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SLI Internships

Summer SLI Internships

SLI provides internship opportunities for Foothill College students during the summer. Stipends are provided through the generous support of SLI donors and allow students to pursue these opportunities.

Summer 2025 Summer Internship Opportunities

Through SLI, Foothill College students will have an opportunity to engage in an internship either in research or industry, under the guidance of a mentor/ supervisor. Institutions and companies include biotech startups, Stanford University labs, and more!

NEW IN 2025: The SLI Summer Internships have been rebranded to be called the "First-Generation/ Low-Income (FLI) SLI STEM Paid Internship." This means only students who are first-generation college goers and/or low-income are eligible for acceptance to the program.

Student Outreach and Information

Please review these materials as you prepare your application for the 2025 program. The application is not ready yet. 

  • FAQ about the internship program - this will be updated as questions come in - please review this before you send an email with any questions.
  • Guidelines for preparing to apply - this is an overview of the various components of the application. Read this before completing the application for the best chance at being reviewed. 
  • Fill out the interest form - this is not the application but it's a way to show that you are interested in applying. We will be sending out updates and information to those who fill out the interest form. 

Application and Catalog

The Academic Works application is not ready yet. But review the above links to prepare!

Deadline to apply will be Thursday, May 1, 2025, 11:59pm.

The Project Catalog is a listing of all the internship placements to be offered in summer 2025. Read through carefully to see what you are interested in. You will be able to select up to 5 projects you are interested in interning at in your application. But if you aren't intersted in 5 total projects, it's ok - just list the ones you are interseted in. 

This project catalog gets updated occasionally, so keep a lookout on this webpage which is where the updated catalog will get posted. 

Summer 2025 Internship Project Catalog

Eligibility Requirements

  1. Foothill College is listed as your primary institution and you are enrolled at Foothill College in spring 2025 for at least 6 units.
  2. You must have demonstrated financial need through completion of the FAFSA, CA Dream Act or an explanation of financial need in the supplementary questions.
    • We encourage you to fill out the FAFSA for 2024-25 if you haven’t done so already. This will greatly improve your chances of positive review, especially if you show high need.
  3. You should be a first-generation college goer – this can mean one or both parents did not graduate from college in the U.S. or outside the U.S.
Priority given to:
  • Students who have not previously had an internship or company experience.
  • Students who have the intent to transfer to a 4-year university.
  • First time degree earners (no prior degree such as a Bachelor’s or Associate).

Internship Requirements

All internships will be either 6-7, 15, or 20 hours per week for nine weeks. All internships start the week of July 7, 2025 and run through the week of September 1, 2025. 

All internships require:

  • Summer enrollment in ITRN 50 with Dr. Miloni Gandhi. Course tuition will be covered by the Science Learning Institute or your financial aid.
  • A program orientation before the end of spring quarter and an in-person training before the internship starts (7/2/25). These are run by the Science Learning Institute.
  • Submission of a final report of your internship experience at the end of the summer.
  • Final presentation in early September for an audience of all interns and mentors in the program.
  • Attendance at a biweekly (every other week) Zoom cohort seminar on professional development topics (included in your hours/week) – total of four seminars – all required.
  • All above activities/ sessions are included in the total hours of your internship, on top of the hours on your internship project.

Important Dates

These are all required. You must sure you can attend for all these days. Summer vacations/ trips and transfer university start dates should accommodate these dates:

  • Program orientation (2 options) - Wed, June 18 or Fri, June 20, 2025.
  • In-person training for all interns - Wed, July 2, 2025
  • All internships start: week of July 7, 2025
  • All internships end: week of September 1, 2025
  • Final presentations – Thurs, Sept 4 and Fri, Sept 5, 2025 (two options)

Application Requirements

Before submitting the application, there are actions you can take to make the application process run more smoothly.  

  1. Fill out the interest form to let us know you are thinking of applying. 
  2. Review the “required skills” in the Project Catalog and make sure you meet the minimum requirements. For some projects, this may include advance coursework and for others there are minimal requirements.
  3. Fill out academicworks general scholarship application.
  4. Fill out supplemental application questions, including uploading your resume.
  5. Upload resume and unofficial transcript to scholarship portal.
  6. Full completion of the application, including name and contact information of a faculty/staff reference and upload of a resume. A full letter of recommendation IS NOT required.
  7. You may use AI to help you brainstorm your essays, but DO NOT use AI to fully write your answers. AI strips your voice and authenticity, so we want to read essays that are from YOUR VOICE. 

Project Choices

For Summer 2025, please review the Project Catalog  (see above). Please review them carefully. You will be able to choose up to 5 projects that you are interested in, and you will indicate that in the application. You will also be expected to include a short interest paragraph for each project in your application. 

Internship Stipend

There are three types of projects and corresponding internship stipends:

  • 6 - 7 hours per week for 9 weeks - $1200
  • 15 hours per week for 9 weeks - $2800
  • 20 hours per week for 9 weeks - $3700

Scholarship payments will occur in two installments and will depend on successful completion at each stage: one in the middle of the internship and one at the end after completion of the final report and final presentation.

Depending on your eligibility and the arrangement with the partner, even though this is called a "scholarship program," there will be different ways you will get paid:

  • as a scholarship
  • through student employment
  • through temporary employee hiring
  • directly through the internship partner in which you will have to complete their hiring paperwork

Selection Process and Timeline

A team from SLI will work with the project mentors/ supervisors to review applications and then select candidates. Finalists may be contacted for an interview depending on the project. Review the Project Catalog for more details. Students may get more than one offer but can only accept one project. Final decisions will be made by end of May.

Host Placement Outreach and Information

SLI is looking for mentors and companies to host a fully-funded Foothill College student intern for summer 2025.

Application period has closed

As an internship host:

  • You will propose a 9 week project related to your research or work that a student can work on independently, with some guidance from you.
  • Then you'll get matched with a Foothill College student, and they will work with you for the summer (starting 7/7/25 through the beginning of September).
  • You have the option for 6, 15 or 20 hours per week for the nine weeks.
  • This will involve a 5 - 7 hour per week commitment as a mentor.

Please read more in this program overview and flyer

DEADLINE: Thursday, February 27, 2025. (extended)

If you are a first time internship mentor, here are some resources to help you determine the scope of an internship project:

Past Summer Internships

Find out more about past summer internships, including past project catalogs and final report journals.

Past Summers

Student Eligibility for Internships

Students who participate in the SLI STEM Summer Internship program should be aware of the following guidelines:

Commitment

  • Enrollment in ITRN 50 or 51 (depends on projected number of hours of internship).
  • Course tuition will be covered by the Science Learning Institute or your financial aid.
  • A program orientation for the summer internship program in late June with the Science Learning Institute. Some placements also require additional meetings, sessions, and professional development.
  • Submission of a final report of your internship experience at the end of the summer.
  • Part-time weekly commitment for 8 - 12 weeks. Duration and weekly commitment varies for each placement.

Criteria

  • All placements require some kind of minimal coursework depending on the relevant discipline.
  • Applicants should be full time Foothill College students majoring in a STEM discipline.
  • Priority is given to
    • Students with demonstrated financial need, who have not previously had an internship or company experience, and who have the intent to transfer.
    • First time degree earners (no prior degree such as a Bachelor’s or Associate)

Benefits

  • Scholarship/ stipend provided through the Science Learning Institute
  • Work-based learning and experience to add to your skillset and resume
  • Mentoring and support from your placement and from the Science Learning Institute

Application Process

  • Each placement has a different application associated with it - this is to be able to allow students to focus on making their case for each company or institution.
  • Some internship placements may require uploading a resume and/or participating in an interview.
  • Pay close attention to the application process and fill in all necessary forms.

Questions? Email the SLI Director

How to Apply

All internships offered by SLI that have a stipend can be found at https://fhda.academicworks.com/ (directly through the link or see the AcademicWorks tile in MyPortal. Search for "SLI."

STEM Resources & Opportunities

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Foothill hills

Questions?
Please email me!

Sophia Kim, Director Science Learning Institute

kimsophia@fhda.edu


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