STEM Scholarships and Internship Opportunities for Latinas and Black Students in Tech

 2024 STEM Internship Opportunities for this Summer

Summer is typically an invigorating time for diverse students in the United States and it is a nice break from the days of studying and preparing for exams. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot use your time wisely to get ahead of the game. For college students, it’s essential to graduate with hands-on experience as internships could provide job opportunities once the internships are officially over.  

Summer STEM internship opportunities are crucial for several reasons as they provide students opportunities to develop and refine technical skills relevant to STEM disciplines. Students can learn how to use specialized equipment, software, and techniques that are commonly used in their field. Furthermore, internships offer valuable opportunities for personal growth and development. Students can improve their communication skills, teamwork abilities, problem-solving capabilities, and overall professionalism through their internship experiences.

Also, internships enable students to build professional networks within their industry. They have the chance to connect with professionals, mentors, and peers who can offer guidance, support, and potentially even future job opportunities.

Most importantly, a summer STEM internship looks impressive on a resume. It demonstrates to future employers that the student has practical experience in their field and is proactive in seeking out opportunities for growth and learning.

In today’s competitive job market, having internship experience can set students apart from their peers. Employers often prioritize candidates with relevant work experience, and internships provide students with the opportunity to gain this experience before entering the workforce full-time.

STEM INTERNSHIPS FOR LATINAS, HISPANICS AND BLACK STUDENTS

Statistically speaking, minorities tend to be underrepresented in STEM fields. That’s why corporations often create designated internship opportunities for minorities entering the industry. As the job market is becoming more competitive in addition to GPA and personal achievements, employers want to see applicants who have completed one or more internships.

Below we’ve highlighted some of the many top internships in STEM fields.

Microsoft Internship Program

For Women and Minorities this program is specifically designed for undergraduate minority college freshmen and sophomores interested in a paid summer internship in software engineering. Students must major in Computer Science, Computer Engineering or related disciplines.

Dell Internship

Dell Technology Program has internships on offered in the spring, summer and fall to college sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduates, and professionals. Interns receive pre-employment training and counseling on career choices as well as professional development, with the possibility of full-time employment after graduation.

Google Internships

Google offers rich learning experiences for college students that include pay. As a technical intern, you are excited about tackling the hard problems in technology. With internships across the globe, ranging from Software Engineering to User Experience, Google offers many opportunities to grow with them.

Karen Mashburn Environmental Scholars Program scholarship and internship

Friends of the Everglades is pleased to announce the Karen Mashburn Environmental Scholars Program scholarship and internship. One undergraduate or graduate recipient will be awarded $10,000 and participate in a 14-week 2024 internship at Friends of the Everglades, helping to support the Young Friends of the Everglades program and engage in community outreach. The intern will develop a wide range of skills including communication and instructional skills and gain an understanding of governance and guidelines in the nonprofit arena.

Karen Mashburn was a long-tenured member of the Friends of the Everglades Board of Directors who was instrumental in establishing and stewarding the Young Friends of the Everglades youth education program. During her lifetime, more than 100,000 students in Miami-Dade County participated in Young Friends of the Everglades and were inspired by the legendary leadership of Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the importance of preserving the only Everglades in the world. In 2023, Karen’s husband, Jerry Mashburn, made a gift to Friends of the Everglades allowing for creation of the Karen Mashburn Environmental Scholars Program in her memory.

Space Undergraduate Summer Internship

NJSGC awards summer internships for undergraduate students in New Jersey universities to conduct research in space sciences at N.J. universities or industry. The internship is for ten weeks, with a stipend of $500 per week for a total amount of $5,000 per student. Interns are expected to begin their internship on or around June 1, 2024. Flexibility in the start date can be accommodated by consent of the advisor.

The research conducted by the academic intern must align with one of NASA’s missions as outlined under the NASA Mission Directorates.

Applicants must identify a mentor who will supervise their research. The application package must include a letter from the mentor agreeing to supervise the applicant.

The internship recipients are required to present a summary of their research work during the yearly internship conference (held at the end of summer) and submit a final report (of about 1000 words) that includes a summary of their findings as well as recommendations for future work. A survey of the internship recipients indicates that approximately 75% pursue graduate work in science and engineering, with the rest joining STEM industry.

Your application package should consist of the following material:

1) Application online form

2) Transcript (official transcript not required; can be downloaded from the university website),

3) Personal statement describing career goals, research topic, and NASA Mission Directorate Alignment (<500 words),

4) A letter from the mentor agreeing to supervise the applicant’s research, in-person or remotely, and the reason why mentor chose to work with applicant.

Graduate Student Fellowships

NJSGC provides fellowships for graduate students conducting research in STEM and space science fields. Fellowship amount can be used to pay tuition or as a stipend. The fellowship is open to all graduate students pursuing a degree that involves research and the writing of a thesis. The graduate student fellowship requires a match of 100% from the academic institution of the graduate student, in the form of tuition waiver, or additional stipend. 

The application package should consist of the following material:

a) Application online form

b) All transcripts, undergraduate and graduate;

c) Personal statement of less than 400 words, which should include the following material:

1.   A biographical sketch describing colleges/universities attended with dates and overall GPA; list of honors obtained, and a summary of all recent employment including military service.

2.   A brief statement of what you hope to accomplish as a Space Grant Intern.

3.   A statement of your career goals, including their relationship to space science, aeronautics or aerospace, as well as plan for the immediate future (e.g., employment in academia or industry, if not Ph.D. student, whether Ph.D. will be pursued).

d) A letter of recommendation, preferably from a faculty advisor or another individual who is familiar with your capability to learn, to conduct independent work, to research a topic.

e) A letter from an authorized academic official of the applicant’s university, describing and certifying the match.

If you need more information to help you win big scholarships read the following article