Intern Foundry Program FAQ’s
Q: What is the Foundry?
A: The Foundry Community is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit located in downtown Lincoln with a mission to support, educate, and develop the purpose-driven community of Lincoln and Nebraska. The Foundry is an organization committed to “helping the helpers,” and purpose is a centering theme and value in everything we do – talent and capacity, organizational incubation, and co-working. For more information about the Foundry, visit https://thefoundry.co/.
Q: What is the Intern Foundry Program and how does it work?
A: The Intern Foundry (IF) program is a partnership between the Foundry and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Honors Program that aims to address the “brain drain” in Nebraska. It pairs high-achieving students with work-based learning opportunities in areas of critical community and organizational need to cultivate a long-term talent ecosystem among the next generation of leaders in Nebraska. As a UNL Honors student, you can read through the various internship projects on our Foundry website and apply for the top few that interest you most through the IF application page on the Honors website. The Foundry will select and match students with organizations based on their applications. Accepted Honors students will get a paid summer internship experience while also fulfilling their required 99H credit.
Q: Do I need to live in Lincoln to have an internship this summer?
A: This summer, there are opportunities for various internships across the state of Nebraska. While many projects are based in Lincoln, there are also opportunities to work in Omaha and Greater Nebraska. Also, some projects for this summer will include travel opportunities. For example, the six interns for the National Alliance on Mental Illness will each be assigned a region in Nebraska, and will have the chance to travel to the region to conduct research and meet with the local stakeholders. Any travel expenses will be covered. You can view the specific location and travel information for each project on the project description page. If you have any questions about whether you can work on a certain project from where you plan to live this summer, please reach out to haley@thefoundry.co or merrick@thefoundry.co.
Q: Do I need to have prior experience to apply for the Intern Foundry?
A: The Intern Foundry selection process is highly competitive, but we encourage honors students of all skill sets and experience levels to apply! Some projects may require an intern with specific technical expertise or pre-requisite knowledge, while other projects just need a dedicated student who is passionate about the work they’ll be doing. When reviewing applications, The Foundry will assess students based on their application professionalism, diversity of experience (brought in and/or desired), focus on purpose, and career interests.
Q: What are the summer info sessions?
A: We want to ensure students have all of the information they need to feel confident in the Intern Foundry application process, so we will be hosting weekly information sessions throughout February. These sessions are a chance for us to provide an overview of the Summer IF program, highlight the available internship projects, and answer any questions you may have about the projects or application process. The info sessions will be held in Room 150 in Knoll on various weeknights. Attendance is not required to apply, but it is strongly encouraged, and attendance may be considered during the selection process. While these sessions are intended to be casual opportunities to ask questions and learn more about the IF Program, Foundry staff will be present, so we encourage attendees to be respectful, engaged, and to put their best foot forward!
