California Community College Internship Program (CCCIP)

CCCIP Eligibility

Starting in the 2025-2026 academic year, the CCCIP will be open to Ph.D. and M.F.A. students at UC Irvine, UC Riverside, and UC Santa Cruz all disciplines (excluding self-supporting programs*). Students must be enrolled full-time, be in good academic standing, and have advanced to candidacy prior to starting the program in summer 2026 Interns will receive a $7,500 fellowship for the summer, during which they will engage in specialized training focused on course design, inclusive teaching, and career development.

*Note: this program is not open to students in self-supporting programs. For UCI students, you can review a list of self-supporting programs here.  For non-UCI students, please check with your institution if you have questions about whether or not you are in a self-supporting program.

CCCIP Application Process

Applications will be open beginning on February 23, 2026 and will close March 18 at 11:59 PM.  Applicants will be asked to provide basic information (name, SID, institution, department, GPA) and upload a current CV.  Applicants will also be asked to include the name and email for their faculty adviser.  Upon submitting your application, staff will facilitate getting approval from your adviser via a simple online form. Applicants for whom advisers disapprove their participation, or do not complete this form will not be considered. Adviser approval forms are due March 29th at 11:59 PM.

Applicants should expect to respond thoughtfully to the following short-answer prompts:

• Describe your motivation(s) for pursuing a teaching career and how participation in the CCCIP will contribute to this goal. Please include any relevant instructional or mentoring experience and specific future career goals.
• Describe why the community college setting, as opposed to a different higher education setting (e.g., a research university, liberal arts college, etc.), would be a good fit for you as an instructor. Please include any previous experience at a community college as a student or employee, and/or relevant background that demonstrates insights into the community college experience, if applicable.
• Please describe any experience you have at a community college as a student or instructor, if any.

CCCIP Requirements 

1. Attend community college site orientation (dates will vary, but are typically during the month of August)
2. Complete all training outlined below
   1. Note: Attendance at synchronous virtual trainings is mandatory and fellows/interns should make every effort to attend. In the case of an unavoidable absence, fellows/interns will be required to complete a make up assignment. 
3. Complete programmatic requirements 
   1. Attend community college site orientation (dates will vary, but are typically during the month of August)
   2. Meet with mentor at least four times over 2026-2027 academic year
      1. Discuss tenure and review process with mentor  
   3. Observe 10 hours of community college classes over 2026-2027 academic year 
      1. Complete observation reflection assignment 
   4. Lead one lesson/class meeting 
      1. Complete teaching reflection assignment 
   5. Draft teaching statement
      1. Participate in Peer Editing Clinic (Fall cohort meeting) 
      2. Get feedback from community college mentor 
   6. Create a profile on the the California Community College Registry 
   7. Attend department meeting & academic senate meeting 
   8. Conduct informational interviews with two additional community college faculty
   9. Optional requirements:
      1. Develop a rough draft of a course outline of record
      2. Informational interview with chair or dean of department you would be interested applying to 
      3. In coordination with mentor, develop an assignment and rubric for grading the assignment (this doe not need to be implemented) 

Training

Participants are required to complete trainings outlined below.  Attendance at synchronous training sessions and cohort meetings is mandatory for this program, so please mark these dates and expect to schedule around synchronous training dates below.  Cohort meeting dates/times are determined via doodle poll to accommodate schedules, as necessary.  In cases where an excuse is unavoidable, participants will be asked to complete make up assignments. 

1. Virtual, Synchronous 
   1. 7/21/26, 2-4 PM: Introduction to CCCIP & Introduction to Community Colleges 
   2. 7/22/26, 2-4 PM: Community College Career Development & How to get Hired at a Community College
   3. 7/23/26, 2-4 PM: Teaching and Diversity Statements 
      1. Draft of teaching statement will be due at the end of October; fellows/interns will participate in teaching statement peer editing clinic in Fall cohort meeting 
2. Virtual, asynchronous (must be completed during Summer 2027)
   1. DTEI Certificate of Teaching Excellence (abbreviated)
      1. Can be waived if already completed, or comparable program has been completed
   2. Vision Resource Center Training 
      1. “I Don’t See Color, I Just See People: Becoming Culturally Competent”
      2. “Playing Behind a Screen: The Implicit Bias in Our Colleges”
3. Fall Cohort Meeting (November, 2026) 
   1. Teaching Statement statement peer editing clinic 
4. Winter Cohort Meeting (February, 2027)
   1. Anti-Racism in the Classroom 
5. Spring Cohort Meeting (May, 2027)
   1. Resource Scenario Activity