Choctaw Nation kids playing stickball in the summertime

Summertime Internships Are a Great Way to Gain Experience

Chahta Okla Toffa yvt Aivlhpesa Im Asha

Published July 8, 2024

By Chief Gary Batton

Audio in Choctaw Language

I love summertime in the Choctaw Nation! Opportunities are as plentiful as the soaring temperatures across the reservation. From various summer sports camps for our K-12 students to early career opportunities for our college students via our Choctaw Nation Internship Program, the summer provides Choctaw Nation students of all ages with the chance to learn and improve. It’s exciting to see our youth take advantage of the many opportunities that our Nation provides each summer.

Choctaw Nation Internship Program

As you can tell, I’m a big fan of the Choctaw Nation’s Internship Program. The program provides opportunities for Choctaw students from area colleges to gain career fundamentals at Choctaw Nation offices throughout the CNO Reservation while also earning college credits. The program offers temporary, paid positions and is mutually beneficial for both the intern and hosting department.

Students are rewarded with academic and professional experience. CNO benefits from the additional support and expertise interns provide to help meet business and operational needs. This year marks the tenth year that the Choctaw Nation Internship Program has hosted students for its internship program. And from 2014 to 2024, the program has seen significant growth. This year our interns here at the Choctaw Nation are learning about housing, arts, culture, social work, public works, health and wellness just to name a few job topics.

Fifty-one interns representing 25 different educational institutions are participating in the summer program.

The program’s goal is to allow interns to get real-world experience and help us hire more tribal members. Some interns are so impressed in their summertime role at the Choctaw Nation that they are offered a full-time job with the Nation after their internship as the program annually helps bring the best and brightest to the Choctaw Nation job force. And it’s always one of my favorite days of the summer when I get to meet each year’s interns for the first time. I appreciate their focus on their future, and we are thrilled to have our interns here again this year!

If you want to learn more about the internship program, you can contact Sharon Dodson at 800-522-6170. While this year’s intern class is set, it’s never too early for Choctaw tribal members in college to start thinking about applying for the 2025 class of interns at the Choctaw Nation.

To apply, you will fill out the application on the Chahta Achvffa membership portal. You can also contact Heather Thompson directly at 580-642-7921 for more information.

Co-Op Program

The Choctaw Nation also has opportunities for our Co-Op and general seasonal employment for people looking for summer work while school is out. We have internships and camps and other programs that can help out-of-school students looking for work.

The Choctaw Nation’s Co-Op Program was developed to identify talent at Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SOSU). The program’s primary focus is project-based work that exposes students to challenging and rewarding work experiences.

In the student’s senior year, the Co-Op Program focuses on assessing career fields of interest, job shadowing and job placement. Co-Op associates will work 20 hours per week, year-round. Positions are competitive. Positions are posted on careers.choctawnation.com. You can also contact Heather Thompson directly at 580-642-7921 for more information.

There are many great opportunities within the Choctaw Nation in the summer and throughout the year; so, look and find something you might enjoy learning about and sign up.

Yakoke and God Bless!