Profile
The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) includes more than 300 colleges and universities committed to Hispanic higher education success. HACU’s member institutions in the U. S. represent more than two-thirds of all Hispanic college students. The HACU National Internship Program (HNIP) has placed 3,800 college students in paid internships at federal agencies and private corporations throughout the country.
Challenge
HACU’s internship program was faced with a serious problem: their antiquated paper application process was creating a nightmare in terms of both costs and staff time. HACU approached eResources with the primary goal of processing the entire internship application online. There was an urgent need to streamline the application process for students and save time for program administrators.
Solution
eResources constructed a custom web application utilizing the eResources Content Management System (eRCMS). The new site allows for automated online processing of internship applications. Students can now register, view past internships, and apply online. In addition, a Partner Extranet was created for federal agencies and private corporations that participate in the program. These organizations can now update their profile, post new opportunities, and select potential intern candidates.
Since the new site went live, HACU has seen increased traffic and an 800% explosion in student applications. The streamlined process has attracted students with more impressive academic records. Program administrators can sort and track applications online, and the turn-around time for responding to students is quicker. This innovative web-based technology has improved day-to-day operations, permitting HACU to commit staff resources elsewhere. HACU has saved money by reducing administrative overhead, cutting mailing expenses, and eliminating certain printing costs.
“We are extremely happy with the newly redesigned HNIP.net web site. Our prospective interns now have the opportunity to complete the entire application process online. This translates into a significant savings in both time and cost for the program administrators, and provides a more user-friendly application for interns.”
—William Gil, executive director of the HACU National Internship Program
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HACU National Internship Program
