The enFocus Internship

enFocus, a non-profit organization, brings an entrepreneurial focus to communities in the South Bend - Elkhart, Indiana region by recruiting top talent, providing mentorship and cohort-based programming, and executing innovation projects for community partners, called sponsors, in the Civic (education, government, healthcare, nonprofit, etc.) and Industry (manufacturing, technology, private business, etc.) sectors.

About the role

Throughout this paid, 8-week Summer Internship, enFocus will provide you with meaningful work responsibilities, social and professional development programming, and access to a network of mentors to assist you as you progress in your career. As a Summer Intern, you'll work with enFocus Fellows and Project Managers to discover, design, and implement innovative solutions for project sponsors. Interns work on at least two projects throughout the summer: one as a lead on a consulting-like innovation project designed to assist a local organization (called a Primary Project), and one as a team member on a group research/entrepreneurship project to support an existing enFocus startup incubation or social impact initiative (called a Secondary Project).

Responsibilities

Each project will require different work activities, though all Summer Interns will be expected to:

• Execute a project management plan for all projects
• Share opportunities and coordinate with various stakeholders, community leaders, and business executives
• Conduct discover activities, such as customer/stakeholder interviews, strategic research, and data collection and analysis
• Conduct design activities, such as program design, business model and/or marketing campaign development, process mapping, technology/software requirements definition, grant-writing, and strategic planning
• Conduct implement activities, such as technology/software implementation, employee training, project/stakeholder management, marketing strategy execution, and data collection/evaluation
• Communicate regular project updates to enFocus staff and sponsors via meetings, email, and well-organized presentations
• Positively represent enFocus through all project engagements and any other enFocus events

Project Examples

Though some Summer Interns may work across our Civic and Industry portfolios, most Summer Interns are assigned to either a Civic Innovation or an Industry Innovation project for their Primary Project.

Civic Innovation Projects

• Partnered with government officials to design a city-wide sustainable food system
• Developed and deployed a community needs assessment for a non-profit hospital
• Built strategic and financial plans for a grant-funded, community ride-sharing initiative
• Created and implemented a Google Ads campaign and a marketing strategy for a local workforce development agency

Industry Innovation Projects

• Used business problem-solving methodologies to examine processes, data, and financial flows to identify efficiency gains and optimize value streams for a manufacturer
• Designed and piloted research studies regarding products, markets, and supply chain dynamics for an existing business or emerging startup
• Analyzed and visualized data for a private business using tools such as PowerBI and Tableau, as well as programming languages such as Python, R, and SQL

Secondary Projects

Regardless of their Primary Project portfolio, all Summer Interns will contribute to an ongoing research, development, & entrepreneurship initiative for their Secondary Project. On these types of projects, past Summer Interns have:

• Helped enFocus Fellows advance their own novel social or business venture
• Collaborated with company representatives on federal research grant proposals (SBIR/STTR)
• Developed social programs to address disparities in the community
• Worked with a promising startup to achieve an important business milestone

Requirements & Expectations

• Must be a student at an undergraduate institution, a current graduate student, or a recent graduate. All majors and degrees are considered
• Strong candidates typically maintain at least a 3.0 GPA
• Barring changes with public health guidance, Summer Interns must be available to work full-time in the South Bend-Elkhart region for 8 weeks, with an expected cohort start date in early June. We understand that some candidates may not finish their academic years until mid-June, and we will work with these candidates on a case-by-case basis to determine their start dates
• Must be able to use personal or public transportation for frequent travel to the enFocus and/or sponsor offices across the South Bend - Elkhart Region and Southwest Michigan
• enFocus does not provide interns with laptops or other technology; interns must bring their own devices to complete work

This internship is part of a study on the efficacy of community-based internships. You will be asked to participate in the study and, if you consent, you will complete weekly surveys and participate in a focus group regarding your internship experience.

Qualifications

• Passion for building better communities through innovation and entrepreneurship in a fast-paced environment
• Comfortability in taking initiative and ownership over project activities/planning, priorities, and recommendations amidst ambiguous situations
• Excellent presentation and strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
• Clear demonstration of leadership experience and/or project management capabilities in work or academic settings
• Ability to provide strategic insights through problem-solving and research
• Adaptability to learn new skills quickly
• Familiarity and/or interest in one or more of the following: business/data analytics, community development, manufacturing, market or production strategy, product development, social impact, supply chain, and/or technology/software implementation

Benefits

• $14/hour - $16/hour
• Innovation Project as Project Lead
• Group Project for Early-Stage Non-Profit or Start-Up
• Small Housing Stipend
• Professional Development, Social, & Networking Events
• Hybrid/Flexible Work Schedule

Schedule

Full-Time, 8-Week Summer Internship (~40 hours/week), expected to work in-person at one of our three offices throughout the South Bend - Elkhart region.