Internship Program
I. Overview of the Internship Program:
In February 2020, the Community Support Program launched its internship component in collaboration with USAID’s University Scholarship Program (USP) to provide students from the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the Lebanese American University (LAU) with paid internship opportunities across CSP’s different components and activities, allowing them to make their expertise available to municipalities and communities while enhancing their own career. In April 2022, CSP expanded the internship program to include hundreds of undergraduate students and fresh graduates from nine additional Lebanese universities that are partnered with USAID under its “Higher Education Capacity Development Program” (HECD). Selected candidates are being placed in internships across all USAID-funded programs in Lebanon, allowing them to enrich their professional and soft skills to enhance their employability, while providing them with much needed financial support. By May 2024, the CSP has recruited 261 interns, 194 of which have completed their internships, 52% of whom have secured jobs after completion of internship.
II. Universities Benefiting from CSP Internship Program:
• American University of Beirut
• American University for Science and Technology (AUST)
• Antonine University
• Beirut Arab University (BAU)
• Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK)
• Haigazian University
• Islamic University
• Lebanese American University
• La Sagesse University
• Notre Dame University (NDU)
• Saint Joseph University (USJ)
III. USAID Implementing Partners:
- Qitabi II-World Learning
- Farmer to Farmer Program-Land O Lakes
- Lebanon Investment Initiative (LII)-IM Capital
- Water Sanitation and Conservation (WSC)-DAI
- Trade and Investment Facilitation (TIF)-DAI
- Community Support Program-Chemonics International
- Lebanon Civic Action Accelerator Program (LEB-CAAP)-FHI360
- Architecture and Engineering (A&E)-CDM Smith International INC
- Monitoring & Evaluation Program for Lebanon (MEPL)-EnCompass
- Promoting Sustainable Livelihoods (PSL)-Rene Moawad Foundation
- Agriculture and Rural Empowerment (ARE)-Chemonics International
- Diverting Waste by Encouraging Reuse and Recycling (DAWERR)-ECODIT
IV. Internship Selection Process:
V. Internship Completion Graduation Ceremony:
Internship Completion Ceremony for Cohort I interns was held on March 26, 2021, whereby 9 interns graduated from the program.
- Press Release – Graduates from USAID’s University Scholarship Program Celebrate the Completion of their Internships
- بيان صحفي – خريجو برنامج المنح الجامعية التابع للوكالة الأميركية للتنمية الدولية يحتفلون باستكمال تدريبهم الوظيفي
Internship Completion Ceremony for Cohort II interns was held on February 22, 2022, whereby 24 interns graduated from the program.
Internship Completion Ceremony for Cohort III interns was held on March 23, 2023, whereby 76 interns graduated from the program.
- Press Release: USAID’s Community Support Program Celebrates the Completion of 76 Student Internships
- بيان صحفي – برنامج دعم المجتمع المحلّي المموّل من الوكالة الأميركيّة للتنمية الدوليّة يحتفل باستكمال التدريب الوظيفي ل 76 طالبًا
Internship Completion Ceremony for Cohort IV interns was held on April 17, 2024, whereby 87 interns graduated from the program.
Click on the photo to watch this video about the internship completion ceremony of cohort 3 interns of the Community Support Program
- Press Release: USAID’s Community Support Program Celebrates the Completion of 87 Student
- بيان صحفي – برنامج دعم المجتمع المحلّي المموّل من الوكالة الأميركيّة للتنمية الدوليّة يحتفل باستكمال التدريب الوظيفي ل 87 طالبًا