.
Thank you for your generosity and support of high-quality humanities education at Ball State University.
HIA Team
Program Manager: Kendall Ellis
The Program Manager serves as the liaison between students and their nonprofit internship organizations, often serving as the primary contact for both. They manage the internship application and placement processes, develop and maintain relationships with community partners, and assist students with issues involving their internships.
Program Directors: Richard Petts and Melisa Stevens
The Program Directors provide overall leadership and strategic oversight for Humanities in Action, ensuring that program goals are met and align with the goals of the College of Sciences and Humanities and the mission of Ball State University.
The Faculty Departmental Directors provide academic leadership for Humanities in Action within each humanities department. They develop and manage career readiness curricular maps within their department, provide faculty mentorship and support for integrating NACE competencies into courses, promote career preparation among students, and work closely with the Program Directors and Program Manager to promote and advance the program.
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The Humanities in Action program is made possible by the Mellon Foundation, which awarded a $2.5 million grant to Ball State University to create hands-on opportunities for undergraduate students majoring in the humanities.
The Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity, and that everyone deserves the beauty and empowerment that can be found there. Through their grants, they seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and guided by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive.