Development Intern

Reports to: Associate Director of Philanthropic Impact 

About Chicago Scholars 

At Chicago Scholars we strive to prepare our Scholars for the world and the world for our Scholars. Our dual focus on Scholars and the world are both essential to our strategy. The first part of our work supports college acceptance, matriculation, persistence, and career access for our Scholars. The second part allows Scholars to go beyond surviving to thriving, from achieving to excelling, from attending and working to belonging and exceeding. The first part of our work allows entry, the second truly opens opportunity and redistributes power. To achieve these goals we center diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and racial justice so that we can launch and lift our Scholars and enable them to lead and leverage their power wherever they are on their journeys. 

Chicago Scholars is transforming the leadership landscape of our city by resolving the fundamental barriers to success for academically driven, first generation college students from under-resourced communities. Through college counseling, mentoring, and by providing a supportive community to our Scholars through each phase of our program: College Access (Launch), College Persistence (Lift) and College to Careers (Lead), we ensure that they realize their full potential as students and leaders. 

78% of Chicago Scholars graduate college within 6 years. Per the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research, only 49% of their peers earn a degree within 6 years. Upon graduation, our Scholars move into leadership positions across Chicago, helping to drive the economic future of their communities and our thriving city. 

READI Commitment  

At Chicago Scholars we strive to prepare our Scholars for the world and the world for our Scholars. Our dual focus on Scholars and the world is essential to our strategy. To achieve these goals, we center racial justice, equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion (READI) in all that we do. 

Chicago Scholars’ commitment to READI encompasses all of our stakeholders—from our staff to our board, from our volunteers to our partnering organizations, and most importantly our Scholars. This holistic approach is necessary for the sustained, long-term, positive impact that we seek for our Scholars, our neighborhoods, our city, and our world. 

To learn more about Chicago Scholars commitment to READI, please visit chicagoscholars.org/readi. 

At Chicago Scholars, we believe that education is social justice. That's why we're empowering Chicago's best and brightest first-generation college students and students from low-income communities with the mentors, resources, and opportunities to go to our nation's best colleges and universities, graduate on time, and become Chicago's next generation of leaders. Since 1996, we've impacted the lives of more than 5,000 young leaders in Chicago. 

Our Values 

These are a set of guiding principles that apply to all stakeholders within the Chicago Scholars ecosystem. We select and retain stakeholders based on these stated expectations for how we achieve our mission and vision. Each is supported with core competencies and narrative for the sake of clarity. 

We Dream Big. We speak up, innovate, push the boundaries and keep creativity flowing. We don’t accept the status quo because the stakes are too high. We have an incredible belief that growth and change is possible. While we dream big, we are laser focused on our intended goals and outcomes for our Scholars, our city and the world. 

We Show Up. We show up every day; not just physically, but with a positive attitude and willingness to work, connect, challenge, engage, solve problems and have fun. We don’t wait for someone to tell us what to do. We take action and get the job done. If we don’t know how, we figure it out through our knowledge, exploration or our network. 

We Embrace Our Differences. We represent a multicultural nation, and our collective backgrounds, experiences, styles, values, perspectives and beliefs are an asset to the world. We recognize that together we achieve better outcomes more quickly. Justice and equity start with us using our collective voice. 

We Model the Way. We exhibit the behavior that we want to see in others and in the world. Titles are granted, but our behavior is what earns us respect. To model the way, we must be clear about our guiding principles, celebrate our accomplishments and learn from our challenges and failures. 

We Care For Each Other Along the Way. We adapt to the needs of the person in front of us. We pause, reflect and listen. We do our best work when we are in a good relationship together. We care personally and challenge directly. 

We Keep Our Word. When we commit, we are all in. Whether for events, a Scholar, a peer or ourselves. Our words are as powerful as our actions and are the building block of trust, respect, self-worth and integrity. 

Position Summary: 

The Development Intern is committed to the support of the Development team. Reporting to the Associate Director of Philanthropic Impact, this person will primarily be responsible for donor engagement tracking, record maintenance and administrative and communications support. As part of the Development team, the Intern will support major gifts and individual donor cultivation and stewardship, corporate engagement tracking and other administrative support tasks for the team. 

This role is a part-time & hourly position without benefits. The rate per hour is $16/hour, and the number of hours that you will be permitted to work each week is up to 15 hours on average. The number of hours per week can be flexible to accommodate school schedules and heavy project periods. 

Key Responsibilities: 

· Update Salesforce database for current and new individual donors and career partners (for example: contact information, corporate information, demographics, activities, etc.) 

· Under the direction of the AD of Philanthropic Impact, support individual donor and corporate engagement efforts by conducting follow up and maintaining activity trackers.

· Draft communications, pitch decks and other materials to send to donors and partners.

· Monitor progress towards goals through Salesforce and other reporting.

· Work with the MarComms team to design graphics, presentations or other materials for donor engagement activities.

· Support all members of the Development team with special projects and events as needed.

Additional Responsibilities: 

· This role may occasionally work on nights and weekends for Scholar and Development and External Engagement events and programming. This role is also strongly encouraged to attend and support mandatory all staff events if located in the Chicagoland area.

· Other duties, as assigned. 

Requirements: 

· Must be a current Chicago Scholars Program college student 

· Have excellent interpersonal, telephone, writing, and overall communication skills 

· Can work 15 hours per week 

· Be highly detail orientated with excellent initiative and problem-solving ability 

Preferred Requirements: 

· Ideal work hours: Ability to complete at least some work during traditional office hours (9am-5pm) and participate in required meetings with staff if school schedule allows

· Lives in the Chicagoland area and can work in the office as needed during the summer, we understand Scholars attend college across the country

Technical Knowledge (preferred, not required): 

· Outlook 

· Salesforce 

· Microsoft 365/Office Suite (Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

· Canva

· Asana or other project management software

Core Competencies: 

• Teamwork and Collaboration:  Listens to ideas from others even when different from own. Is careful to ensure all sides are heard reaching a conclusion. Shares time, energy and knowledge with others to ensure they can succeed.
• Problem Solving/Critical Thinking: Ability to plan and organize tasks to make informed decisions and solve problems.  Able to perceive and resolve a gap and overcome obstacles between a present situation and a desired goal. Ability to leverage the strengths (superpowers) of others to tackle a problem.
• Accountability/Project Management:  Effectively manages own work, and work of teams when relevant, ensuring delivery of high-quality work.  
• Communication:  Ability to read and interpret information effectively, clearly articulate a plan of action, and influence others by way of written and verbal mechanisms.

Best Offer First Policy: The data nationally show for every $1 paid to white men, women earn 82 cents, black men earn 88 cents, and black women earn 76 cents. Women and black and brown people are also less likely to negotiate than their white male peers. Chicago Scholars has decided to offer our best offer first rather than wait for a potential negotiation. This allows us to set salaries based on market data and internal equity and ensure fair and equal pay for every role. 

If you have questions regarding either of the above policies, or any of Chicago Scholars employment policies, please reach out to the Human Resources team at humanresources@chicagoscholars.org with the subject line: Policy Question. 

Hourly Rate: $16 p/hour 

To Apply 

· Please click 'Apply' to submit your application, which should include a resume and cover letter. 

· In your cover letter, please describe how your experience and career interest set you up for success in this role. We’d also like to know what sounds most interesting or exciting about this role.