If you are interested in pursuing a career in philanthropy, our Daniel C. Smith Internship Program could be a great opportunity for you.
This paid internship will further your education and give you professional experience in higher education fundraising. By the time it concludes, you will have a solid foundation in development and will be prepared to succeed in a variety of nonprofit-oriented careers.
The Daniel C. Smith Internship Program begins in mid-May and concludes in mid-August. You’ll work 40 hours per week for 12 weeks and be competitively compensated for your time. Based on your skills and interests, you’ll be matched with a “host unit,” allowing for direct supervision and mentorship by a frontline fundraiser at IU. Interns are integrated into their teams and have the opportunity to network with the IU Foundation’s professional staff and the rest of the intern cohort.
Join IU Foundation and IU development leadership for this multi-faceted learning series. You will learn about the people, processes, and foundation in place that led to the recent success of Indiana University’s Bicentennial Campaign, which raised nearly 3.9 billion dollars for IU (earning the ranking of 3rd largest campaign from a public university).
Team up with members of your intern cohort for an intense competition to solve a real-life business problem in the fundraising community! You will be grouped with a team of interns, with a development executive as your mentor, as you put your heads together to innovate the world of fundraising through this lively competition!
Diversity and inclusion in leadership has never been more important. Delve into a book club with your intern cohort to learn important leadership skills that will put you ahead of the competition come graduation. Plus, it’s a great way to connect!
One of the IU Foundation’s core values is collaboration. Throughout the summer, you’ll have access to 260+ fundraising and fundraising support professionals who are here to help you in your internship journey. We’ll connect you to important donors and friends of IU, and encourage you to make meaningful connections throughout your 12 weeks as an intern.
You will have the opportunity to attend Indiana University Foundation’s Board of Directors meetings, which take place in June each summer. See the behind-the-scenes of how foundation boards operate and meet some of the IU Foundation’s most treasured donors and friends.
After an impressive 12 weeks of contributions to your host unit, you will have the opportunity to deliver to a large audience of development leadership a presentation of your summer projects and learnings. This is a great opportunity to leave a lasting impression for your potential future employer!
There is a longstanding history of success with this internship program!
The class of 2017 internship cohort has since graduated, and these fundraising leaders are out in the world making a huge difference, with 82% of the interns in full-time development professions, primarily in higher education. The class of 2018 remained impressive, as these graduates have entered the fundraising world with a placement rate of more than 80%.
Our class of 2019 and 2020 interns are nothing short of amazing as well—and even though many are still pursuing their degrees, 11 of these students are working part-time or full-time in development support roles while finishing their education. Our placement rates continue to grow; come jumpstart your career in fundraising!
2020 was a tough year for everyone—and students were no exception. Internships and job offers were rescinded, and many students had to halt their education over the summer. While this was happening, we witnessed Indiana University and the IU Foundation stepping up in big ways, focusing fundraising efforts on emergency funding for students, and giving a whole new meaning to student support.
Under the leadership and direction of then-President and CEO Dan Smith, the IU Foundation was able to continue to support students financially and professionally by maintaining a virtual internship program, welcoming 13 incredible interns, despite the uncertainty of a global pandemic.
From the very beginning, Dan’s vision of this program was to recruit and attract diverse fundraising talent. So in recognition of the ever-growing success of these interns and this program, and with Dan’s retirement at the end of 2020, we officially re-named the summer internship program the Daniel C. Smith Internship Program. This is a well-deserved honor for Dan’s leadership and his unfailing advocacy for student success and the fundraising profession. His legacy will live on through the success of the interns in this program.
Visit the IU Foundation Careers Portal to submit your resume and cover letter. A cover letter is required for consideration.
For questions regarding the internship program, please contact Shannen Wisniewski, Recruiting Coordinator, at iuftalen@iu.edu
We are sensitive to how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting work and personal lives, and will offer the utmost flexibility throughout the interview process. As the IU Foundation and much of Indiana University is currently observing a remote environment, initial interviews will be conducted via Zoom for the safety and well-being of all involved.
The IU Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against candidates on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or veteran status. Women, people of color, LGBTQ individuals, and members of other minority or marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply.
The Indiana University Foundation solicits tax-deductible private contributions for the benefit of Indiana University and is registered to solicit charitable contributions in all states requiring registration. For more information, please review our full disclosure statement. Alternative accessible formats of documents and files on this site can be obtained upon request by calling us at 800-558-8311.
