Are you a community-focused nonprofit, small business, or startup looking for extra support but lack the funds to hire a student intern? An innovative initiative from the Grove City College’s Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation (E+I) offers a unique solution to bridge the gap between need and resources.
The E+I Fellows program provides paid student interns to regional Pittsburgh organizations and businesses at no cost. E+I will pay selected students $25 per hour and place them with organizations that have a positive impact through social innovation or economic opportunity but can’t increase capacity or continue to grow without some help.
In addition to the interns’ labor, hosts get help creating a detailed project plan to maximize the value of the placement for both the organization and the students involved.
E+I is now taking applications from regional organizations and businesses that would benefit from having highly driven interns placed at their organizations free of charge. The upcoming spring 2026 timeline is an eight-week internship, starting in mid-February and ending in late April.
The deadline to apply for the spring 2026 E+I Fellows cohort is Dec. 19. Program and application information is available at gccentrepreneurship.com/host-organizations.
The Fall 2025 program placed 22 students with 19 different host organizations in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Mercer, Washington Counties, and one organization in eastern Ohio. Their roles ranged from marketing, event planning, finance, web development, human resources, and business development.
Positions can be fully remote, hybrid, or in-person (for organizations reasonably close enough for students to feasibly commute) as determined by the host organization's needs. To be eligible, a host organization must be located within two hours of Pittsburgh.
Brittany Campbell, fund advisor of Joy in the Journey, said the nonprofit volunteer organization that helps children and families as they navigate difficult medical paths benefited from having a student fellow to work on their website.
“It has been a blessing to work with such a like-minded student with a passion to help others as we design a website for new individuals to hear about our mission and learn how to get involved. We are grateful to the Center for E+I and our student fellow for such a wonderful experience working on this project,” she said.
“The E+I Fellows program has become a valuable resource for mission- driven organizations across the Pittsburgh region. It’s incredibly rewarding to witness the program’s continued growth and lasting impact students make in just eight weeks, often sparking new initiatives and strengthening internal capacity in ways that far exceed expectations,” said Emma O’Toole ’23, E+I Community Manager and organizer of the E+I Fellows program.
The Spring cohort is funded by a grant from an anonymous donor.
For more about E+I Fellows, visit gccentrepreneurship.com/ei-fellows-program. For more about the Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation, visit gccentrepreneurship.com.