HBCU Internship Program

Community development financial institutions (CDFIs) provide access to capital and services for under-resourced communities that are often sidelined by mainstream finance. CDFIs invest in virutally every aspect of community life including housing, schools, health care centers, small businesses and more.

But in too many cases, the people who staff and lead CDFIs do not look like the communities they serve, which are largely comprised of people of color. As one of the nation’s largest CDFIs, LISC is partnering with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) on an internship program that builds a diverse talent pipeline for CDFIs while offering paid professional experience to diverse undergraduate students of color.

The goals of our program include:

• Increasing diverse leadership and staff at CDFIs nationwide to be more reflective of the nation’s demographics and the communities served by the CDFI sector.
• Creating a diverse talent pool of qualified candidates experienced in the CDFI sector through on-the-job training as a component of their HBCU undergraduate experience.
• Expanding opportunities for diverse talent to gain long-term employment at CDFIs and work to reduce racial and social inequities.

Why partner with HBCUs?

HBCUs meet the needs of many low-income students who are often the first in their families to go to college. More than 300,000 students attend HBCUs each year and 80% of those enrolled are Black. More than 70% of HBCU students qualify for federal Pell grants and 80% receive federal loans.

LISC partners with HBCUs to offer paid internship opportunities to young people who historically have been disconnected from career pathways in the CDFI industry, yet who have the insight, life experience and motivation to help ramp up the effectiveness and impact of the industry.

How it works

• Undergraduate juniors and seniors at HBCUs are eligible for the program, which requires a 15- to 20-hour time commitment per week, for up to two semesters. Each intern is paid $25 per hour.
• Two types of opportunities available for HBCU students:
  • internships with a local LISC office or a national LISC program; or
  • internships with CDFIs in LISC’s national network of partners.
• Interns will support a range of initiatives, from marketing to finance to community engagement.
• Placements are made based on geographic location and align with students’ academic and professional interests.

Hear from one HBCU intern

Program Sponsors

Learn more

To learn more about this program and how you can help us build a diverse talent pipeline for community development, contact hbcuinternship@lisc.org.

Download program flyer here.