Pathways Internship Fund
Supporting Internships for Disadvantaged High School Students in Northern Virginia
How The Pathways Internship Fund Works
We provide financial support to Northern Virginia high school students who can’t afford to accept unpaid internships.
We recruit mentors to help these students before, during and after their internships.
We look for internships that are right for each student.
We partner with community organizations to support our efforts.
Why an Internship Fund?
Internships offer students an opportunity to imagine their future, and start to act on what they imagine, in concrete ways.
Internships can spark the imagination about what is possible. Students can read about jobs, they can talk with people, but what is better than actually doing it?
Many students can’t afford unpaid internships, and face other obstacles. We want to help those students.
We Believe
Internships can powerfully shape a student’s thinking about his or her future.
Accessibility to internships benefits disadvantaged students.
Information about internships makes it easier for students to pursue them.
Mentorship before, during, and after the experience strengthens meaning and impact.
What the Experts Say
“Many underrepresented students must work throughout high school and don’t have the luxury to accept unpaid internships. High school is a critical period for students to start exploring what they enjoy, identifying their career goals and mapping out a plan for achieving them.”
— Hechinger Report
“Financial barriers … often prevent low-income students from accessing high-quality internships, many of which are unpaid. These students may need a summer income in order to pay for college, leaving the career-rich opportunities that unpaid internships provide off the table.”
— American Association of Colleges & Universities
“Compensating interns frees them up to fully engage in a valuable workplace learning experience while being able to meet their basic needs. Internship programs empower at risk students to visualize college and career pathways they previously thought were unattainable.”
— Hechinger Report
Supporting Interns Through Partnerships
We partner with worship communities and non-profits in Northern Virginia. We call these communities “Pathways Fund Partners.”
Here’s how the process begins...
First, we work with the Pathways Fund Partner to recruit and identify students who would benefit from an Internship funded by the Pathways Internship Fund.
Then, we help the Partner recruit mentors from within its membership to work with the potential interns.
Once the connection between student and mentor is made...
We maintain a directory of potential internships for Pathways Fund Partners and their mentors to review with potential interns.
We offer support to the Partners and mentors as the student applies for an internship.
Once a student finds the right internship…
We award an internship grant to the student.
We help the mentor work with the student during the internship.
We encourage the mentor to continue a relationship with the student after the internship concludes.
Our First Pathways Fund Partners
We partnered in 2020 with Communities in Schools of NOVA (“CIS”) to fund internships for five CIS students at Wakefield High School. We also funded career guidance counseling for CIS students .Here’s how CIS works.
Mentors from Immanuel Presbyterian Church, which is operating a Pathways Program, will work with the CIS interns.
How YOU Can Get Involved
Apply to be an Intern
We’re interested in hearing from high school students in Northern Virginia who cannot take unpaid internships due to financial or other limitations.
Mentor a Pathways Internship Fund Intern
We’re looking for adult members of Northern Virginia houses of worship and nonprofits to mentor interns.
Offer Internship Opportunities
We’re looking for employers of all types — big and small, government and private, profit and non-profit.
Partner With Us
If you’e a Northern Virginia worship community or a nonprofit, we’d like to partner with you in identifying and mentoring the interns.
Get Involved As a Donor
Our donors make the Pathways Internship Fund possible. Your contribution will allow us to expand our work.
We welcome individual, foundation, and corporate donations.
Thank You to Our Donors!
The Pathways Internship Fund is supported by donations from The Harraseeket Foundation and other donors. This program would not exist without these generous members of our community.
Immanuel Presbyterian Church of McLean, VA uses an Endowment Fund to further the mission of the church by funding new ideas. The Pathways Internship Fund was launched with a 2020 grant.
Chain Bridge Bank, N.A., a community bank in McLean, VA expanded the reach of the Pathways Internship Fund with a generous contribution in early 2021.
Who we are
The Pathways Internship Fund is part of The Harraseeket Foundation. Liz Velander is the Director of the Fund. She works with a Pathways Internship Fund Advisory Board made up of representatives of Northern Virginia communities.