Each year, the UICHR awards funding to students who have secured a summer internship with a local, national or international non-governmental organization or governmental agency engaged in human rights related advocacy, research or education. Funds are intended to assist with travel, housing, food, and other incidentals directly related to your ability to engage in the internship and may not be used to pay for course fees or tuition.  These funds are provided by the Stanley-University of Iowa Foundation Support Organization and administered by International Programs. 

The 2025 application is now open.  The deadline for the 2025 application is Friday, April 18 (5:00 p.m. CT). 

We encourage students to attend an informational session to learn about application best practices.  

The 2025 informational sessions will be held via Zoom:

• Thursday, March 27 from 3:00--3:45 p.m.
• Wednesday, April 2 from 3:00--3:45 p.m.  

Please contact Dr. Jo Butterfield, the program administrator, to register for the session.  This request must come from a uiowa.edu email address. 

Students are encouraged to reach out to UICHR staff to explore the eligibility of their internships.  

Individuals who wish to be considered for funding for periods other than the summer should also contact the UI Center for Human Rights at uichr@uiowa.edu. Exceptions may be made in extenuating circumstances and permitting the student’s ability to fulfill the reporting requirements. The Cmiel program emphasizes the value of experiential learning for students and future professionals. As other funding sources exist for graduate and doctoral research, the Cmiel program is not intended to fund research for a thesis or dissertation. Current UI undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who are currently and will remain enrolled in a degree program at the UI the semester following their internship are eligible to apply.

Students with internships that require international travel are subject to the University of Iowa's International Travel Policy for Students.  This requires verification that the destination does not currently have a level 3 or 4 high-risk designation.  Risk levels of this designation require special permission and will not be considered for Cmiel funding.  To check the risk rating for your internship destination visit the U.S. Department of State website.   

The program is named to honor the late director of the UICHR, Kenneth J. Cmiel. Professor Cmiel was a faculty member in the UI Department of History and an internationally renowned scholar of the history of human rights. The program, established in 2005, was the fulfillment of a longstanding vision of Professor Cmiel.

“Ken’s vision, to make the Center a unique and valuable resource for student learning about human rights, his generous and effective leadership, and his commitment to human rights work in all its forms, brought this program to life and remains its guiding force.” — Amy Weismann, UICHR Assistant Director

For additional information, please contact the UICHR at uichr@uiowa.edu.