If you’re a current JHU student who is interested, visit our student FLI Internship Academy Page.

Join FLI Internship Academy for Inclusive Hiring

With equity at the center, The Life Design Lab is working to close the gap as it relates to our First Generation, Limited Income students securing essential internship opportunities. With a multifaceted program, we are ready to not only prepare and equip our students with the necessary skills to thrive in your organization for a summer experience; we are looking to foster relationships with employers that are equally committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in organizations worldwide. We invite you to become a part of this movement in its inaugural year.  


Why should I invest in FLI? ?

According to Forbes, in 2023 First Generation and/or Limited-Income or FLI students made up over 56% of all college students. While one might think access to higher education has been available to all for some time now, closing the opportunity gap is much more antiquated than changing legislature and opening doors. Additionally, we know that students from marginalized backgrounds matriculate to graduation, experience internship opportunities, and leverage their networks at a lower rate than their non-FLI peers.  However, these students also bring skillsets of grit, determination, resiliency, and fresh perspectives that bolster the higher education communities, and eventually your workspaces. 


Membership Benefits

Financial Benefits: 

  • Placement Program: We will contribute up to $4000 toward their summer stipend with your organization. 
  • JobsforJays: We will contribute up to $2000, with the expectation of a match from the employer. 

Other Participation Benefits: 

  • Priority opportunity to engage with our cohort of students in the FLI Internship Academy 
  • Support from our employer engagement team every step of the process from posting jobs to securing the right candidate from our cohort 
  • Training and Updates on current hiring trends, inclusive recruitment practices, and retention of a diverse team    

How does it work?

Over the fall semester, all cohort members will complete a credit-bearing course covering everything from networking and interviewing skills to industry timelines and how to overcome imposter syndrome. These students will walk away full of confidence and the ability to authentically demonstrate themselves to you.  

After they complete the course, students will also engage in experiential learning to try out the work and gain some hands-on experience to build the skillset necessary to be successful in a role at your organization. 

That is where the fun begins, and you come in! Our hiring initiative available to you will be a two-pronged approach: 

  • Hopkins Placement Program: Employer partners will commit to hiring one of our brilliant students that has completed the course component and experiential learning, and our Employer Engagement team will do all the work for you! Everything from posting the roles, to reviewing application and interviewing, we have you covered!  
  • JobsforJays: This is our spring signature hiring initiative open to all JHU students and we have seen remarkable success with the program with over 50 hires from over 35 companies last year alone. With this program, our team provides support all the way up to the interview process but gives the employer the responsibility of conducting interviews and making offers.  

Interested in Joining?

We have started recruiting employers across all industries and would love to have you! A more formal request for job descriptions and participation will come at a later date. Please express your interest by filling out this brief form, so you can be the first to know when employer registration opens! 

Our Diverse Student Community

29%

of undergraduate students identify as FLI (First-Generation and/or Limited-Income)

85%

of undergraduate students have had at least one internship experience

35%

of undergraduate students identify as Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, Multiracial, or Indigenous


Questions?

For any questions regarding the program, please contact Kara Hunter, Associate Director for Employer Engagement, at karahunter@jhu.edu