State Farm Community Partnership Program

State Farm is proud to offer an innovative opportunity to IWU and the local community. Ten students and ten community not-for-profit agencies will be selected to participate in the Community Partnership program. Students will work full-time in a split work week with three days at State Farm and two days in the community with a local not-for-profit completing major project assignments at both partners. This extraordinary program demonstrates for emerging student leaders how for-profit and not-for-profit organizations can align to serve the shared community. To act as a bridge, the IWU Action Research Center conducts a series of workshops to teach students useful tools and to assist with understanding the dynamics of community development.

The program launched in the summer of 2007 and was a great success:

Every intern indicated that they would recommend the program to a friend
Every intern said they would participate again if given the opportunity
All students said the experience affected their long term academic/career goals
State Farm managers were highly satisfied with their intern
All interns were recommended for future employment consideration at State Farm
All not-for-profits said they would be interested in having another IWU intern

Each year we invite applications from students, not-for-profit organizations and State Farm departments to participate in future programs. Ten students are selected to participate and are placed with a State Farm Department and with a not-for-profit organization upon acceptance to the program. All applications are reviewed by representatives from State Farm, IWU and a community representative. We seek to piece together a puzzle that is the best fit for all partners. Each year we finalize placements by January 1st.

Please call with any questions you might have. We hope you will consider participating in this very unique and rewarding endeavor. We look forward to working with you as we launch another summer of the Community Partnership program.