Summer Intern, Philanthropy: Social Innovation

Overview

Emerson Collective (EC) is a company of investors, changemakers, creative thinkers, and problem solvers working to make a lasting mark on the world.

Emerson Collective's summer internship program places rising college sophomores, juniors, and seniors - and, for select opportunities, undergraduate students graduating in 2026 - in paid internship opportunities across Emerson Collective and our longstanding nonprofit partners XQ Institute, E Pluribus Unum, and Chicago CRED.

We're looking for college students who think big, embrace challenges, and thrive in collaboration.

The internship is onsite, 40 hours per week, from June 15 through August 7, 2026. A mandatory paid virtual onboarding and orientation will take place June 10-12. See below for more details.

Application Deadline: Friday, January 9, 2026, at 2:00 PM PT / 5:00 PM ET. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be accepted.

The Opportunity

The Philanthropy team partners with visionary nonprofits working to create opportunity for individuals and communities.

As the Social Innovation intern, you'll contribute to special projects across a range of issues and emerging areas of interest for Emerson Collective. Throughout the summer, you'll conduct research, draft materials, and participate in key meetings that help advance our goal of providing meaningful, effective support to high-impact nonprofits.

Role and Responsibilities

• Conduct research across a variety of topics, leveraging online resources, reports, webinars, and learning sessions, and more.
• Prepare memos and written materials that support various initiatives.
• Participate in meetings that advance our understanding of issues and/or the work of nonprofit partners.
• Support analyses and insights work, including helping to collect or review data.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications, Skills, and Requirements

• Rising undergraduate sophomore, junior, or rising senior, preferably pursuing a degree related to public policy, economics, sociology, political science, business, or another field focused on understanding and addressing social challenges.
• Demonstrated commitment to social impact and curiosity about how philanthropy can help solve complex problems.
• Strong research, writing, and analytical skills, with the ability to synthesize large amounts of information.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to clearly summarize ideas for different audiences.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple priorities.
• Collaborative and proactive, and comfortable working in dynamic environments with evolving priorities.
• Energized by learning about new topics and contributing to meaningful, mission-driven work.

Internship Details

Compensation

• All interns are paid $25 per hour and can expect to work 40 hours per week from June 15 to August 7 (eight weeks).
• Interns will also be paid $25 per hour for onboarding and orientation sessions taking place June 10-12.
• All interns receive a lunch allowance and a commuter allowance, and may also receive travel and housing allowances as needed.

Key Dates

• November 18 - January 9: Internship applications accepted; interviews begin on a rolling basis

Applications must be submitted by 2:00 PM PT/5:00 PM ET on Friday, January 9.

(Please note that not all applicants will be selected for interviews.)

• January 12 - March 7: Interviews continue and offers extended
• June 10-12: Mandatory virtual onboarding and orientation
• June 15: Internship program begins
• August 7: Internship program concludes

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.