IDEAL Scholars are High Caliber, Prepared Interns
Through the Initiative for Diversity in Education and Leadership (IDEAL) Internship Program, LPFI searches for and connects quality companies and nonprofit organizations with IDEAL Scholars. IDEAL Scholars are talented, low-income, undergraduate students of color pursuing their studies at UC Berkeley and are supported by the Level Playing Field Institute. They understand the value of gaining meaningful work experience to supplement their education.  Providing an internship to an IDEAL scholar helps to create a diverse pool of qualified applicants for tomorrow’s workplace.
Watch a video about IDEAL Internships here.

We are actively seeking new partnerships with employers in order to create enriching summer experiences for employer and intern alike.

FAQs

What type of training have IDEAL interns received?
To be eligible for this internship program, LPFI ensures IDEAL scholars have received resume, cover letter and mock interview review and internship coaching.

Where have past interns worked?
Past interns have worked in law and engineering firms, the offices of elected officials, in medical clinics and hospitals, at not-for-profit organizations, and at a television station, among numerous other places.

What kinds of work do interns do?
When seeking internship opportunities, we want to make sure that both the student and the employer have a meaningful experience. We match potential internship providers with scholars based on the employer’s needs and the intern’s skills and interests. Interns should be involved with challenging, thought-provoking work. Employers should also help interns to understand the structure and management of the organization.

How long are the internships and what are the hours?
Internships should be arranged for 8-10 weeks within UC Berkeley's summer break (May 13 - August 18, 2011) and should be 25-35 hours per week.  The start and end dates are flexible and arranged by the supervisor and student.

How much does it cost to host an intern?
We believe that students should not have to sacrifice relevant internship experience in order to earn a summer income. We ask for-profit and financially stable non-profit organizations to provide a stipend of $3,000. Limited funds are available to help small non-profits cover their scholar’s internship stipend.

LPFI also requests a $1,000 donation per intern placed with your organization to cover the accounting, human resources, marketing, administrative and programmatic fees associated with the IDEAL Internship Program.  

What type of support does IDEAL provide the internship provider?
LPFI can collect and process all employment paperwork and disburse the internship stipend. The Internship Coordinator also checks in throughout the summer to ensure a great internship experience for both the employer and scholar.

How do we set up an internship with IDEAL?
If you have a summer internship opportunity for one or more of our IDEAL Scholars for summer 2012 or beyond, please e-mail Sumaiya Talukdar, LPFI's Director of Strategic Partnerships and Community Engagement, or call her at 415-946-3047.