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Career Accelerator Fund

Career Accelerator Fund Logo

Fund your career-building opportunities with the Career Accelerator Fund. 

CAF applications will open on January 2nd, 2026

 Whether you're an undergraduate or graduate student in the College of Arts and Sciences, this fund is your gateway to pursuing unpaid or minimally paid internships and other pivotal career-building experiences without financial worry. With awards up to $5,000, the Career Accelerator Fund is designed to open doors to invaluable professional opportunities, empowering your growth and enhancing your career trajectory. Take the first step toward a transformative college journey. 

 

Apply For Undergraduate Career Accelerator Fund Here

I would not have been able to accept an unpaid summer internship without its funding. In this difficult time, I’m fortunate to not worry about fundamental expenses like rent and utilities.

 - Sarah Bach, English Major 

ASC graduate students, please click the following link to learn more about the Graduate Student CAF, eligibility requirements, and application process:

Apply For Graduate Student Career Accelerator Fund Here

The Graduate Student Career Accelerator Fund  was crucial in allowing me to build my networks…[My] internship allowed me to work closely with Jane D'Angelo (Executive Director) from OhioDance and learn more about the non-profit leadership side of dance.

 - Alosondra Christmas, Dance PhD 

Impact of the Fund

Sarah Bach, English
Internship: Professional Writing Capstone Experience

"The CAF Award allowed me to make the most of my last summer in college; I would not have been able to accept an unpaid summer internship without its funding. In this difficult time, I’m fortunate to not worry about fundamental expenses like rent and utilities."

Emma Siefring, Psychology
Internship: Nationwide Children's Hospital

"I am pursuing a career as a Clinical Health Psychologist, and knew that conducting research on the bio behavioral effects of cancer on children would be something that would have long term benefits to pediatric cancer patients... I have been an undergraduate research assistant in various capacities and had only received compensation for my work once, so I thought I would see if this would be an option for me."

Victoria Piper, Psychology
Internship: Social Neurochemistry Lab

"Joining the Social Neurochemistry Lab was an outstanding opportunity for it offered me the chance to work on big questions in my top three desired fields: health psychology, psychoneuroimmunology, and social psychology... This fund... allowed me to shed my doubts about redistributing hours from work to spending time in the lab."