Many firms including credit unions offer summer internships as a way to attract college students and introduce them to their firm’s culture and employment opportunities.
One unique organization has a special program that places students interested in cooperatives with internships in the coop sector. This 501 C 3 is NASCO or the North American Students of Cooperation.
Affordable Student Housing
NASCO’s primary activity is working with student- led campus housing cooperatives. They provide resources, assist in their development, and encourage participants to remain active in the cooperative sector. There are over 20 of these housing facilities on campuses throughout the US.
NASCO’s projects would seem to be a natural fit especially for any credit union serving these campuses. This activity is also a primary source for applicants in the internship program described below.
Finding Future Leaders
One of the ways NASCO builds future cooperative leaders is their cooperative Internship program. It functions as a placement service matching interested students with internships for 60-90 days during the summer.
Since the 1980s, this program has connected talented students with cooperative organizations, providing hands-on work experience.
NASCO matches skilled cooperator applicants with host organizations including housing co-ops, worker co-ops, nonprofits, and credit unions. These short term assignments are intended to be meaningful projects that build familiarity with areas such as governance, marketing, finance, and operations.
In turn host organizations have a chance to consider a person’s interest and skills for potential future employment.
The Summer 2025 Program Is Underway
NASCO is still seeking hosts for its Summer 2025 program. This is a special opportunity for credit unions as candidates have expressed interest in working for a cooperative organization.
Because time is short, I would encourage interested credit unions to call NASCO’s internship manager, Katherine Jennings, at (708) 317-8608, or email at katherine@nasco.coop
NASCO provides interns monthly cohort zoom meetings to connect with fellow co-operators, share experiences, engage in guided discussions, skill-building trainings, or readings tailored to their interests. These sessions deepen their cooperative knowledge and strengthen their future potential role in member-owned organizations.
A complete description of the program is on NASCO’s website here. Although the site indicates the host applications are closed, I am told hosting opportunities can still be taken through this week.
There is also the chance to sponsor through grants, the internship network program. Those options can be found here.
The Future of the Cooperative Movement
Credit unions and NASCO share common values in promoting cooperative solutions. The non-profit’s most important service is the affordable housing programs for students on campuses which I will highlight in a later blog.
I would encourage credit unions to reach out to NASCO and learn more about all aspects of ther activities including the November conference in Ann Arbor, MI. The group would seem to be a logical partner for any credit union’s financial and community investment goals.