Internship Program
Project Forward Leap offers internships for students interested in expanding/contributing their skills and gaining practical experience in the following areas: Education, Technology, Research, and Development/Communications & Public Relations.
The following positions are currently available in our central office which is located in Center City Philadelphia: Research Intern and a Development/Communications & Public Relations Intern.
Candidates should be in good academic standing with their general coursework and possess a 3.0 GPA in their major. One year cumulative experience is preferred, but not required. Experience with education and/or middle school environment is desirable. A stipend of $500 will be awarded to participants who successfully complete the internship.
Applications for one of these positions should be made through your cooperative education office. In order to be considered for an internship, we need to receive the following items:
- Project Forward Leap Intern Application
- Your Institution’s Internship Application
- A copy of your resume including prior work, academic, and volunteer experiences in addition to any awards or achievements you have received
The deadline for submission of your application materials is determined by the Internship Office at your specific institution; please consult them on the deadline. Applications must be submitted to PFL through your institution’s Internship Office in order to assure that you will receive academic credit for the intern experience.
Internship Descriptions
Development/Communication and Public Relations Internship: Interns in the area of development, communications and public affairs may be assigned to work in one area or all three, depending on their interest and experience. Interns should have a basic understanding of the functions of the area and have good computer skills. Knowledge of Photoshop, Adobe Creative Suite and database programs would be useful. In addition, interns should have excellent communication skills, both written and oral and be willing to speak with individuals on a daily basis. Interns will work with the Development Director to develop basic programs and print material to establish and strengthen relationships with donors, media, board members and partners.
Financial Internship: Financial interns will gain experience with the financial processes associated with a small, non-profit organization. The intern will work with the Financial Officer and other experienced staff to assist with the preparation of management reports and the conduct of financial processes including: 1) Record donations and make deposit to bank and file all documentations, 2) Pay bills: record bills, print checks and mail payments and file all documentations, 3) Payroll reconciliation and distribution, 4) Bank reconciliation for all cash accounts. 5) Maintain fixed assets, and 6) Assist in preparing monthly reports. QuickBooks online is used for all accounting transactions.
Research Internship: Research interns will be involved in the process of data collection, entry, organization and analysis of information pertaining to Project Forward Leap’s programs and clients. Interns may be required to research general information via field studies, interviews, online data, and other external sources in order to compare it with PFL data. Furthermore, research interns need to be able to summarize their findings and generate a report on information that is gathered. A good understanding of the research process, knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Access, as well as the ability to be detail-oriented is critical.
Summer Institute Internship: Summer Institute interns would be placed at one of our four summer campuses – Bryn Mawr College, Lebanon Valley College, Messiah College, Millersville University. Depending on interests and qualifications, internships can be created for the following positions: Teacher Assistant, Residential Assistant, Office Assistant. See Summer Job Descriptions for more information. This internship is a 6 week summer internship. Please note, these positions are paid positions, no additional stipend will be offered beyond the normal stipend for this position.
Saturday Academy Internship: Interns are needed to facilitate and assist with our Saturday Academy located in the following school districts: Carlisle, Chester, Columbia, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Steelton and Susquenita. Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Tutoring Middle-School and High-School Students
- Planning and Implementing Parent Workshops
- Planning and Implementing Educational Events for Parents and Students
- Assisting the Saturday Academy Coordinator with various tasks.
Interns should have a passion to work with inner city students; prior experience in an urban educational setting is preferred, but not required. Additionally, the ability to plan and facilitate various events is important. Organizational skills are a plus. All Saturday Academy internships begin at the end of September and can be one or two- semester internships.
If you have any questions about these positions, please contact Jessica Lamos at jlamos@projectforwardleap.org or 215-568-2344.
