Position Title: Culture and Talent Intern
Department: Equity, Culture and Talent
Reports to: Amber Shelton, Director of Culture and Talent
Location: Intern works 40 hours a week with three days in the Indianapolis office.
Internship Duration: Monday, May 12 to Friday, Aug. 8, 2025.
Compensation: $19 to $21 / hour for an undergraduate, $22 to $24 / hour for a graduate student or a recent graduate.
Free on-site parking is included.
Schedule: Work hours are typically 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., scheduled in consultation with the supervisor.
Purpose
The intern will work closely with the Equity, Culture, and Talent team to support Lumina Foundation’s efforts to cultivate an inclusive, high-performance culture and workforce. The intern will assist with a variety of initiatives that advance Lumina’s commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, while enhancing the employee experience and organizational effectiveness. The intern will have opportunities to contribute to cultural work, talent management and organizational development projects, gaining exposure to multiple culture and talent initiatives. This internship will allow the intern to contribute meaningfully to the foundation’s goals while collaborating with a diverse team committed to driving systemic change in education.
Responsibilities
The intern will assist team members with:
- Internal Communications and Knowledge Sharing: Support the development and implementation of knowledge-sharing initiatives across the organization. Partner with key internal stakeholders to enhance Lumina’s internal learning agenda, utilizing various internal platforms to promote collaboration, growth, and organizational alignment. Responsibilities may include creating and curating content for internal platforms, improving strategies to ensure knowledge sharing is accessible, effective, and aligned with organizational priorities, and assisting with the dissemination of updates and resources.
- Culture and Organizational Development: Support initiatives to strengthen Lumina’s organizational culture through improved processes and collaborative solutions. Assist in identifying areas for cultural growth, gathering insights from staff, and helping design strategies that promote inclusivity, engagement, and alignment with Lumina’s values. Projects may include using tools for staff feedback and working the Director of Culture and Talent to implement actionable solutions.
- Employee Engagement and Recognition: Assist in creating and managing initiatives that celebrate staff contributions and enhance engagement. Responsibilities include supporting recognition programs, contributing content for platforms like Stand-Ups, the Hub, and LinkedIn, and exploring creative ways to highlight team successes. Collaborate with team members to identify innovative methods for fostering a sense of community and appreciation across the organization.
- Internship Program Improvement: Provide a fresh perspective on Lumina’s internship program by gathering feedback from interns, reviewing program structure, and suggesting improvements. Collaborate with team members to enhance onboarding and professional development processes, propose new initiatives, and ensure the program reflects Lumina’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals.
The intern will create, co-create, lead, and support various projects, with a focus on a core set of tasks that can be initiated and completed within 12 weeks. The work of the Equity, Culture, and Talent team spans across the foundation, providing the intern with the opportunity to engage with diverse colleagues and teams.
Education and Experience
- Enrolled in or recently graduated (within the past 12 months) from a bachelor’s, master’s, or Ph.D. program in Human Resources, Business, Organizational Development, I/O Psychology, Communications, or a related field.
- On track to graduate within the next two years, if currently enrolled.
- Experience or interest in internal communications, culture-building, or employee learning and development is a plus.
Qualifications
- Continuous access to high-speed internet when working remotely.
- A commitment to advancing equity in education, ending barriers to learning after high school for Black, Hispanic, Latino, and Native American students, and unjust educational outcomes related to race, ethnicity, household income, and geography.
- Strong communication, research, and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively and handle multiple projects simultaneously.
Work Environment and Physical Demands
- Work is performed in an office environment, mostly sedentary.
- Able to use technology necessary to monitor news media, track outreach, manage social campaigns, and produce high-quality video content.
- Travel occurs infrequently but could include overnight stays to support external meetings and events.
This summary describes typical intern responsibilities. It is not exhaustive and is subject to change.
Timeline
Accepting Applications- Jan. 15 to Feb. 14
Interviews – Feb. 17 to March 2
Internship Period: May 12 to Aug. 8
About the foundation
Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We envision higher learning that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s talent needs through a broad range of credentials. We work toward a system that prepares people for informed citizenship and success in a global economy. With an endowment of nearly $1.5 billion and offices in Indianapolis and Washington, D.C., Lumina has a passionate and committed staff that values candor, collaboration, and connection. Learn more about our core values.