Summer College Internship

DOROT’s Summer College Internship will begin on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, with a two-day, in person, orientation at our office on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The last day of the internship will depend on the department the intern is assigned to. Most interns will finish on Thursday, August 6, 2026. Interns assigned to the Intergenerational Program Engagement (IPE) Dept. (only) will finish on Friday, August 14, 2026. The dates for the internship are not flexible. If you know in advance that you have a scheduling conflict, we kindly ask that you please inform us with as much advance notice as possible.

Please note: The DOROT offices will be closed on June 19 and July 3 in observance of Juneteenth and Independence Day, respectively.

There are two different tracks for the summer. Most interns will work part-time, four days per week, 9am-5pm. These interns will work on a hybrid model and be in-office at least one day per week, and up to three days per week, according to the need of their specific internship role. Two interns will be assigned to the Intergenerational Program Engagement (IPE) Dept. These interns will work Monday – Thursday 9:30am-5:30pm and Fridays until 9am-4pm. IPE interns will work in office every day, except Fridays when they can work remotely. 

All interns will come together as a cohort for weekly meetings and special programs, regardless of whether they work four or five days per week. Weekly cohort meetings will take place in person once a week. 

We are able to offer stipends to DOROT Summer College Interns thanks to our generous funders. Interns receive a stipend of $2,800, with the exception of interns in the Intergenerational Program Engagement Department who receive a stipend of $4,200 due to their additional internship hours. Eligibility requirements must be met in order to receive a stipend.

Interns are reimbursed for the cost of transportation for older adult visits throughout the summer. The intern assigned to DOROT Westchester will be required to have access to a car each day they are in the office. They will receive reimbursement for gas to and from their in-home visits with older adults in Westchester County.

We are happy to help students complete the necessary paperwork to receive course credit. We also offer professional development programs and other opportunities throughout the summer that we know will be worthwhile and beneficial to interns in their future endeavors.

The answer to this question very much depends on the department that the intern is assigned to. Interns in the Kosher Meals at Home (KMH) Dept. take meal orders and do check-ins with older adults while those assigned to the IPE Dept. assist with facilitating workshops and activities for older adults and teens to engage together, in-person and on Zoom. In short, it varies. All interns take on real and meaningful work that is vital to DOROT’s mission. In addition, interns will assist with data entry and other tasks of the like, just as a DOROT staff member would.

Interns are often surprised by the amount of time they spend on the phone. It is considerable, especially for those that use texting as their preferred method of communication. Comfort speaking on the phone is a must!

All interns, regardless of their department placement and number of days worked per week will:

• Form connections with older adults that will last several weeks or the duration of their internship. This could be through special projects or through their standard work assignments from their department.
• Participate in weekly internship cohort meetings, attend department meetings and have weekly supervision with their direct supervisor(s).
• Attend professional development and other special programs introducing them to the world of work and field of aging.
• Have the opportunity to produce social media content in collaboration with our Marketing and Communications Team.
• Make a lot of phone calls to older adults. The types of calls can vary and may include: surveys, check-ins and/or invitations to participate in DOROT programs.

To learn more about this summer’s internship opportunities, click here. (Note: Internship opportunities are subject to change.)

Each intern must have access to their own personal laptop computer for the duration of their time at DOROT. When working remotely, interns must have reliable access to Wi-Fi.

DOROT’s dress code is business casual. This topic is covered in further detail during orientation. Jeans are only permitted to be worn in the office on Friday, so long as there are no meetings planned with representatives from outside organizations.

We expect that interns will arrive on time (whether in-person or logging on remotely), meet the expectations of their supervisors, are team players, and are open to having new experiences. A sunny and positive disposition is appreciated but not required.

After a candidate has had their initial interview, and once we have received all of their application materials, including two electronic references, their application will be shared with the supervisor of the department that we believe would be the best fit. Supervisors inform the DOROT College Internship Team if they would like to invite the candidate for a second-round interview so they can share a bit more about this individual department, responsibilities, etc. We try to move the interview process along as quickly as possible, keeping in mind that we can only move forward once all components of the application have been submitted.

First and second-round interviews take place virtually, on Zoom and Teams. Candidates whose references have not yet been submitted at the time of their initial interview are welcome to check in on their reference status and/or provide an alternate reference, if they would like, to move the application process along more quickly

In the past, orientation has been described as “long”, “informative” and “fun”. There is a lot of information to pack in two days of orientation. Orientation is an opportunity to begin to form a community among the cohort of interns and share important information that will provide a solid foundation for the internship. Presentations on the following topics are often included:

• Best Practices for Engaging with Older Adults
• Professionalism
• Dos and Don’ts from the IT Dept.
• Team Building
• Confronting Stereotypes
• Role Playing Exercises

The goal of orientation is to help new interns feel as prepared as possible for the summer ahead. A light breakfast will be served on the first day. For those that would like to bring their own lunch, DOROT has a kitchen on the 2nd floor with refrigerators and microwaves available for use. Interns that prefer to explore the Upper West Side for lunch options are welcome to do so.

DOROT offers many different internship opportunities. We encourage candidates to learn more about them. To learn more, click here. Candidates should let their interviewer know if there is a particular department that is most of interest to them during their initial interview so they can relay this information. If the candidate does not share a preference, the interviewer will make their best effort to have the candidate move forward with the department that they think is the best fit. We cannot guarantee placement in a specific department.

Acceptances are sent out on a rolling basis until all positions have been filled. In the past, most positions were filled by mid-March. DOROT staff try to move the process along as quickly possible. However, sometimes, when there are several stellar candidates for one position, the process can take a bit longer. If a candidate knows that they have strict time constraints, they should let their interviewer know. All candidates that complete the interview stage will receive an email notification indicating that they have either been accepted, rejected or waitlisted.

A formal email will be sent to candidates that have been accepted as DOROT Summer College Interns. They will then be given about a week to be in touch and confirm whether they would like to accept the position that was offered. To accept the internship, students are asked to complete a brief form, provide a U.S. Government Issued photo ID, a photo for DOROT’s Directory (smiles are appreciated!) and submit to a background check (the cost of which is covered by DOROT). All of this is explained in more detail in the acceptance email and due dates are clearly indicated. Final acceptance into the program is contingent on interns passing the background check.