Host Organizations
The Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation at Grove City College provides a unique opportunity for nonprofits, startups, and small businesses in the Western Pennsylvania area to receive much needed help without the financial burden of hiring traditional interns or employees by placing highly driven students at internships with local organizations. Students are paid by (and employees of) the Center for E+I during their internship, meaning there is no cost to the host organization! Host Organizations determine their areas of need, and E+I Fellows are placed at the organization to help in those areas. The number of E+I Fellows placed will depend on the size of the Host Organization.
Special consideration will be given to nonprofit and commercial entities that are deemed to have a positive impact on the local region through social innovation or economic opportunity. A limited number of host organizations will be selected to participate in the program.
How it Works
Submit application
E+I selects Host Organizations cohort
Conduct E+I Fellows interviews
Select candidate(s) and create project description and plan
Attend orientation meeting for project kick off
E+I Fellows is funded by a grant from The Richard King Mellon Foundation and an anonymous donor.
Your Commitments
So, you want to be a Host Organization? Fantastic! Here is a breakdown of the expected commitments.
Project Plan Meeting
Host Organizations will work with E+I Staff to create a detailed work plan, goals, and learning outcomes for the E+I Fellow for their open fellowship position(s).
Pre-Placement Survey
Host Organizations are responsible for completing a survey at the beginning of the placement to collect and analyze progress and impact on both parties as well as impact on the local community.
Interview
Host Organizations work with a member of the E+I staff to interview student candidates for their open fellowship position(s).
Orientation
Host Organizations attend an orientation meeting with E+I staff and the E+I Fellow to discuss the project plan, role expectations, and the definition of success for both parties.
Communicate with Fellow on Regular Basis
Host Organizations are required to communicate with the E+I Fellow(s) on a regular basis throughout the 6-week internship experience. They will discuss their meeting and communication preferences with the Fellow during the project planning meeting with E+I staff.
Check-In Meetings
Check-in meetings will occur with the Host Organization during Week 2 and Week 4 of the internship experience to monitor progress toward pre-established goals.
Project Wrap-Up Meeting
Host Organizations are required to participate in a wrap-up meeting with E+I staff to provide feedback on their E+I Fellow and their overall experience with the program and its structure.
Post-Engagement Survey
Host Organizations will complete a survey at the end of the program to collect and analyze the progress and impact of the E+I Fellow on their organization, as well as the impact on the local community.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours are E+I Fellows expected to work?
E+I Fellows are expected to work anywhere from 5-20 hours per week. Freshman are limited to 10 hours per week, and sophomores, juniors, and seniors are limited to 20 hours per week. This includes a combined total of all on-campus employment. For example: if a student works 5 hours as a Teacher’s Assistant, they would only be able to work 15 hours as an E+I Fellow that week.
What is required of me as a Host Organization?
Interested host organizations will submit an application that includes details regarding their mission, constituency, and anticipated impact of hosting the E+I Fellow. Organizations are required to list how many fellows they’d like to host, roles to be filled, tasks, projects, and/or initiatives, reporting structure that will be assigned to the Fellow.
Once selected, Host Organizations will work with the Center for E+I to create a detailed Project Plan with the job description, a work plan that includes a timeline for goals, role expectations, and definition of success for both the organization and the fellow.
Next, the Host Organization will complete a Pre-Placement Survey so The Center for E+I can collect and analyze the goals and inputs of the project on the organization and the local community.
The Host Organizations are responsible for interviewing student candidates for their open internship positions.
There will be an Orientation Meeting that includes E+I, the Host Organization, and the E+I Fellow to discuss the project plan, role expectations, and the definition of success for both parties.
E+I will have two required Checkpoint Meetings with the Host Organization to monitor progress toward pre-established goals. These will be held at Week 2 and Week 4.
The Host Organization is required to participate in a Wrap-Up Meeting with E+I to provide feedback on program structure, their experience, and feedback on the E+I Fellow.
Lastly, the Host Organization will complete a Post-Placement Survey so The Center for E+I can collect and analyze the progress and impact of the project on the organization, the community, and the fellow.
Is there any cost to the Host Organization?
There is no cost! In fact, The Center for E+I will pay $15/hour to each fellow so Host Organizations can focus on increasing their chances of success and impact in the local community in the long run. We want to help you by providing students’ contribution and expertise.
Which Grove City College students are eligible to become an E+I Fellow?
All students (freshmen through seniors) in good academic and social standing with Grove City College, are eligible to become an E+I Fellow. The program is open to students of all majors.
What is the time duration of these internships?
The timeline of the pilot program for the Spring 2024 semester is 6 weeks.
What types of opportunities are we looking for?
The Center for E+I is looking for opportunities for students of all majors! In our pilot program, we have many students who have expressed an interest in sales, marketing, management, and social media. However, we’d like an even wider audience of students and interests, so we are looking to add opportunities for students in supply chain, human resources, operations, and event planning.
Learn More About the E+I Fellows Program
Are you interested in hosting an E+I Fellow?
If you are interested in hosting an E+I Fellow at your organization, click below and complete our application to get started!
Once accepted into the program, Host Organizations will work with E+I staff to create a detailed position description and a work plan that includes a timeline and goals for the duration of the internship.
Update: Applications are closed to participate in the Spring 2024 Pilot Program. If you are interested for Fall 2024, please click the link below to fill out our interest form. E+I staff will be in touch as the Fall 2024 semester approaches.