Chapel Executive Internship Program

Chapel Executive Internship Program
Chapel Executive Internship Program

What is the Chapel Executive Internship Program?

The Virginia Todd Chapel Executive Internship Program provides $5,000 to Liberal Arts students completing full-time, in-person internships in the business or private sector.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Current undergraduate student at Penn State University Park
  • At least one declared Liberal Arts major
  • Completed at least 59.1 credits (fifth-semester standing)
  • Minimum 3.0 grade-point average
  • Offer for a full-time internship (paid or unpaid) in the business or private sector (virtual internships not eligible)

Strongest consideration will be given to students who have not previously received funding from the Chapel Executive Internship Program, students who complete the application prior to the deadline, and students who articulate the ways in which their Liberal Arts education will impact their internship experience and career goals.

Associate Dean Page, Jinnie Chapel, John Chapel, and Clarence Lang with the 2022 Chapel Interns
Associate Dean Page, Jinnie Chapel, John Chapel, and Clarence Lang with the 2022 Chapel Interns

How do I apply?

To apply for the Chapel Executive Internship Program and all other enrichment funding offered by the College of the Liberal Arts, students must fill out the Enrichment Funding application.

When applying, students will be asked to provide the following information:

  • Details about the internship experience (location, salary, coordinator contact information, etc.)
  • Formal offer letter from the internship
  • Description of the internship (title, name of organization, what you will do for the company, etc.)
  • Information on how this internship experience will support your overall career goals
  • Information on why your internship is unique and worthy of support
  • Information on any financial circumstances the Career Enrichment Network should be made aware of
  • List of expenses tied to the completion of your internship
  • Résumé/CV

What is the application deadline?

Fall
Spring
Summer
September 1
December 1
April 19

Students must submit their application prior to the deadline for the semester they are completing an internship. For example, students completing an internship in the fall must submit their application before September 1. Applications will be reviewed and awarding decisions will be made within two to three weeks.

What happens if I am selected for the program?

Students selected as recipients will receive $5,000 deposited into their Penn State student Bursar account the semester their internship takes place. Students who are not selected for the internship program will automatically be considered for our general Liberal Arts enrichment funds. There is no need to submit a separate application.

In addition to receiving funding, selected students must also:

  1. Write a letter thanking the donors responsible for the award.
  2. Submit a summary (no more than 300 words) at the conclusion of your internship experience.
    • Include the highlights of your internship, how it furthers your career goals, and how the college and your education helped you get where you are today.
  3. Complete the Clifton Strengths assessment.
  4. Submit a student profile.
    • You will be asked to provide a headshot and a location photo, a description of your internship, how the funding and/or the college helped you, and more.
  5. Attend a breakfast with the Chapels and the other Chapel Interns held within the first few weeks of the fall semester. Details about this event will be provided in advance.
  6. Meet with the donors if they return to campus. A staff member in our office will contact you to arrange a meeting if the donors return to campus.

Meet the Chapels

Virginia (Jinnie) Todd Chapel is a 1965 Penn State graduate with a degree in English and member of the Liberal Arts Development Council. Jinnie had a successful career with the management consulting firm of Booz Allen Hamilton and later became a partner in LeapFrog Solutions, a marketing communications management firm, based in Fairfax, Virginia. Her husband, John Chapel, is a graduate of Drexel University, and today he is president and CEO of White Hall Capital LLC, a Northern Virginia-based private equity investment firm.

The Chapels started The Virginia Todd Chapel Executive Internship Program with leadership gifts creating an endowment now valued at $2.5 million. This funding, partnered with a previous gift, supports premium internships in the private sector for Liberal Arts students who excel academically and who seek high-quality career development opportunities.

Virginia and Todd Chapel
Virginia and Todd Chapel
Sarah Stein, who will graduate from Penn State in 2025, poses for a headshot in front of an ivory wall.
Chapel InternsInternshipLabor and Human Resources

Sarah Stein

’25
Criminology
|
Psychology
|
Labor and Human Resources
Criminology
Psychology
Labor and Human Resources
Sarah was able to directly apply the skills she learned in her LHR 429: Conducting Workplace Investigations course, gaining valuable hands-on experience in the process. The internship provided her with practical insights and real-world applications of the human resources theories and concepts she studied in her coursework.
Sarah Stein, who will graduate from Penn State in 2025, poses for a headshot in front of an ivory wall.
Chapel InternsInternshipLabor and Human Resources

Sarah Stein

’25
Criminology
|
Psychology
|
Labor and Human Resources
Criminology
Psychology
Labor and Human Resources
During the summer, Sarah was an Amazon workplace health and safety specialist intern. She worked in a delivery center with the safety and human resources team. There, she monitored employee behavior, conducted daily safety audits, ensured protocol compliance and managed incident reports.
Colin Byrne, who will graduate from Penn State in 2025, stands behind a podium that reads Bates White Economic Consulting on the front.
Chapel InternsInternship

Colin Byrne

’25
Economics
|
Mathematics (minor)
Economics
Mathematics (minor)
Colin completed a prestigious internship over the summer at Washington, D.C.’s Bates White Economic Consulting, building a portfolio of skills to boost his career potential in the field. During his internship, Colin worked in the company’s antitrust practice processing and analyzing client data.
Jessica Krieger, who will graduate from Penn State in 2026, stands in front of Temple of Hercules in Amman, Jordan.
Chapel InternsInternshipSpanish

Jessica Krieger

’26
Spanish
|
Accounting
Spanish
Accounting
Jessica spent her summer interning for KPMG’s Global Advantage Program in Prague in the Czech Republic. During her internship, she also had the opportunity to travel to Spain and Jordan. The international setting allowed her to gain unique perspectives and connect with interns from around the world, broadening her understanding of global business practices. Simultaneously, her Spanish skills were honed through immersive experiences in Spain, enhancing her linguistic abilities and cultural competency.
Sabrina Knox, who will graduate from Penn State in 2026, stands next to the Westinghouse logo inside a Westinghouse building in Pittsburgh.
Chapel InternsInternshipPaterno FellowsSchreyer Scholar

Sabrina Knox

’26
Philosophy
|
English
|
International Affairs (IUG master's degree)
Philosophy
English
International Affairs (IUG master's degree)
A Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar, Sabrina developed a passion for the energy industry, while interning at Westinghouse Nuclear. She became especially interested in the development of nuclear technology and the role it will play in the future of the global energy landscape. She has decided to pursue an energy policy concentration as part of her Master of International Affairs degree and hopes to continue working in the industry after graduation.
Dylan Benson graduated from Penn State in fall 2023.
Chapel InternsInternship

Dylan Benson

’23
Chinese
|
Finance
Chinese
Finance
Dylan is forging international connections with finance professionals and business leaders at Goldman Sachs this summer in London, United Kingdom. Thanks to funding from the Chapel Executive Internship Program, Dylan is able to explore and travel around the surrounding European countries alongside his internship duties.
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