President Brian Casey announced on Thursday that Rick ('76) and Jan Neville have made a $1 million gift to DePauw, specifically to the Hubbard Center of Student Engagement and its fledgling program the Signature Internship Program.
The Signature Internship Program was piloted last year and funds internship experiences of approximately 50 DePauw students.
These students, who were taking part in unpaid internships, may not otherwise have been able to gain these experiences.
"In some cases hosts are able to offer paid internships, but others may be non-profit or just unable to pay," Jonathan Coffin, assistant to the president, said in a phone interview. "Before [the Signature Internship Program] that may have meant the student couldn't take the internship."
Now, a DePauw student who is granted an unpaid internship can become part of the Signature Internship Program and be granted up to a $3,000 stipend to help defray the cost of living while interning.
The Nevilles were prompted to make this generous donation and to make it specifically toward the Hubbard Center for Student Engagement's Signature internship Program, because of Rick Neville's experience with DePauw internships.
"[Rick] received an internships from [James] Emison '52 when he was a student. It helped get him a job after school," Coffin said.
"I know they have spoken about wanting to make sure other students have opportunities like they had when they were in school," he added.
Raj Bellani, dean of experiential learning, said the Nevilles felt they could best ensure DePauw students were given the best possible opportunities by donating to the Hubbard Center.
"They were really interested in ways they could help our students be successful after DePauw," he said.
For the Signature Internship Program as a whole, Bellani sees this gift as a jumping-off point.
"Other universities may have as much as $5 to 10 million devoted to unfunded internships," Bellani said. "It's the first gift of what we hope will be many."
Coffin is also hopeful that with continued discussions, more gifts will continue to arrive.
"Gifts of this nature are the product of conversation," he said. "Conversations with President Casey, with our alums and with those who care about DePauw. It really comes down to making DePauw better."