Summer Internship 2023

Student Success Research Intern

Organizational information:

The mission of the Hector and Gloria López Foundation is to provide post-secondary educational opportunities for students in Texas, specifically students from El Paso, Austin, San Antonio, South Texas, and the Rio Grande Valley. We primarily invest in scholarships and support for students who will be the first in their family to graduate from college or university and are financially under-resourced in their ability to pay for higher education. Learn more about our work at https://www.hglopezfoundation.org/

The Hector and Gloria López Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, sexual orientations, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, veteran status, uniform service member status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. Women, people of color (including multilingual and multicultural individuals), LGBTQ+ persons, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Overview of the Philanthropy Team

The Philanthropy Team makes grants directly to colleges and universities (or their supporting organizations) that are intentional and strategic in how they support first-generation students on their academic path and guidance toward economic opportunity.  Our college and university partners are four-year, both public and private, and are located in the five HGLF priority regions. Funding primarily supports undergraduate scholarships and student success services for López Scholars, bearing the name of the founders.

This position will report directly to the Student Success Officer and Senior Research & Evaluation Officer. In addition, this position will work closely with Philanthropic Director and Regional Philanthropy Officer. Aside from the Philanthropy team, this internship may also include opportunities to collaborate with other Foundation departments including Finance. 

Internship Description

We are looking for a student with an interest in supporting postsecondary success to advance economic opportunity for students in Texas, particularly by synthesizing information on program best practices and research for the Foundation. This may include conducting literature reviews on topics such as student high-impact advising models, work-based learning, and transitions into the workforce, as well as cataloging professional development opportunities available to students in public and private 4-year universities in Texas. The intern will have the opportunity to learn and apply best practices in research compilation; disaggregating data; accessing databases and managing datasets; and applying research to practice; as well as some discretion to propose and research topics of interest. This role also involves supporting student onboarding events.

Specific tasks may include:

  • Compiling research on topics of interest to the foundation in literature reviews

  • Assisting with research analysis and writing briefs (e.g. white paper on best practices)

  • Requesting and cleaning data from public databases

  • Cataloging professional development opportunities for Texas college students

  • Assisting with internal research and data requests

  • Staying informed on news affecting college students today 

  • Drafting talking points for social media posts on subjects of interest

  • Providing input and logistical support for 2023 López Scholar orientations and onboarding; and

  • Other necessary tasks as they arise 

As the Foundation does not employ any dedicated clerical staff, interns (and staff alike) are expected to do their own clerical work and on occasion help out with team preparations for events.

 

Dates of Internship: Summer internship program dates are June 1, 2023 through August 31, 2023. Actual start and end dates are flexible.    

Location: Hybrid remote and in person at our downtown Austin office, 606 W 11th Street (must be available for in-person meetings; may involve limited in-state travel for scholar events).

Employment Authorization: Open to any students with employment authorization.

 

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Current student at a higher education institution.

  • Able to maintain confidentiality of student data and adhere to FERPA requirements. 

  • Committed to equity. You believe in improving outcomes for all students.

  • Detail-oriented. Others have described you as highly organized.

  • Able to prioritize a range of tasks across multiple projects.

  • Communicate clearly. You are able to synthesize complex ideas into concise prose. 

  • Embrace feedback and revision. You understand that great writing is iterative. 

  • Understand new concepts quickly. You can rapidly get up to speed on a new topic. You continually absorb, integrate, or catalog new information and have experience conducting literature reviews and background research. 

  • Love data and respect sources. You are skilled in Excel. Accuracy and citing sources are important to you.

  • Be adaptable to changing circumstances. You like to have a plan, but you are also flexible and are comfortable making adjustments when necessary.

  • Proficient in Google Office Suite (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Sheets, Google Slides, etc.) 

Bonus Qualifications (i.e., not required, but potentially useful):

  • Proficient in reading, writing, and speaking Spanish

  • Experience with Tableau data visualization software 

  • Experience with Qualtrics survey software

  • Experience with CRM software (Customer Relationship Management software, e.g. Salesforce) 

 

Salary: Intern will be paid in accordance with the Foundation’s normal payroll practices and will be subject to the usual required withholding.

  • $20-$25/hour (dependent on experience) for up to 40 hours per week for up to 13 weeks

This position will be primarily in-person at the Foundation offices located in downtown Austin. 

Interns are entitled to the Foundation’s paid holidays if a holiday falls on a day they would otherwise have worked, and accrue sick leave based on hours worked.  Interns are not entitled to any other employer-sponsored benefits such as paid vacation, health and life insurance, or retirement benefits.

Please upload a cover letter, resume, and writing sample by 5pm Friday, March 31st, 2023. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.  

Note: Your writing sample should show that you can write about complex content in a way that is targeted to readers who do not know about the topic (i.e., simple, clear, concise). If available, a sample such as an executive summary, brief,  press release, grant proposal, or memo may be preferable over an academic research paper.


The Hector and Gloria López Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.



 

This position has been filled. Would you like to see our other open positions?