Pathways into Professional Needlearts (PiPN) is a unique internship experience designed to introduce college students, and fiber enthusiasts to the professional needlearts industry and the numerous career opportunities to be found. A partnership between The National NeedleArts Association (TNNA), and the School of Consumer and Family Sciences of the University of Akron in Akron, OH, the program is now in its fifth year.

For the first time this year, Mississippi State University, Starkville MS comes on board as a PiPN Scholar School.  Students may now enroll in a comprehensive creative arts class at MSU as part of the PiPN Scholar program.

This year, PiPN includes three different routes:

As before, Route #1 The PiPN Summer Scholar Program offers students a total of 6 college credit hours, as well as an experience to remember. The program consists of two parts, each 3 credit hours, combining hands-on coursework and on-site internship placement.

Route #2 opens the door to students who wish to take only the hands-on internship through their own colleges.

Route #3 allows any pre-professional, not enrolled in a college, to participate as an apprentice.

As the program grows, more and more fine colleges and universities are participating in the PiPN Program.

• 2008 Participating Schools: University of Missouri, Humboldt State, Harvard University, University of Akron, Columbus College of Art and Design

• In 2009, two additional schools are represented: Carnegie Mellon University,  Western Michigan University

• In 2010, ten more colleges were represented: University of Alabama, Mississippi State University, Tennessee State University, Bryn Mawr, Art Institute of CA-San Francisco, Georgia College & State University, Utah University, Colorado State University, Kent State University, State University of New York at Geneseo