Paid Internship – Central Texas

This paid summer internship gives College of Education undergraduates the opportunity to take their learning outside the classroom and work directly with elementary and middle-school youth in a summer camp setting. During Summer 2027, interns will gain hands-on experience at the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area (BGCAA), one of Central Texas’ largest nonprofits.

Engaging with youth and learning more about nonprofit and community-based work.

The HEHCTX summer internship requires virtual and in-person components in the spring and early summer of 2027.

Accepted students will receive notification of their status along with a confirmed list of required activities by Friday, March 12, 2027.

Students also will participate in required virtual preparation activities with the cohort and HEHCTX course instructor before and after the internship with BGCAA. Interns will be asked to complete written assignments designed to reflect on their personal learning and career goals, as well as how the HEHCTX internship connects to them. All assignments must be completed by Friday, July 9, 2026.

Students must live in the Austin area from Monday, May 24, 2027, through Thursday, July 1, 2027. While dates and activities are still being finalized, the schedule likely will include:

Required BGCAA orientation: Runs from Monday, May 24, 2027, and running through Friday, May 28, 2027.

Internship hours: Upon completion of the BGCAA Pre-Professional Training, HEHCTX interns will be placed at a BGCAA club site and work Monday – Thursday from 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and Fridays from approximately 8 a.m. – 2 p.m through the remainder of the internship on Thursday, July 1, 2027.

As an intern, you’ll help create a summer filled with fun!  You will lead hands-on activities, outdoor adventures, creative projects, and team-building experiences for youth ages 5–13. You’ll have the chance to build relationships with young people while helping them grow academically, develop confidence and leadership skills, stay active and healthy, and build skills for their future.

HEHCTX interns are matched with BGCAA Youth Specialist who will guide and support your work. Your Youth Specialist will provide accelerated learning tools and professional development to inform your work with students.

Through spring in-person orientation meetings and summer virtual meetings, a COE faculty liaison will guide HEHCTX interns through required self-evaluations and other assignments so you can reflect on HEHCTX experience.  A HEHCTX Mentor Intern from the 2026 cohort will provide additional peer support. Finally, you will have a BGCAA assigned point of contact for any questions or issues that arise while in the workplace to ensure you have an outstanding experience.

Students majoring in YCS may qualify to receive credit for their YCS internship requirement. No credit is given for the course for other majors.

Accepted students will register for EXP 000/080: Internships & Career Experiences, a free, zero-credit course offered through Texas Career Engagement to help students develop professional skills and identify personal career interests and preferences based on their experiences (delete).

The course will show up on a UT Transcript. Taking this course provides students the option to maintain enrollment and access to UT Austin Libraries, ITS services, University Health Services and other University services.

The HEHCTX internship cannot be substituted for any other internship required by your major, unless you are a YCS major in the following concentrations: Early Childhood Education, Coaching, Special Populations, Youth & Social Services

Please speak with an academic advisor in your department if you have questions about your path to graduation.

Students in the program will receive a $2,000 Dean’s Community Service Award stipend to significantly defray associated housing, meals and other internship costs.

Students will be employees of BGCAA at an hourly rate of $16/hour, earning approximately $2,092 for the five (5) weeks.

Up to 18 COE students will be accepted and placed at various BGCAA sites.

Eligible applicants must:

• Be a currently enrolled undergraduate student in the COE who has a second-year standing or higher and is not graduating in May 2027 with a minimum GPA of 2.5.
• Be available to live and work in Austin from Monday, May 24, 2027, through Thursday, July 1, 2027.

Admitted HEHCTX students will be employed by BGCAA, and as such will be required to complete a background check, including fingerprinting, and show proof of tuberculosis vaccination before May 24, 2027.

The application opens on January 15. Eligible applicants will receive a personalized application link via email, and the opportunity also will be publicized via COE announcement channels. Be on the lookout for this unique learning/earning opportunity, exclusively for you!

Applicants will be notified of their status no later than 5 p.m. Friday, March 5, 2027, and must confirm acceptance of placement by 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, 2027.

Yes, students are welcome to apply to both programs; however, if accepted into HEH Harlingen, participation in this summer internship will take precedence. This allows students to have the opportunity to fully experience living and learning in a unique community environment.

Please email coe-hookem@utexas.edu for follow-up information.