Social Enterprise

Hire a Summer Associate: Examples of Impact

The HBS Social Enterprise Summer Fellowship engages leading organizations in the public and non-profit sectors to create valuable, mutually beneficial experiences.

For guidance on how to ensure a successful Summer Fellowship experience, go to Hire a Summer Associate.

Students who participate in the HBS Social Enterprise Summer Fellowship program gain real-world experience and insight into the scope and impact of social enterprise activities around the world. Here are some examples of the impact these fellowships have had:

Organization: IGNIA Partners Field: Social Investing
Student: Vera Makarov (MBA 2009)
Location: Monterrey, Mexico

my experience

My 10 weeks at IGNIA allowed me to combine both of my passions - investing and social impact. IGNIA is a Mexican social venture capital firm focused on integrating low income individuals as producers in global supply chains or consumer of essential goods and services. Throughout the course of my summer, I evaluated and recommended for investment a telecommunication start-up and a water purification initiative. I also designed and implemented IGNIA's social and environmental management system to measure and demonstrate the fund's double bottom line returns.

Organization: Joint U.S. China Collaboration on Clean Energy
Student: Yashih Wu
Location: China

my experience

This summer I worked with JUCCCE (Joint US China Collaboration on Clean Energy) in their Shanghai headquarters. Our mission is to change the way China creates and uses energy within the next 10 years by targeting key decision makers in each of the main areas of energy use. I met with executives from MNCs and local companies operating in China, as well as Chinese and U.S. government officials interested in working with JUCCCE. This was my first time working in China, in clean energy, in nonprofit, and in an entrepreneurial environment, so it was incredibly stimulating.

Organization: City of New York Mayor's Office of Operations
Student: Catherine Wise
Location: New York City

my experience

The Office of Operations focuses on increasing transparency and accountability. I was responsible for a project to help City agencies reduce and prevent outstanding property violations. I also contributed to two other initiatives: the Graffiti Free NYC program and the New York City Charter Section 195, which mandates the process for City agencies to lease office space. I gathered tremendously valuable lessons in how to think analytically and creatively, mobilize diverse populations and synthesize large amounts of information into a cohesive whole.

Organization: MAC AIDS Fund
Student: Jessica Stannard-Friel
Location: South Africa

my experience

This summer, I interned with the MAC AIDS Fund, the philanthropic foundation at Estee Lauder-owned MAC Cosmetics. My internship consisted primarily of completing two discrete projects: designing a process for selecting the Fund's geographic focus areas and used it to recommend a small group of target countries; and completing the first phase of an updated market plan for the Fund's grantmaking in South Africa, a critical country for MAF.

Organization: U.S. National Park Service
Student: Benjamin Lambert
Location: Big Cypress Nature Preserve, Florida

my experience

This summer another consultant and myself worked with the Preserve to develop a business plan covering the Preserve's next three years of operation. This meant struggling with a wide variety of issues, everything from how to estimate upcoming funding for the Preserve to considering the impact of highways on the endangered Florida panther. I will admit that it was thrilling to be a part of a working National Park, and to accompany staff while they monitored wild land fires, searched for rare orchids, and inspected the Preserve's canoe trails.

Organization: FabIndia
Student: Melissa Lau
Location: India

my experience

Fabindia is a leading for-profit Indian retailer with the mission of providing employment to traditional artisans and farmers in rural India. At the crux of Fabindia's business model are its efforts to distribute the benefits of the company's growth by offering equity in regional supply chain companies to the rural artisans that craft Fabindia's products. I worked directly with the company's senior management team and Board on the scale up of the company as it plans to expand over the next five years from 50 to 200 stores and increase annual sales five-fold to $250 million.

Organization: National Math and Science Initiative
Student: Garrett Smith
Location: United States

my experience

I had the opportunity to work for the National Math and Science Initiative, an innovative nonprofit organization created to facilitate the national scale-up of programs that have a demonstrated positive impact on math and science education in the United States. NMSI aims to scale up two proven programs by awarding grants to applicants from around the country that are well positioned to achieve success in replicating these programs. I got to travel the country (including 5 states I had never been to!) meeting individuals and organizations who are passionate about, and committed to, improving education in our country.

Organization: Endeavor
Student: George Leng
Location: Turkey

my experience

As a member of the Endeavor team, I was sent to Istanbul where I consulted the senior management team of a leading Turkish technology start-up company on several strategic issues facing the company. My experience this summer has been one of most meaningful to date. My internship has not only offered me a unique opportunity to learn about the operations of a leading global social enterprise organization but also allowed me to apply what have learned at HBS to contribute to a meaningful cause.