How the Monroe-Brown Internship Program WorksThe Monroe-Brown Internship Program provides high quality internships with hourly wages, valuable networking opportunities and at least $6,000 in scholarship funding to all student participants. The program is open to incoming juniors, seniors and graduate students at Kalamazoo College, Western Michigan University, Michigan State University, University of Michigan and second-year students at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. Students attending Michigan State University and University of Michigan must have attended high school in the greater Kalamazoo area.

Hiring TalentStudents apply for Monroe-Brown internships directly through the participating companies. There will be a minimum of twenty-five internship positions available for the 2009 program. Students chosen for the program will be announced in Spring 2009.

Employers independently select their interns, using their own hiring methods and criteria. Based on availability, each participating company may have up to two internship positions per program year.

The Monroe-Brown

Internship Program

is the result of a

collaboration between

Southwest Michigan First

and the Monroe-Brown

Foundation. It exists

to provide college

students with funding

for college and applied

career experience in the

Southwest Michigan

business community.

2007 Monroe-Brown Internship Program Graduation

The InternshipOnce the intern is hired, he or she will work for the company for a minimum of 400 hours between May 1 and August 31, 2009. This is typically full-time for ten weeks, but can be customized to suit the needs of the individual companies and interns. During that time, the companies pay the interns at least minimum wage.

Upon successful completion of the internship, as decided by the employing company and the Monroe-Brown Foundation, the company and the Monroe-Brown Foundation will each pay the intern a $500 bonus a total of $1,000. Additionally, the Monroe-Brown Foundation will provide two additional payments of $2,500 at the end of each of the two semesters following the internship period. For tax purposes, all payments from the Monroe-Brown Foundation must be made directly to the school and applied to the students account.

Frequently Asked Questions:If I was chosen as a Monroe-Brown intern in 2008, will I be able to participate in 2009?

YES! Students are allowed to participate in the program if they meet the following requirements:

1. The student must be hired as an intern at a company that decides to reapply for another year of inclusion in the Monroe-Brown Internship Program. That company must then be selected for participation.

2. The employing company must then choose to keep the student on as an intern for that year.

Industry ParticipantsInternships are available in industries

targeted in the Kalamazoo region

for growth. Companies that have

participated in the program are:

ADMETRx

A.M. Todd

American Village Builders, Inc.

CSM Group

Jasper Clinical Research & Development Inc.

Kalamazoo Valley Community College

Landscape Forms

NanoVir, Inc.

MPI Research

Pfizer Inc.

Proteos, Inc.

Riley Aviation

Stryker Corporation

Treystar Holdings

Wolverine Pipeline

Workforce Strategies, Inc.

Brandon Renouf, 2007 Monroe-Brown intern at Landscape Forms

3. The student must remain in good standing as a full-time student at his or her school. He or she must also still fall under the eligibility requirements of the program, which are as follows: All incoming juniors, seniors or graduate students at Western Michigan University or Kalamazoo College and students going into at least their second year

at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. In 2009, the program will be expanded to include students graduating from an approved Kalamazoo area school and who are incoming juniors, seniors or graduate students at Michigan State University or University of Michigan.

How much money is awarded in the Monroe-Brown Internship Program? Students receive at least minimum wage from the company for working 400 hours during the summer. They are then given a $1,000 bonus upon completion of the internship and two payments of $2,500 one payment at the end of each of the first two semesters following the internship. The payments will be made directly to the school in the students name. Altogether, interns selected to participate in the program will receive $6,000 plus the hourly wage paid by the employer, totaling at least $8,000.

Why is $5,500 of the $6,000 scholarship paid directly to the school and not to the intern?

The $6,000 scholarship is broken up into four payments. Upon successful completion of the internship, the employer pays the student $500. The Monroe-Brown Foundation then provides another $500 that must be paid directly to the school in the students name. Then, two $2,500 payments will also be made to the school in the students name at the completion of the students first two semesters following the internship.

This money is paid directly to the school so that it can be classified as nontaxable income for the student. Additionally, because the Monroe-Brown Foundation is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization, it cannot provide any funding directly to the student.

What if my education is already paid for? Will I still receive the $6,000 scholarship?

YES! Each payment of the scholarship from the Monroe-Brown Foundation must go through the school, regardless of whether the student owes money on his or her tuition or if the account is paid in full. Scholarship money will be applied to any outstanding balances or fees in the students account. In the case that there is no remaining balance to be paid on a students account, the school should issue a check for the surplus directly to the student.

In addition to the money awarded by this program, what benefit do students receive?

Students chosen to participate in the Monroe-Brown Internship Program will build valuable relationships within the Kalamazoo regions business community, not only at their workplaces, but also at program events and activities exclusively for this group of students.

Additionally, Monroe-Brown internships incorporate hands-on learning of the skills and experience necessary for success in the students chosen career/industry.

Robert Monroe Brown, President of the Monroe-Brown Foundation, congratulates a 2008 Monroe-Brown scholarship recipient

What employers are participating in the Monroe-Brown Internship Program?We are currently finalizing our list of participating employer organizations. Please check the Monroe-Brown Internship Program website for more information: http://www.southwestmichiganfirst.com/monroe_brown_internship_program.cfm.

Landscape Forms, Kalamazoo, Michigan

Our internship at Landscape Forms provided us with hands on experience in layout, work instructions, cycle times, inventory flow, change over and preventative maintenance experiences on the shop floor. We were also given basic Solid Work training and a simple gauge fixture to design and detail and given a real work environment critique.

Brian Snyder and Steven Burkhardt, 2008 Monroe-Brown Interns

Jasper Clinical Research & Development Inc., Kalamazoo, Michigan

The nurses at Jasper Clinic did an excellent job at providing opportunities which exposed me to the whole research process, from recruitment and informed consent to discharge and follow up visitsNow I have a better understanding of how adverse events are identified and measured, which is directly correlated to nursing care.

Elizabeth Brand, 2008 Monroe-Brown Intern

ADMETRx, Kalamazoo, Michigan

My project was to generate solubility data of certain reference drug compounds in the hopes of developing a solubility assay that could be marketable to ADMETRxs clientsThis experience has really increased my understanding of the pharmaceutical process and the chemistry involved in designing and dosing a compound for testing and for market.

Michelle Brittain, 2008 Monroe-Brown Intern

NanoVir, Inc., Kalamazoo, Michigan

The Monroe-Brown Internship Program provided fantastic opportunities to many talented students at area colleges. The completion presentations by each intern were excellent. It was nice to see such fresh faces talking so positively about their work and learning experience.

Dr. Chris Fisher, Co-Founder and Director of Biology

Wolverine Pipe Line Company, Portage, Michigan

Wolverine Pipe Line Company counts it a privilege to partner with the Monroe-Brown Foundation and Southwest Michigan First in support of our community and our area studentsIts a win-win-win for the business, the student, and the community.

Kathy Dean, Business Services Coordinator

Workforce Strategies, Inc., Kalamazoo, Michigan

Every new division, every new project and every new task or assignment that was presented (to Sara) was received with great enthusiasm and a true passion and desire to learnThe program connected us with a great young, developing talent in Kalamazoo. We have been fortunate to have been part of the program and to have selected, and now found, a new member of the WSI team.

Karen Baldwin, Director of Client Relations, regarding Sara Wilson, 2008 Monroe-Brown Intern

outdoor furniture and accessories

Success Stories

Monroe-Brown Foundationwww.monroebrown.org

www.southwestmichiganfirst.com