The Northern Illinois University College of Business and the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation (DCEDC) IGNITE! program makes it possible for DCEDC member companies, northern Illinois startups and nonprofits to employ outstanding NIU Business students part time (up to 20 hours per week) for just 75 cents per hour.
The NIU-IGNITE! program is a joint endeavor in which IGNITE! provides the structure and funding. The NIU College of Business provides talented students with skills sets they’ve gained through the college’s highly regarded academics. The college also subsidizes 93% of the student hourly wage, valued at nearly $7,000.
Company proposals for student employment are currently being accepted for the 2021-2022 academic year. The upcoming employment period is August 23, 2021 through May 14, 2022. Company proposals must be submitted no later than June 15th at go.niu.edu/ignite.
Successful IGNITE! proposals will define part-time positions no greater than 20 hours per week. Proposals must also include clear goals and defined professional responsibilities, projects and developmental opportunities, and general expectations.
After the June 15th deadline, a committee will select five proposals for funding. Selected organizations will help promote their opportunity to students on a virtual basis through information sessions and the NIU job board. Selected organizations are responsible for interviewing, hiring, onboarding, training and managing the student. Students will be paid $11 per hour. Of that, the NIU College of Business will subsidize $10.25 per hour with employers covering the remaining 75 cents per hour.
“This program was developed to help small businesses, startups and nonprofits access much-needed human resources even when they are short on financial resources. At the same time, it allows our students to gain valuable, résumé-worthy experiences,” says Amy Buhrow, NIU College of Business senior director of strategy, student success and accreditation.
In total, more than 2,000 NIU College of Business undergraduate students study accountancy, business administration, finance, management, marketing, and operations management and information systems. Over 75% live in DeKalb County during the school year. Nearly 60% work anywhere from one to 40 hours per week. Many of these students are eager to find part-time jobs that will contribute significantly to their professional growth.
Over the past three years, the NIU College of Business and DCEDC have funded positions at these for-profit organizations: Production Cutting Services, OC Creative, Auto Meter, Nenni and Associates, GoTivation, Datatelligent, and the LiteracyPlanet.
“Our IGNITE! student was an incredible benefit to Literacy Planet,” says Ashley O’Connor, former U.S. commercial director with LiteracyPlanet. “His maturity and knowledge of technology, sales and marketing were huge assets and very much contributed to the success and growth of the company. LiteracyPlanet was a startup in the United States, with limited resources. Our student joined us and quickly learned our programs, processes and systems. He took the lead as the marketing liaison for the U.S. team to work with our global team on strategy, campaigns and marketing materials for the U.S. market. Additionally, he took over the management of Salesforce for the U.S. team, and designed and built dashboards and reports for the team. We were so grateful for the IGNITE! program and the quality intern they provided.”
Additionally, IGNITE! positions have been funded for nonprofits, such as: Kishwaukee College, the Egyptian Theatre, Innovation DuPage, the Illinois Business Innovation Association, the DeKalb Park District and the DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation.
“As a small nonprofit organization with only four full-time staff,” shares Alex Nerad, executive director of the Egyptian Theatre, “we are always overwhelmed by the amount of work that needs to get done. Having a student through the IGNITE! program made a huge impact on our organization. We were also in the middle of a major capital campaign when we were selected for this program. Having another set of hands to keep up with donor communications was critical. While most internships may only be for one semester, this year-long program was hugely beneficial as it allowed the student to become comfortable with our organization and really excel. There is no doubt that as a direct result of the IGNITE! program, we were able to accomplish more work, raise more money, strengthen relationships and grow our programming. This was all done through a program that we would not have been able to afford on our own as a nonprofit.”
Learn more about the NIU-IGNITE! joint program. Submit your company proposal here by June 15th.
by M. De Jean, Director of Marketing, NIU College of Business
About the NIU College of Business
Founded in 1961, the Northern Illinois University College of Business has a distinguished tradition of transforming lives while preparing its graduates for long-term success in their careers and communities. NIU Business is fully committed to providing a student-centered education — one that is both innovative and relevant to the rapidly changing digital, global economy. Well-known for its entrepreneurial mindset, the college continues to earn accolades from leading publications and organizations for its ability to cross boundaries in the areas of knowledge generation, teaching and learning. The college and its various programs have been nationally ranked each year, most notably building on more than 30 years of national prestige as determined by U.S. News & World Report. Additional long-standing ranking citations for the college include those from BusinessWeek, CEO Magazine, Poets&Quants and College Choice among other rankings. Today, the college proudly counts more than 60,000 of its graduates as alumni, many in C-suite executive positions in companies of all sizes, both in the Chicago metropolitan area and around the world. The school’s ongoing commitment to transform lives by crossing the boundaries of discovery and learning is further evidenced by its long-standing active executive advisory boards in every major; its expanding global presence and many partnerships in the greater Chicago region as well as globally; its 200-plus executive guest lecturers each semester; and its growing portfolio of experiential learning opportunities with businesses in the technology, information technology, engineering, financial services and health care industries; as well as with NGOs and organizations in the nonprofit space.
