Center for Pathway Experiences

Schedule an appointment with the Center for Pathway Experiences to learn strategies to FIND a Pathway opportunity that aligns with your career goals. Learn more about our online resources, get tips to navigate these resources and maximize your chances of obtaining an internship.

Handshake: Update your profile and add your resume for better results. Then create alerts for pathway/internship opportunities and connect with employers. This system also includes workshop and career fair details.

Career Shift : Search for thousands of internships all over the country. Southern Miss students can contact the Pathways office for their free access code to create an account.

LinkedIn: Enhance your professional network by connecting with Southern Miss Alumni, industry professionals, and company recruiters. For tips on how to boost your profile see the Career Guide and become a LinkedIn All-Star!

What Can I Do With My Major:  Discover potential internship postings for your major. Search by major and see the options available in your career field. Next, scroll to the bottom of the page to view job boards, professional association, job outlook, and more.

Parker Dewey is a platform for college students to apply for short-term, mainly remote, micro-internships and projects. These opportunities are all paid and range from five (5) to 40 hours of total work. Register for your account on Parker Dewey and start applying for micro-internships today.

Pathways Summer Scholarship Program

To help offset the costs of pursuing a summer pathway or internship experience and to assist with student financial need, Southern Miss awards competitive scholarships to undergraduate students who have accepted a pathways position. The following requirements may be modified as necessary to ensure compliance with institutional, state and federal guidelines.

CRITERIA

The application will be evaluated based on the criteria below:

• Confirmation of internship acceptance. The applicant must have been offered and accepted a pathway experience before applying for this scholarship.
• Evidence of financial need to help cover expenses, such as housing and travel.

• Evidence of a meaningful experience and involvement in significant professional work or research.

• Evidence the experience will provide opportunities to apply academic studies to the work or research experience.
• Evidence the experience is related to the student's post-graduation career goals.

ELIGIBILITY

Student Eligibility

• Preference will be given to students scheduled to graduate in the 12 months following the application and then to students who will have another year to pursue a pathway experience as a Southern Miss undergraduate.
• Student must be returning to Southern Miss as a full-time student after their pathway experience. 
• International students must include verification that they are eligible for Curricular Practical Training (CPT).

Hours and Weeks

• Pathway experiences must be full-time (30-40 hours per week) for a minimum of eight continuous weeks during the SUMMER.
• Alternatives may be considered given equivalent time commitments as applicable.

On-Campus Experiences

• Internships on the Southern Miss campus are NOT eligible for a pathways scholarship.

Special Programs

• The Pathways Scholarship Program does not fund workshops, conferences, travel study programs, study abroad, courses or other learning experiences.

International Experiences

• Pathway experiences in areas listed on the government sanction list or the U.S. State Department Travel Warning List are not eligible for a scholarship.

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION

Log in to the GO System, using your SOAR credentials.

• Hover over “Opportunities” and Select “Ours”
• Search for Pathways Summer Scholarship and click the gold “Apply” button
• Students must have already accepted a pathway experience and submit the complete application to be considered.

The priority deadline is March 1 but applications will be accepted

until either all funding is awarded or until May 1.

 

Questions or need additional help? Contact us at pathwaysFREEMississippi.

PATHWAYS REFLECTION 

Are you completing your undergraduate degree requirements and have also completed a pathway or internship experience? If so, complete the Pathways Reflection linked above to apply for a free Pathway Graduation Cord. Pathway cords will be distributed at cap and gown pick-up and prior to commencement.

You must COMPLETE the evaluation in its entirety to receive a cord. Incomplete submissions will not be considered for cord recognition. Whether your pathway was in the form of an internship, collaborative research, practicum/clinical assignment, student teaching, part-time job related to your career goals, or other fieldwork you have gained new insights and skills that will serve you well in your post-graduation goals.

Research shows that to maximize your pathway, it is important to stop, reflect, and analyze this experience. The Pathway Reflection was developed to help guide you through these steps. The time and thought you put into your reflection will contribute to formulating "your story" that you will convey in your resume, cover letters, and interviews.

Completing the reflection will take approximately 15 minutes. It is important to note that if you begin the reflection and need to exit before submitting, you must return to the same internet browser on the same computer/device to continue with your responses. You may want to print a copy of the form, prepare your answers, and enter your responses all at one time.