Ministries Internships

Internship Information for the following majors:
Children & Family Ministry, Early Adult Ministry, Ministry, Pastoral Studies, Youth Ministry

By the time students from one of these five majors graduates from Northwestern College they will have a minimum of 200 hours of experience at a ministry site. Through internships, Christian Ministries students gain valuable practice time as they participate in a ministry of their choice. Whether in a church or para-church ministry, students are given opportunities to teach, lead, plan, and observe what being in ministry is all about. Each student has an on-site mentor who is committed to guiding, praying, encouraging, challenging, and doing whatever else is necessary for the student to flourish and grow in skills, knowledge and experience.

The program is designed for students to participate in internships throughout the fall and spring semester of both their junior and senior years. Students can still take classes on campus while being involved in an internship—each section requires 100 hours of ministry involvement over the course of the semester. This enables them to take what they are learning in the classroom and immediately integrate it into a ministry setting. As a result of this set-up, most of our internship sites are local, which is of great benefit to the community and the students.

Students are allowed to take internships during the summer as long as they meet course requirements. Summer internships are most often not local, and course work is done via the internet.

The goal of the department is to mature individuals in the areas of theology, theory and the practice of Christian ministry. Students will develop skill in communicating, counseling, evaluating, leading, mentoring, planning, problem solving, teaching-preaching, thinking biblically and critically and writing. Internships are a practical and important part of accomplishing this goal.

For more information regarding internships, please contact the Christian Ministries Local Internship Coordinator, Mary Hawley at mahawley@nwc.edu or call 651-631-5594.