The enFocus Internship

enFocus•South Bend, IN

8d•$14 - $16•Onsite

About The Position

enFocus is a non-profit organization that focuses on bringing an entrepreneurial spirit to the South Bend - Elkhart, Indiana region. They achieve this by recruiting top talent, offering mentorship and cohort-based programming, and executing innovation projects for community partners in both the Civic (education, government, healthcare, nonprofit, etc.) and Industry (manufacturing, technology, private business, etc.) sectors. This paid, 8-week Summer Internship provides interns with meaningful work responsibilities, social and professional development programming, and access to a network of mentors. Interns will work with enFocus Fellows and Project Managers to discover, design, and implement innovative solutions for project sponsors. They will work on at least two projects: a Primary Project where they lead a consulting-like innovation project for a local organization, and a Secondary Project as a team member on a group research/entrepreneurship project supporting an existing enFocus startup incubation or social impact initiative. Projects are based on community needs, offering unique opportunities each year. Interns will be expected to execute project management plans, coordinate with stakeholders, conduct discovery (interviews, research, data collection/analysis), design (program design, business model/marketing development, process mapping, requirements definition, grant-writing, strategic planning), and implementation activities (technology implementation, training, project/stakeholder management, marketing execution, data collection/evaluation). Regular project updates will be communicated to enFocus staff and sponsors. Interns will positively represent enFocus in all engagements. While some interns may work across both Civic and Industry portfolios, most are assigned to one for their Primary Project. Civic Innovation projects have involved designing sustainable food systems, developing community needs assessments, building strategic/financial plans for initiatives, and creating marketing campaigns. Industry Innovation projects have focused on examining processes for efficiency gains, designing research studies, and analyzing/visualizing data using tools like PowerBI, Tableau, Python, R, and SQL. All interns contribute to a Secondary Project focused on Research, Development, & Entrepreneurship, which has included assisting Fellows with ventures, collaborating on grant proposals, developing social programs, and helping startups achieve milestones. Project assignments are determined through a ranking process prior to the internship. enFocus also provides professional development, networking, and social programming, including a speaker series. Interns will learn from experienced enFocus Fellows, develop professional skills, and make a tangible impact in Northern Indiana.

Requirements

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 to participate, you will complete weekly surveys and participate in a focus group regarding your internship experience.

Nice To Haves

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

Responsibilities

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