UA News

In 2000, the #12 nationally ranked Karl Eller Center at the University of Arizona initiated an Entrepreneurship Internship Program, which placed graduate and undergraduate entrepreneurship students in new and expansion phase businesses and venture capital firms for a summer of hands on experience. Students and host companies both benefitted from the partnership of real business development experience and the best and brightest business students. In order to create these winning opportunities, internship stipends were supplemented or paid entirely by the Karl Eller Center-an investment of more than $100,000 benefitting 21 students and 20 host companies.

For the summer of 2001, the Karl Eller Center has received matching grants from the Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership of Kansas City, and the H.N. & Frances C. Berger Foundation of Palm Desert, Calif., to place 40 students in entrepreneurship internships. This grant and matching funding provides the majority the internship stipend, based on a host company's ability to contribute some portion-any where from $100-$2,800. Students will also receive academic credit. Internship stipends are paid to students to provide for living and educational expenses. Students' time spent in internships generally precludes them from other income generating employment. Entrepreneurship intern stipends are $8,500 for MBA's and $4,250 for undergraduates.

Graduate and undergraduate students who have been accepted into the Berger Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Arizona's Eller College of Business and Public Administration are interested in opportunities throughout Southern Arizona and Maricopa County.