Job Description

What You’ll Do 
The Catalysts for Leadership, Innovation, Mentorship, and Business (CLIMB) Internship is an engaging 6 to 8 week paid opportunity designed for high school students to explore career paths, develop professional skills, and contribute to the local community through innovative project work. This internship provides hands-on experience with real-world projects while connecting students to mentors and peers in a collaborative environment.  

As an intern, you will:

• Collaborate with enFocus  interns, Fellows, project managers, and sponsors to work on meaningful, community-based projects.  
• Conduct research, gather data, and contribute ideas to develop innovative solutions for local challenges.  
• Learn foundational project management, strategic planning, and problem-solving skills through hands-on involvement.  
• Participate in a team-based group project focused on addressing regional challenges, including sustainability, community development, or entrepreneurship.  
• Present project outcomes to enFocus staff and sponsors, building confidence in public speaking and professional communication.  
• Engage in professional development workshops to enhance skills such as teamwork, time management, presentation skills, and effective communication.  
• Experience the vibrant South Bend-Elkhart region through organized social and networking events.  

What We Look for in a Candidate 

We’re looking for curious, driven, and community-minded high school students who are excited about making an impact. Successful candidates will demonstrate:  

• A passion for learning and contributing to their community.  
• An interest in innovation, problem-solving, and project-based work.  
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.  
• The ability to work in a team environment and take initiative on project tasks.  

Requirements & Expectations   

• Current high school student (rising juniors and seniors preferred).  
• Must be at least 16 years or older at the start of internship.
• Availability for 6 to 8 weeks during the summer internship program
  • Internship Dates May 27 - July 18 (priority start dates of May 27 or June 2). 
  • Typical work hours: 30 hours/week, 9AM - 3:30PM M-F
• Commitment to working in-person in the South Bend-Elkhart region, primarily in Elkhart. 
• A willingness to engage in all aspects of the internship, including workshops, events, and presentations.  

Job Type

Part-Time, 6 to 8 Week Summer Internship (~30 hours/week).  

Location

This is an in-person internship based in the South Bend-Elkhart region, with primary work location in Elkhart.  

Benefits

• $12/hour  
• Mentorship from enFocus Fellows and Project Managers.  
• Opportunities to network with local leaders and organizations.  
• Exposure to a variety of career paths in Civic and Industry sectors.  
• Participation in professional development programming tailored for high school students and interns.  
• Social and networking events to explore the region and connect with peers.  

Application Process

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Selected candidates will be contacted for a short interview.  

For more information, contact [email protected].  

Join enFocus this summer and start building the future of your community while preparing for your own bright career!

About enFocus and our partners
enFocus is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and community growth in the South Bend-Elkhart region of Indiana. We empower talented individuals to make meaningful contributions to the community while developing professional skills and gaining real-world experience. Since our founding in 2012, enFocus has incubated more than 100 startups and social initiatives and executed over 750 projects across Civic and Industry sectors.

The Elkhart Education Foundation (EEF) ignites the power of community, connects generous hearts with education, and provides the resources needed for every child to excel inside and outside of the classroom through extraordinary learning experiences. EEF works with Elkhart Community Schools to enhance community efforts and to ensure that all students have the resources, opportunities, and experiences needed to develop life-long learners. Through innovative programming, EEF inspires the community to support public education, so that we can ignite a love of learning in our Elkhart students.

Guided by Notre Dame’s Mission, the Lucy Family Institute adventurously collaborates on advancing data-driven and artificial intelligence convergence research, translational solutions, and education to ethically address society’s vexing problems. The Lucy Family Institute brings expertise in data science, AI, data engineering, computing, applications, and methods. The Institute also brings forth core societal expertise in areas of human development, healthcare, sciences, peace processes, ethics, global development, democracy, and poverty studies. 

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