Education Team Graduate Summer Intern

About The Kresge Foundation

The Kresge Foundation is one of the top 20 private philanthropic foundations in the United States and the only one focused exclusively on expanding equity and opportunity in America’s cities. With an endowment of approximately $4 billion and a staff of over 100 employees, the foundation deploys grants and social investments across arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services and community development nationally and in Detroit, Memphis, New Orleans and Fresno. The foundation’s state-of-the-art headquarters in Troy, MI, maintains an array of energy-efficient, water-conserving and health-promoting systems. The foundation also operates an office in Detroit’s Midtown district.

About the Education Team

Kresge’s Education Team focuses on helping low-income and students of color enter and succeed in undergraduate education and reducing inequitable college outcomes in completion and attainment.  Our focus states are California, Florida, Michigan and Texas, and we prioritize student success efforts at community colleges and Minority-Serving Institutions in our work.  You can learn more about the program at https://kresge.org/our-work/education/.

About the Position

The Graduate Summer Intern will be integrated into the team and, by working closely with Kresge staff members, will experience what it’s like to be a program staff member at a national foundation.  This will include meeting with prospective applicants and current grantees, reviewing letters of inquiry and proposals, conducting due diligence on nonprofit organizations, participating in team review discussions, and assisting with various research and analysis projects.  The Fellow will have the opportunity to be exposed to the work of many of Kresge’s grantees in the college access and success field as well as explore opportunities for interdisciplinary partnerships across the Kresge program teams. The Fellow will also have the chance to attend at least one conference that requires travel (e.g., the SHEEO Higher Education Policy Conference in Minneapolis in August, 2025). 

The internship will be an in-person experience in Troy, Michigan.  It runs from June 10-August 15, 2025 and applicants must be available during that full window.

Primary Responsibilities Include: 

• Research: This may include conducting scans on particular topics, portfolio analysis of approximately 150 current Education Team grantees, briefing the team on research reports and current developments in higher education, etc.
• Convening planning: Depending on timing, this may include helping to plan either virtual or in-person convenings of grantees, funders or other partners.
• Learning and evaluation:  Helping to build out the team’s knowledge management function by framing several “lessons learned” sessions or communications vehicles.

We particularly encourage students with interest and expertise in any of the following areas to apply:

• Helping the field adapt to the end of race-conscious college admissions that was precipitated by the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision.
• Building capacity and increasing student success as Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
• Investigating the potential for Artificial Intelligence to enhance higher education.
• Supporting Latino student success efforts.
• Exploring higher education’s role in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
• Bolstering college student voting and civic engagement work.
• Understanding the effects of implementation of universal FAFSA policies.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a graduate degree or Ph.D. related to higher education, public policy or educational equity with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to manage a heavy workload and flexibility with shifting priorities.
• A self-starter who can multi-task in a fast-paced hybrid environment.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, PowerPoint and Excel.
• Program planning experience is a plus, as is experience or expertise in our focus states and institution types.

What we offer our Interns

• A pay rate of $30/hour for Graduate students
• Housing stipend of $350 per month
• Volunteer opportunity or group activity
• Breakfast, lunch, and snacks daily for a minimal charge from our cafeteria

The Foundation highly encourages applications from local university students and students who will be local to the metro-Detroit area over the summer.                         

The application deadline for this position is Midnight EST on January 5, 2025. Please attach a cover letter for consideration for this position. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

This position is located in Troy, Michigan and currently has a hybrid schedule.  Tuesday and Wednesday are the standard in-office days, however, there may be times when you will have to adjust the days based on work needs. 

Kresge is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with disabilities, women, and LGBTQ+ applicants. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

The Kresge Foundation participates in E-Verify to confirm authorization to work in the United States. For more information on E-Verify and to know your rights please click here.