Bridge Beyond Carolina Internships

The Bridge Beyond Carolina program supports students who desire an internship as an opportunity to explore a non-faculty career path.

Available Internships

Diagnostics Data Science internship at Ad Astra Diagnostics, Inc.

Host Organization Description: Ad Astra Diagnostics, Inc. is a developer of rapid diagnostic and data systems. The company provides rapid point-of-care diagnostics to enable fast health decisions with a system that was designed to improve health, well-being and lab efficiency.

Internship Location: In-person, Morrisville, NC (hybrid possible)

Internship Description: As a Data Scientist Intern, the individual will be responsible for conducting data analyses and other activities under the direction of the Research and Development team.

Internship Key Tasks/Activities:

Transferable Skills: Data troubleshooting, data entry, data management from large, diverse sources, communication with peers and supervisors, experimental design, and communication of results to known technical team members.

Anticipated Internship Deliverables: Report and presentation to team members on data analysis developed during the internship.

Doctoral Programs Strongly Encouraged to Apply: Biomedical and Health Informatics, Biomedical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Data Science

If students have questions about this internship, please contact Elizabeth Marino (emarino@aadiagnostics.com), executive assistant & office manager.

Philanthropy Communications internship at Burroughs Wellcome Fund

Host Organization Description: The Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF) is an independent private foundation dedicated to advancing the biomedical sciences by supporting research and education. Founded in 1955, BWF invests in innovation by funding scientific discovery, nurturing early-career researchers, and fostering diversity in science and education. Its programs span biomedical research, career development, and science education, with a focus on addressing pressing global challenges. Through strategic grants and initiatives, BWF empowers scientists, educators, and institutions to drive progress and improve lives. Guided by a commitment to collaboration and impact, BWF continues to champion bold ideas that transform science and benefit society.

Internship Location: Hybrid, office in Research Triangle Park

Internship Description: Join our Communications Department as an intern and gain valuable experience in philanthropy and nonprofit communications. You'll assist in compiling information on grant awardees, with a focus on science communication initiatives, and help craft announcements, press releases, and social media content that highlight our mission and impact. This role offers the opportunity to develop writing, research, and social media skills while collaborating on creative strategies to share inspiring stories. Ideal candidates are detail-oriented, proactive, and passionate about philanthropy and community engagement. With flexible, part-time hours, this internship is perfect for those looking to make a meaningful contribution while growing professionally.

Internship Key Tasks/Activities: As an intern in our Communications Department, you will undertake key tasks that include gathering and organizing information about grant awardees, particularly in science communication, to support storytelling and impact reporting. You'll assist in drafting press releases, announcements, and newsletters to highlight the organization's initiatives and successes. Social media tasks involve creating and scheduling posts, monitoring engagement, and brainstorming content strategies. Collaboration with the team will be essential for refining communications and ensuring consistency across platforms. Additionally, you may assist with research on communication trends or analytics to enhance outreach efforts. This role offers diverse, hands-on experience in nonprofit communications.

Transferable Skills: During this internship, students will develop a range of transferable skills valuable for any career. Technical skills include research and data organization, content writing, social media management, and familiarity with digital tools for communication and scheduling. They will gain hands-on experience crafting professional announcements, analyzing audience engagement, and developing strategies for impactful storytelling. Soft skills include collaboration through teamwork, adaptability in a dynamic nonprofit setting, and effective time management to balance multiple projects. Strong communication skills will be honed through writing, editing, and conveying complex information clearly. This internship prepares students for roles requiring creativity, attention to detail, and strategic thinking.

Anticipated Internship Deliverables: Internship deliverables will include a well-organized database of grant awardee profiles, highlighting their achievements in science communication, and drafted announcements or press releases ready for publication. The intern will also produce a series of social media posts showcasing the organization's initiatives, complete with engagement metrics and recommendations for future strategies. Additional deliverables may include a brief report summarizing research on communication trends or analytics to improve outreach efforts. By the end of the internship, the intern will have contributed tangible materials that enhance the organization's visibility, streamline information access, and effectively communicate the impact of its philanthropic programs.

If students have questions about this internship, please contact Russ Campbell (communications@bwfund.org), senior communications officer and director of science communication.

Economic Development Research internship at The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC)

Host Organization Description: The Economic Development Partnership of North Carolia (EDPNC) improves the economic well-being and quality of life for all North Carolinians by recruiting new businesses to the state, supporting existing employers, assisting companies with international trade, counseling small business and startups, and promoting North Carolina as a tourism destination.

Internship Location: Hybrid, office location in downtown Raleigh. Staff works in the office Tuesday-Thursday; Intern schedule may be flexible but will be expected to come to the office 1-2 days between Tuesday and Thursday.

Internship Description: The intern will be working with the Research team, which is responsible for supporting marketing efforts and economic development projects with data on the labor force, demographics, growth projections, taxes, business costs, real estate, industry concentrations, company lists, etc. The intern will assist with updating internal research tools, including company directories, industry publications, and the state comparison matrix. The intern may support other projects within the Marketing and Research team and shadow opportunities are available within other teams within the organization, depending on their areas of interest.

Internship Key Tasks/Activities: The intern will use third-party data platforms to update company directories; track economic development news, rankings, and accolades related to North Carolina's target industries and business climate; analyze labor market data and assist Research Analyst and Research Specialist with responses to Requests for Information (companies requesting data to be used to select their next location); assist the Director of Research with content development for industry brochures and white papers; other tasks as assigned.

Transferable Skills: The intern will learn the ins and outs of economic development and gain an understanding of economic development, and specifically, the business recruitment and expansion process from start to finish; tactically, students will learn to use third-party data sources to analyze data on the labor market, industry trends, foreign direct investment, real estate, demographics etc. used to support the business recruitment process. Moreover, they will learn to utilize data to build compelling stories and create effective marketing strategies. Students will develop soft skills in critical thinking, teamwork and collaboration, creativity, and problem solving.

Anticipated Internship Deliverables:

Doctoral Programs Strongly Encouraged to Apply: Economics, Public Administration, Business Administration, Public Policy, Political Science, Information and Library Science

If students have questions about this internship, please contact Alyssa Brown (Alyssa.brown@edpnc.com), director of research.

Health Communications internship at Galaxy Diagnostics, Inc.

Host Organization Description: Galaxy Diagnostics is an early-stage infectious disease diagnostics company, specializing in the detection of difficult-to-detect zoonotic and vector-borne pathogens linked to chronic illness. Located in Research Triangle Park, our diagnostic solutions are powered by revolutionary sample enrichment technologies that increase the sensitivity and specificity of conventional DNA and antigen testing. Our mission is to "Go Beyond" the limits of detection by driving innovation, advancing clinical knowledge, and improving patient outcomes through scientific publication, medical education, and excellent customer support.

Internship Location: In person @ 6 Davis Dr, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709

Internship Description: Join our dynamic team as a Healthcare Communications Intern and gain hands-on experience at the intersection of healthcare and strategic communication. This internship offers a unique opportunity to develop skills in crafting impactful messages, creating content, and engaging diverse audiences in the healthcare sector. This opportunity is perfect for graduate students looking to make an impact in the healthcare industry while building valuable skills for their future careers outside of academia.

Internship Key Tasks/Activities: The intern will work with our sales & communications team on the following projects:

Transferable Skills:

Anticipated Internship Deliverables:

Doctoral Programs Strongly Encouraged to Apply: Public Health – Epidemiology, Public Health – Clinical Research, Nursing, Microbiology and Immunology, Cell Biology and Physiology

If students have questions about this internship, please contact Bridget Robertson (Bridget.Robertson@galaxydx.com), human resources.

Community Engagement internship at Innovate Carolina

Host Organization Description: UNC's Innovate Carolina is a university-wide initiative for innovation and entrepreneurship that provides a full-scale innovation hub for today's impact-driven problem solvers. Under Innovate Carolina there are four groups: Office of Technology Commercialization, New Business Ventures, Design Thinking for the Public Good and Innovation Hubs and Engagement. This internship would be working directly with the Innovation Hubs and Engagement team (IHE). IHE provides physical space and programming initiatives to connect stakeholders—students, faculty, industry partners, alumni, and the broader community—with UNC's innovation ecosystem.

Internship Location: Hybrid – Junction, 136 East Rosemary Street

Internship Description: Innovate Carolina is in the process of establishing our innovation strategy comprised of five pillars – Build, Support, Elevate, Engage and Nurture. Depending on our work, specific teams are responsible for each pillar. The IHE Team is responsible for developing the aims and success metrics for the "Engage Pillar". The Engage pillar acts as a connective tissue of the UNC Innovation Excellence Strategy. Its role is to create pathways that link students, faculty, industry, and community members into the innovation ecosystem. The internship will support the benchmarking, analysis and help make recommendations related to the aims and success metrics.

Internship Key Tasks/Activities:

Transferable Skills:

Anticipated Internship Deliverables:

If students have questions about this internship, please contact Sheryl Waddell (Sheryl.waddell@innovate.unc.edu), director of economic development and innovation hubs.

Faculty and Graduate Student Professional Development Internship at The National Humanities Center

Host Organization Description: The National Humanities Center is a private institute dedicated exclusively to advancing humanistic research and learning, both inside and outside the academic world. Through its Residential Fellowship Program, Education Programs, and its Public Engagement initiatives, the Center supports and promotes the work of scholars, helps strengthen teaching on the collegiate and pre-collegiate levels, and encourages a deeper understanding and appreciation for the humanities and their foundational role in a democratic society.

Internship Location: Hybrid. In-person portions of the internship will take place at the Center's facilities at 7 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.

Internship Description: This internship is an opportunity to work with the staff of the National Humanities Center as it develops and implements public outreach and professional development programs for scholars, educators, and graduate students from all over the country. The intern will learn about logistics and program design, marketing and communications, and content creation for in-person and digital programming. The internship will be tailored to the intern's technical expertise, previous experience, and interests. The internship will involve both in-person and remote work, averaging 15-20 hours per week from mid-May to early-August.

Internship Key Tasks/Activities: This internship will provide opportunities to work with several of the NHC's operational groups, to

Transferable Skills: Event planning and management, team collaboration and professional communication, partnership identification and management, program development

Anticipated Internship Deliverables:

If students have questions about this internship, please contact Don Solomon (dsolomon@nationalhumanitiescenter.org), associate vice president of communications.

Science and Technology Development Internship at North Carolina Biotechnology Center

Host Organization Description: The North Carolina Biotechnology Center (NCBiotech) is a private non-profit corporation whose mission is to accelerate life sciences-based economic development through innovation, commercialization, and business growth. The Center's Science & Technology Development (SciTech) team fosters scientific innovation by providing research grant funding to North Carolina universities and nurturing scientific collaborations.

Internship Location: Hybrid. Flexible with some in-person work at NCBiotech Research Triangle Park office required.

Internship Description: The intern will work closely with SciTech staff on several projects intended to provide useful professional growth experience relating to the design, administration, and promotion of our grant funding programs.

Internship Key Tasks/Activities:

Transferable Skills:

Anticipated Internship Deliverables:

If students have questions about this internship, please contact Michelle Collins (michelle_collins@ncbiotech.org), director of grant process operations.

Social, Statistical and Environmental Sciences (SSES) Justice Practice Area Internship at RTI International

Host Organization Description: RTI International is an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Our vision is to address the world's most critical problems with science-based solutions in pursuit of a better future. The Social, Statistical and Environmental Sciences (SSES) group performs a wide range of research and technical services focused on important public policy issues in health, environment, education, criminal justice, and social welfare. Over 3,000 staff support more than 1,000 projects each year.

Internship Location: The internship will be remote as project colleagues are mostly teleworkers, but if there are opportunities for RTI campus meetings, the intern will be welcome to attend.

Internship Description: This internship will allow the student to collaborate on a national research project focusing on understanding the implementation, impact and costs of community supervision legislative policies. These state policies have the potential to expand or reduce the reach of community supervision. For example, state legislation aimed to reduce the reach of supervision may include policies that allow individuals on probation to be released early from their supervision term after successfully completing their conditions or remaining violation free, as well as policies that reduce or remove supervision fees that may be burdensome for those on supervision.

Internship Key Tasks/Activities:

Transferable Skills: policy research, manuscript preparation, team collaboration and professional communication, technical presentations.

Anticipated Internship Deliverables: participate in several core project activities, including collaborating with RTI colleagues with expertise in economics, criminology, law, and quantitative and qualitative research; preparing project deliverables (e.g., policy and research briefs, PowerPoint presentations) and manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals; engaging in dissemination strategies; and participating in RTI team and external client meetings, including the funder and the state probation partners.

If students have questions about this internship, please contact Dr. Kristin Bechtel (kbechtel@rti.org), principal scientist or Dr. Pamela Lattimore (lattimore.emeritus@rti.org), principal scientist, emeritus, justice practice area.

Non-profit Management internship at Paws4ever

Host Organization Description: Paws4ever is a non-profit animal welfare organization that supports pets and people in our community. The adoption center rescues cats and dogs from local county shelters, while the dog training program offers private lessons and group classes using positive and effective methods. Paws4ever's services also include a legacy care program, a members-only dog park and nature trail, facility rentals, and a ReSale Store. Finally, Paws4ever has a community pet support program that covers veterinary assistance, a pet supply pantry, and dog training scholarships designed to help keep pets in their loving homes and out of shelters.

Internship Location: Hybrid; Paws4ever is located at 6311 Nicks Road in Mebane, NC

Internship Description: This internship will provide the selected student with an overview of non-profit and program management.

Internship Key Tasks/Activities:

Transferable Skills: Non-profit program oversight and management, professional communication, problem-solving, teamwork, fundraising, networking, event planning

Anticipated Internship Deliverables:

Doctoral Programs Strongly Encouraged to Apply: Communications, Humanities, Social Sciences, and students from other programs who are interested in non-profit management careers

If students have questions about this internship, please contact Whitney Zoghby (whitney@paws4ever.org), executive director.

Scholarly Publishing Acquisitions internship at UNC Press

Host Organization Description: The University of North Carolina Press, a nonprofit publisher of both scholarly and general-interest books and journals, operates simultaneously in a business environment and in the world of scholarship and ideas. The Press advances the University's triple mission of teaching, research, and public service by publishing first-rate books and journals for students, scholars, and general readers. The Press has earned a distinguished reputation by publishing excellent work from the nation's leading scholars, writers, and intellectuals and by presenting that work effectively to wide-ranging audiences.

Internship Location: hybrid

Internship Description: The Acquisitions Intern will assist editors in the University of North Carolina Press Acquisitions department and will learn the ropes of scholarly publishing while doing so. Interns will gain experience working on day-to-day tasks and, as appropriate, will be able to gain experience in vetting proposals, editing, and writing marketing copy.

Internship Key Tasks/Activities: Tasks include but are not limited to data entry, processing peer review reports, processing payments, and assisting editors with manuscript formatting. Advanced interns will have opportunities for higher-level tasks like supervised editing, vetting of proposals and manuscripts, and developing marketing copy for scholarly and non-scholarly titles.

Transferable Skills: Students will refine their communication skills, learn new technical information about publishing—including using Adobe Suite, FileMaker Pro, and other programs—and use their analytical skills, honed in graduate school, to be involved in conversations ranging from individual book projects to larger strategic planning.

Anticipated Internship Deliverables: Student interns will receive insider knowledge of how a scholarly publisher operates, allowing them to build experience for a possible alternative academic career. This knowledge will also provide invaluable insight on potentially publishing their own academic books later in their careers. Student interns will also gain experience working for a non-profit publishing organization, learning transferable knowledge that can be applied to other non-profits.

Doctoral Programs Strongly Encouraged to Apply: History, English, Communication, Social Sciences, and American Studies

If students have questions about this internship, please contact Lucas Church (lucaschu@email.unc.edu), executive editor.

Contact Bridge Beyond Carolina

bridgebeyond@unc.edu