Dell, UNCF Offer Minority Internships

By Bruce E. Phillips

Popular computer maker Dell Computer Corporation has partnered with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to create a summer internship program that serves the needs of students and the company alike. Dell will spend $1 million over the next four years to host 45 students in its Corporate Scholars Program, preparing each for potential careers at Dell. The program offers hands-on training and financial assistance to African-American, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Native American juniors and seniors attending minority institutions.

"Our internships are vigorous and allow students to work on real projects that impact business on a global basis." Paul Kurth, Dell Computer

The Dell Corporate Scholars Program was established in association with UNCF to increase minority student interest in Dell and expand the company's pool of prospective minority employees. Eligibility is extended to rising juniors and seniors who are enrolled in a diverse array of academic disciplines, including business administration; marketing; human resources; electrical, mechanical, or computer engineering; supply chain; finance; computer science; and management information systems. Fifteen students selected from more than 300 applicants participated in the program last summer, its first season.

Paul Kurth, manager of University Relations for Dell, coordinates scholarship and internship programs for the computer maker. He says, "Our internships are vigorous and allow students to work on real projects that impact business on a global basis." Dell also sponsors other internships in cooperation with majority institutions and INROADS.

Kurth emphasizes the importance of interns to Dell: "To make sure that interns profit from the experience, at the end of the summer they receive a performance review like regular employees and make a formal presentation to management to demonstrate what they accomplished."

Dell looks for well-rounded students who have exemplary grades and are active in campus and community activities. Student interns receive a scholarship valued at up to $10,000; a paid summer internship salary; round-trip transportation to and from Austin, Texas; and housing accommodations. 

Mary Pittman, director of the UNCF Corporate Scholars Program, explains that the cooperative model exemplified by the Dell internship program has proven successful in the past with other programs. UNCF administers and recruits students for the program, prescreens candidates, and provides Dell with a pool of applicants from which it selects interns. Dell managers and mentors get training and decide what projects interns are to be involved with. 

Pittman says Dell takes a special interest in its interns: "Dell held a closing ceremony at the end of the summer.... College faculty, interns, and UNCF representatives were invited to attend, along with company representatives. None of our other programs do that."

For more information about the Dell/UNCF Corporate Scholars Program, go to www.uncf.org  or send e-mail to internship@uncf.org 


Bruce E. Phillips can be reached at BPhillips@ccgmag.com