Internships & Scholarships

21st Century Leaders is proud to offer internship and scholarship opportunities to our graduating seniors. Through a variety of funding sources and corporate partners, we will be able to provide a paid summer internship and $2,500 scholarship to at least ten (10) graduating seniors in 2024, providing young talent with work experience and financial support as they transition from high school into their next phase of career readiness and leadership development.

Internships

Graduating seniors will gain resume-building work experience through their paid summer internship or work experience opportunity with one of our partner host sites. Selected candidates will also receive a $250 stipend to support their work experience.

Scholarship

After successful completion of their paid summer internship, graduating seniors will receive a $2,500 scholarship to their post-secondary institution or training.

How to Apply

Graduating seniors must submit their application and meet the Level completion requirements of Leadership Connect by the stated deadline. The application will be open in the spring and seniors will be emailed when the application window is open. The 2024 application is open March 25th - April 8th!

Application + Expectation FAQs

Must be a member of 21st Century Leaders
Must be a graduating high school senior at the time of applying
Have completed Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 in Leadership Connect by April 15th, 2024.
Be planning to attend a post-secondary institution in the fall
The application process will include a virtual interview.
10+ seniors will be selected for an internship + scholarship to their post-secondary college or university
Selected candidates will be assigned to work with one of our partner host sites for their internship and must complete the full duration of 4-6 weeks. Selected candidates will be paid directly from 21CL or the host company.
Scholarships will be sent directly to the candidate’s institution in the fall.
2024 application will be open from March 25 – April 8, 2024.

What happens to my scholarship if I don't complete my internship?

Scholarship recipients must successfully complete their summer internship in order to receive the financial scholarship. If you foresee anything that may interfere with your ability to complete an internship, please communicate this with 21CL staff.

What if I am not enrolled in Leadership Connect to complete the level requirements?

If you are not already enrolled in Leadership Connect, let’s change that! Enrollment is open year-round for our online learning platform. Contact lc@21stcenturyleaders.org with questions or to request a waiver code for your enrollment. Learn more and enroll online.

I am still waiting on decisions from the schools I applied to. Can I apply for the internship and scholarship before I have committed to a specific school?

Yes, go ahead and complete the application for the internship/scholarship by the deadline, and include the date(s) you expect to receive a decision from the institutions to which you applied.

Final confirmation of your school commitment will be required by April 29th, 2024.

Can I participate if I am planning to attend a school outside of Georgia?

Yes! Our internships will take place within Georgia, however scholarships are applicable to any post-secondary institute or college, anywhere in the US or abroad.

Will I be able to choose what company I intern with?

Our available internship host companies vary from year to year. 21st Century Leaders will do their best to place accepted candidates with the participating host site most aligned with the student’s interests. Let us know in your application what careers and experiences you are interested in, and stay open to learning opportunities!

What Our Students Say About Their Internship

“Thank you for making it possible for me to learn so much about a career I have been interested in for years. I really appreciate you taking the time to give me great advice and connect with so many amazing people in the process. I feel so much more confident, and I can not wait to use all of the tips that I was given as I navigate throughout my years in college.”

“Overall, I loved my experience and I would 10/10 recommend it to prospective future cohort members of the internship + scholarship program! My coworkers were the best and provided me with the information to succeed during those six weeks and beyond!...After this internship, I believe I am well set up for future internships, careers, and life experiences! I absolutely loved my experience!”

“This was an excellent first job experience, as I was able to learn first-hand about communication and what it means to fill a position for a company. Thank you for granting me this enriching opportunity!”

Internships & Scholarships