A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to appropriate funds to support scholarships for north carolina students enrolled in CONSTITUENT institutions of the university of north carolina to participate in an internship program at the washington center for internships and academic seminars.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Scholarship program established. – Within the funds made available pursuant to this act, the State Education Assistance Authority (Authority) shall administer a scholarship program for the award of scholarship grants to students who are residents of North Carolina and are enrolled in their second year or higher in a constituent institution of The University of North Carolina to attend a semester or summer term internship program at the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (Washington Center) located in Washington, D.C. The Authority shall administer the scholarship program pursuant to guidelines and procedures established by the Authority consistent with its practices for administering State‑funded financial aid. The guidelines and procedures shall include an application process and schedule, notification and disbursement procedures, standards for reporting, and standards for return of funds when a student withdraws from the program. A student who meets the eligibility criteria of the Washington Center to attend a semester or summer term internship program may apply to the Authority for a grant to cover costs related to the internship program in an amount of up to seven thousand dollars ($7,000). The Authority shall award grants to students in the order in which applications are received.
SECTION 2.  Limitations on grant amount. – If a student, who is eligible for a grant pursuant to this act, also receives a scholarship or other grant covering the cost of attendance of the program, then the amount of the State grant shall be reduced by an appropriate amount determined by the Authority. The Authority shall reduce the amount of the grant so that the sum of all grants and scholarship aid covering the cost of attendance shall not exceed the cost of attendance for the program, including program fees, housing, and incidental costs. The cost of attendance shall be established by the Authority in accordance with information provided to the Authority by the Washington Center.
SECTION 3.  Internship activities. – A student participating in the Washington Center's program shall intern four days a week with a nonprofit corporation, private company, federal agency, or a member of the United States Congress; take an academic class taught by the Washington Center's faculty; participate in academic seminars; participate in career readiness training programs; and be responsible for a final portfolio project outlining work completed during the program. Students from all academic majors can participate and benefit from the program.
SECTION 4.  Funds for the program. – There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Board of Governors of The University of North Carolina the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for the 2019‑2020 fiscal year and the sum of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) for the 2020‑2021 fiscal year to be allocated to the Authority for the award of scholarship grants in accordance with this act. The Authority may use up to one percent (1%) of the funds appropriated each fiscal year for administrative costs associated with the scholarship program.
SECTION 5.  Reporting. – By March 1, 2021, the Authority, in consultation with the Washington Center, shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, the chairs of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Education/Higher Education, and the chairs of the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee on Education on the implementation of the scholarship program, including the number of participating students and the amount of awards for each semester or summer term by constituent institution.
SECTION 6.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2019, and applies beginning with the award of scholarship grants for the 2020 spring academic semester.