Internship Opportunities

In order to better appreciate the impact and influence of religious and classic traditions, the department encourages students to pursue internships. These opportunities include:

  • Social service
  • Community organizing
  • Teaching in schools and established religious centers and institutions

All internships are without pay, but are worth up to four credit hours.

Internships in Religion

Students interested in the Christian tradition can find internships through church-related social agencies and schools both, parochial and secular, and in urban and suburban environments.

Students seeking an internship involving Jewish studies may want to contact the University's Center for Jewish Studies, the UR chapter of Hillel, or the Jewish Community Center of Greater Rochester.

Similarly, the Islamic Center of Rochester, the India Community Center, and various area Baha'i organizations may be helpful for students wishing to pursue an internship within these communities.

Internships in Classics

Students can seek an internship in public or private schools to assist in Latin and Greek language instruction, or myth and classical civilization lesson development. Internships involving classics may also be available at the Memorial Art Gallery.

Create Your Own

Of course, students may propose other internships tailored to their own particular interests in religion and/or classics.

Getting Started

Students interested in an internship in religion or classics should:

  • Contact the Department of Religion and Classics at Rush Rhees Library 430 (275-5378) for current projects and sponsors, and additional internship possibilities.
  • Reach out to the appropriate full-time faculty member of the department to serve as an overall supervisor.
  • Outline the project, readings, assignments, and requirements, with your adviser and the area sponsor.
  • Enroll in REL 394 (4 credits/semester).
  • Complete the Independent Study Form following the University's Internship Guidelines with your faculty adviser (available from Academic Support in Lattimore 312).
  • Carry out your internship while meeting regularly with your adviser, completing all assignments and requirements.
  • Meet with other interns in the department shortly before the end of the semester, to discuss the results of your projects and their relevance to the academic study of religion and classics.

Recent Internships

Memorial Art Gallery—Cataloging Jewish artifacts

WXXI—Assisting at in the production of programs on religion, classical culture, and archeology

Jewish Federation of Rochester—Researching materials for the Holocaust Project

Hebrew school—Teaching Hebrew

Inner-city public school—Serving as a Latin tutor

Primary school—Designing a curriculum on world religions

Kids Adjusting Through Support—Serving as a group leader and facilitator for children who are attempting to adjust to the death of a parent or sibling

Corpus Christi Webster Street Center—Assisting at-risk children in inner-city Rochester

Cameron Ministries Center—Assisting at-risk children in inner-city Rochester

UR Newman Community—Providing assistance to youth ministry teams of the Catholic Diocese of Rochester