Internships in Little Rock, Arkansas

As the capital of the otherwise unassuming state of Arkansas, this mid-sized American city of roughly 725,000 people is best known for being the former home of state governor turned President of the United States of America, William Jefferson Clinton.

Aside from this cool fact, Little Rock is named after geological formations in the Arkansas River that used to serve as navigational aids for boat traffic back in the early days of this settlement in the American south.

While this place might seem uninteresting to those drawn towards highly urbanized centers like New York City and Los Angeles, those seeking a slower pace of life will find Little Rock to be a hidden gem, as the lower cost of living and surprising diversity of things to do in one's spare time here make this place highly attractive for those willing to look past the shallow redneck stereotypes that preclude others from searching here for an internship during or after college.

What’s Little Rock like?

Situated in the Ozarks, the landscape in and around the city of Little Rock ranges from gently rolling to low mountains and escarpments that feature a variety of hiking trails and waterfalls respectively. Being located at around 34 degrees north latitude, Little Rock straddles the line that puts it between the aspects of a warm temperate climate and the subtropical characteristics that define the weather closer to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. 

As a result of this fortunate positioning, winters in Little Rock are mercifully short, with little snow.  This does come with a drawback however, as its positioning makes it vulnerable to ice storms throughout the cold months of the year.

With much of the populace here being less adept at winter driving than their compatriots further north in America, it might be a good idea to leave your car in the driveway during periods of inclement weather, favoring public transit over braving the roads at these times.

Business publisher Kiplinger recently named Little Rock to be the top place in America to live (with a population under 1,000,000), citing its rich variety of arts and culture offerings, along with its abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities as the main reason for bestowing it with this honor.

While Little Rock isn't a heavyweight when it comes to headquarters and regional divisions of major American corporations, it does have the distinction of being home to some of the most noteworthy non-profit organizations in America.

The Clinton Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, and Heifer International (which works to distribute livestock and modern agricultural techniques to poor farming families around the world) count prominently among them, making Little Rock a great place for those interested in starting a career themed around social justice.

What kinds of internships are available in Little Rock?

As stated above, those interested in changing the world for the better will find fertile fishing grounds in Little Rock, as organizations such as the Clinton Foundation and the Nature Conservancy routinely hire people for positions ranging from communications to helping implement initiatives in areas ranging from the alleviation of poverty to tackling climate change through grassroots efforts.

If you are in the health field, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is one of the largest employers in Little Rock, meaning that they are always looking for student-aged apprentices to shadow their professionals in areas as diverse as clinical psychology and dietetics.

Given that the boomers are all retiring and getting older at the present moment, getting into most of the allied health professions will yield you with a great deal of future success.

How to find internships in Little Rock

To get on board with a non-profit, sharing their values is crucial to your success. If you don't believe in this climate change thing, going through the interview process at the Clinton Foundation is unlikely to work out well for you. 

However, if you see the value of providing healthy livestock to poor farmers that are barely surviving with what they currently have, your chances of getting a placement at an organization like Heifer International will be far higher.

Secondly, volunteer your time at a number of causes that relate to the mission of the organization that you want to apply to. Helping out the homeless in the inner city where you live will improve your odds in the eyes of the Clinton Foundation interviewers, while being actively involved in your local 4H organizations, food banks, or pitching in at harvest time if you live in the country will endear you to decision makers at Heifer International.

As for getting on with the U of Arkansas Hospital, any medical center or hospital near you is practically begging for volunteer help. Grant it while your competition are busy playing video games and going out on weekends, and you'll find yourself at the front of the line when it comes time for hospital officials to book intern interviews for the upcoming quarter.