GLI grows and thrives on the energy, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit of students and young professionals to advance our global mission and vision.
We offer internship opportunities year-round in a limited capacity based on our organization’s needs. We are very intentional about aligning interns with supervisors that request intern support, or setting students up for success on independent research projects. GLI interns join the team either in the US or East Africa, and range from both in-person and remote positions!
Additionally, as GLI and our network, we have a short list of external organizations that are seeking intern support. If GLI doesn’t have the capacity to take you on, there might be another amazing organization we can connect you with!
WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Smart, innovative students and young professionals who think differently and think big about community development work! Our interns span all types of backgrounds and disciplines, and this form will give our team a better idea of where we might be able to get you involved. Most interns that receive placements will work directly with GLI staff members, although work with our close partner organizations or pursue independent research projects under GLI’s guidance.
Meet some of our past interns!
Claire Kern - Hospitality Audit and Training Intern
“The most memorable aspect of my internship with GLI was getting to stay at Entusi and see how hard everyone works there. As someone involved in the hospitality industry, it was amazing to have my eyes opened to the little ways they do things differently that make a huge impact on guests. It was also great to spend two months in East Africa and really experience their culture and way of life for an extended period of time!”
Steven Kyker - Global Health Research Intern - Music Festival Follow Up Project
“The experience and skill set I left with after my time with GLI significantly helped me get a job in clinical research at Children's Hospital Colorado. During my interviews for the position, the number one thing everyone said when my internship came up was they wish I had been able to do something like that when I was younger, that is such a cool project. I know I will lean on the memories and lessons learned from my trip to East Africa for years to come, and thank GLI for providing the space to listen, think, and then act while abroad and at home.”
Sydney Brown – Communications Intern GLI/RAHU
“The most memorable aspect of my internship with GLI was the long-lasting connections I developed. The people I met and the memories I made while in Uganda with GLI were some of the best of my entire undergraduate experience. The GLI team is incredibly accommodating and thoughtful in their preparations of these individually-curated global experiences”
Mallory Cannon – Workforce Development Research Coordinator Intern
“Working with students on their resumes and receiving kind and gracious responses from every student I worked with was incredibly memorable. Creating these connections, even just through a computer screen, was a wonderful experience.”
Frequently Asked Questions
When does GLI review and accept applications?
Applications are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis, throughout the year.
What is the schedule of GLI internships? How many hours are required each week?
Interns usually commit between 10-20 hours a week during the school year. When not in school, primarily during summer term, interns may commit up to 40 hours a week. Interns working on specific projects focus most of their time in that area, while interns working more generally split up their time evenly between different projects. They would work side-by-side with GLI staff in support of specific projects.
How long do the internships usually last?
Internships can last anywhere from a few weeks to an entire year, depending on the internship goals, project needs, student schedule, and any travel-related cost restraints.
What specific opportunities for work/projects are there?
We engage GLI interns as staff and rely on them for a variety of strategic work including preparing briefs, managing long-term research projects, administrative work, and coordinating community events and public outreach. And in East Africa, students either plug into GLI’s research and programming work, or pursue independent research projects ranging from rural community development to urban studies!
How does the GLI match my interests to my internship role/projects?
We have a system in place that allows us to standardize our process for reviewing, vetting and linking interested students to internship/research opportunities within our organization, or with external organizations in the US and/or East Africa based on their application!
What organizations does the GLI partner with and what kind of work do interns do with them?
We are partnered with some of the most prestigious organizations in the US and East Africa, through to small and medium-sized businesses and entrepreneurial startups that are currently offering remote internships to help interns gain invaluable professional experience and grow their global network, wherever they are. Interns are engaged in various program areas such as finance, administration, research, communications, public health, workforce development, etc.
How long after I apply, will I hear back from the organization?
It typically takes one to two weeks to hear back from GLI with initial communication after applying for an internship. We appreciate your patience as our staff is managing a lot of programs year-round!
Is there a formal training process or prerequisite for interns?
We have an onboarding/offboarding in place to make sure interns are properly welcomed into the organization, outline their work goals and a plan with their supervisor. Additionally, all interns are required to take the “Listen. Think. Act. Foundations Course” (to be finished by the end of 2021) before they start their internship.
What are some qualities that will help me be successful for this internship?
Simply put, we are looking for students and early stage professionals that are passionate about doing good community development work, and are ready to bring a lot of creativity and initiative to their work! Our best interns are those that are ready and willing to “dig in”, learn more about community development and push GLI staff to think differently and critically about how to improve their ongoing projects and initiatives.