CESR Impact Internship Program

Impact Internships

2026 CESR Impact Interns announced!

Students selected as 2026 Impact Interns stand in a group photo.


Congratulations to our six 2026 CESR Summer Impact Interns! Ìý(L to R)

Peter Murry (MBA '27), Wilding Bond Intern at
Bennett Burton (Fin '29), Program & Operations Intern at
Lauryn Simon (BusAna '27), Program Management Intern at
Sydney Bihm (SustBus '28), Conservation Finance Intern at
Maren Clay (Mgmt '27), AI Implementation & Operations Intern at Ìý
Patrick Mahoney (MBA '27), Resident Owned Communities Intern at Ìý


Information and application deadlines for the 2027 Impact Internship program will be posted in Fall 2026. Ìý

Are you ready to work for a cause you care deeply about and use your time and talents to make a difference? With funding support from CESR, Leeds undergraduates (1st-3rd years) can support the mission of a nonprofit working in environmental sustainability or social impact and develop important skills that will advance your career.Ìý

CESR will provide $7,000 in stipend support for up to five undergraduate students who design a full-time, unpaid internship with a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit tackling tough environmental or social issues.

  • Nonprofits with an in-person office location should express interest to be included in the list of organizations recommended to students.
  • Interested students will be assessed by CESR for eligibility (Leeds undergraduates 1st-3rd years) Business GPA of 3.00+; strong academic reference; and ability to receive financial aid.
  • Eligible students will contact organizations where they are interested in working, drawing from the recommended list.
  • Organizations will conduct an interview process to select a candidate and work with that student to develop a mutually beneficial internship that draws on the student's particular skills.
  • Students submit their stipend proposals to CESR for consideration.
  • CESR will award up to six student stipends to fund for Summer 2026.
  • Stipend recipients will be notified by March 13.
  • This is a competitive program.

Please email Sarah Arney at sarah.arney@colorado.edu with any questions.Ìý

Student stipend applications are now closed. ÌýInformation on the 2027 program will be posted in Fall 2026.Ìý

Impact Internship Eligibility

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Internship should be completed in Summer 2026.ÌýÌý

10 weeks in length for 40 hours per weekÌý

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Internship must be with a registered 501(c)3 organization (a nonpartisan registered nonprofit) in the U.S.

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Internship must be in-person and utilize a student’s business skills.

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Internships with the nonprofit should be unpaid.Ìý

CESR would provide a $7,000 stipend to the student, if selected, to enable this work.

What is an Impact Internship?

Listed below are some examples of impactful internships with nonprofit organizations that a Leeds student might propose:

Student intern might help rebuild North Carolina homes destroyed by Helene while also applying business skills to develop a recommendation for the local organization’s leaders on how to streamline operations and optimize relief efforts.Ìý

: Student intern might apply quantitative analysis to study the impact of providing a guaranteed income to families and individuals experiencing homelessness in Denver, CO.Ìý
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: Student intern might assist low-income small business owners in Texas in accessing credit to manage and grow their businesses, insurance to protect against fire and climate disasters, and other financial services.Ìý

: Student intern might engage multiple stakeholders and develop a recommendation for the organization on how to protect public lands in Colorado from the impacts of climate change.Ìý

Crafting your Impact Internship

The timeline to develop internships for this pilot program is very short.Ìý We suggest reaching out to an organization as early as possible to start the discussion. Applicants must have a written agreement from a registered nonprofit by the deadline to be considered.ÌýÌýÌý

Stuck on how to find a nonprofit or how to start the internship conversation? Look at the examples below!

Identify a nonprofit working on an issue you care deeply about. Databases like and , can help you identify organizations by issue area, size, and state.Ìý

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Reference the  a²Ô»å  toolkits for designing an internship that supports both your development and the nonprofit’s work.

If you would like additional help brainstorming nonprofits to approach based on your interests, email Sarah Arney.Ìý

Program Supporters

We are grateful to Ed and Virginia (Ginny) Mitchell for their generous endowment gift for CESR’s new Impact Internship program. Ed earned his MBA from Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØin 1969 after serving in the Air Force. He was a founding member of Invesco and his passion for business ethics began as a student at UVA where he earned his undergraduate degree. They are long time supporters of UVA and CU. At Â鶹Ãâ·Ñ°æÏÂÔØthey have supported the Rustandy expansion naming a room, Birdie Reznicek holds the Virginia and Ed Faculty Scholar award, and they are long time supporters of the Leeds Fund for Excellence.Ìý