Sarah Ford | September 30, 2014
Internship Program Seeks to Inspire Innovation, Service
By Derek Hardin
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — An honors student/student body president, a PhD student at the University of California – Berkeley, and a recently-hired mechanical engineer at Robins AFB in Warner Robins, GA: What do all of these people have in common?  They are all former participants of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) Internship Program at the Air Force Research Lab, who credit the program as a key component to their successes.
AFRL has been involved in the TMCF program for 15 years, and 300 student interns have participated to date.  Each year, this national scholarship internship program offers students attending the 47 publically-supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), including law and medical schools, a first-hand professional development experience.  The program focuses on developing leadership skills, introducing various career opportunities, creating a community of scholars, providing companies access to a talented and diverse student population, and helping students make connections that lead to internships and full-time positions.
Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox
Explore More Articles
Why Your Company Should Offer a Matching Gift Program
Every year, billions of dollars in potential charitable giving go unclaimed, not because employees don’t want to give, but because their employers haven’t made it…
Employee Disaster Relief: How to Build an Emergency Assistance Fund Before the Next Crisis
The 2026 hurricane season is already underway. While NOAA forecasts a 55% probability of a below-average season, projections still call for 8–14 named storms, 3–6…
Emergency Assistance Fund Compliance: How to Stay IRS-Compliant While Maximizing Employee Impact
Why Emergency Assistance Funds Matter More Than Ever Financial insecurity remains a critical challenge for today’s workforce. Approximately 37% of Americans cannot afford an unexpected…
Get Resources and Insights Straight To Your Inbox
Receive our monthly/bi-monthly newsletter filled with information about causes, nonprofit impact, and topics important for corporate social responsibility and employee engagement professionals, including disaster response, workplace giving, matching gifts, employee assistance funds, volunteering, scholarship award program management, grantmaking, and other philanthropic initiatives.
