Thanks to a recent donation, Washington University’s Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies will be sponsoring a summer internship program for University students.

“The compensation package is $2,500 dollars over 10 weeks, but we include room and board here on campus,” said Lawrence Luscri, the student services coordinator for the Skandalaris Center.

The 20 interns, who will stay on campus over the summer, will either work with established businesses or pursue projects involving their own business or social venture.

A student who wishes to pursue the internship with his own entrepreneurial project experiences limits, as the business must qualify as a “start-up” business, and therefore is constrained in terms of revenue, employees and funding. Otherwise, the student would simply work with an existing large company.

Luscri stated that although the individual who made the donation did not do so anonymously, his name will not be released until the end of the week.

Luscri also explained the Skandalaris internship in detail, noting that it originated from the Entrepreneurship Council, on which University Chancellor Mark Wrighton holds a chair.

Students selected as interns will work both with each other and individuals outside the University.

“Part of the program includes a collaborative component where the students get together with other interns-we bring someone from the companies or an entrepreneur and do a presentation to have a networking event, once a week,” said Luscri. “The business will be a part of that event; we choose representatives from those businesses and bring them together.”

Luscri stressed that in any case, interns would work with actual entrepreneurial companies, their own or otherwise.

“All the companies will still be start-up entrepreneurial companies; it’s just a difference of whether the entrepreneurs start on their own or if we pair them up [with companies].”

Luscri added that students interested in projects beyond making money would also have an opportunity to practice entrepreneurial ventures oriented toward social change.

“We’re open to social ventures and non-profits as well. You don’t have to be a business student to be an entrepreneur.”

Kenneth Harrington, director of the Skandalaris Center, stated that the new Skandalaris internship program would serve as a valuable means for student entrepreneurs to spend time between semesters to learn how to establish their entrepreneurial ventures and projects.

“The summer internship program will fill the continuum of learning and experience on campus-connecting students working in various entrepreneurial ventures through weekly seminars and networking opportunities,” said Harrington.

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