ExxonMobil is pleased to sponsor the twelfth-annual Community Summer Jobs Program in Houston. Since 1998, ExxonMobil has provided over $887,500 in grants to Houston-area agencies through the Community Summer Jobs Program. Again this year, ExxonMobil will provide grants to selected agencies for the purpose of hiring a full-time summer intern.

Volunteer Houston will present an information session on October 21, 2008 from 8:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m. at the United Way Building. The address is 50 Waugh Drive, Houston, TX 77077. This will give interested agencies the opportunity to learn more about the application process as well as hear from past participants.

Through the Community Summer Jobs Program, college students are introduced to a variety of nonprofit organizations with the hope that they will consider careers or volunteer leadership positions in the nonprofit sector.

Assisted by the management services of Volunteer Houston, ExxonMobil sponsors internships at approximately 65 local nonprofit agencies. These agencies benefit from the extra help during busy summer months; and the college students benefit from the valuable work experience and the connection to a widely known, corporate-sponsored internship program.

This nationally recognized program started in New York in 1971 and now operates in ten states. The Houston program is one of the largest in the country. There are many eligible agencies in the Houston area, making the application process in Houston very competitive. The program is made successful by the outstanding agencies and supervisors who provide challenging and supportive settings for students to grow and learn about the importance of nonprofits in our community.

Internships vary each year and can include experiences such as directing youth camps, marketing, community outreach, direct client service, computer technology and fund development.

In addition to working full-time for a nonprofit agency, the interns also attend two development seminars throughout the summer. Topics for these seminars may include volunteer management, conflict and resolution, career planning and starting your own nonprofit. Interns also participate together in a day of community service.

Agency Eligibility
Grant applications are available in October of each year, and selected agencies are notified by January 31. Eligible agencies must meet the following criteria:

• be located in Harris County, Texas; and
• be certified by the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service, as having federal tax-exempt 501(C) (3) status or be deemed a governmental agency; and
• design a challenging, well-supervised, 8-week internship that balances direct community involvement and experience in non-profit administration; and
• submit a completed application (with accompanying materials) to Volunteer Houston by the deadline.

Intern Criteria
Once the 65 participating agencies have been selected, the agencies themselves are responsible for recruiting and hiring their summer interns. All interns must be hired by May 1. Eligible interns must meet the following criteria:

• be enrolled as a full-time (12 or more credit hours), undergraduate student; and
• be returning to school for the fall semester after their internship as either a sophomore, junior or senior; and
• cannot be an immediate family member of any employee or board member of ExxonMobil, Volunteer Houston or the agency to which they apply.

Students who meet the above criteria must contact the agency directly to be considered for an internship. (Volunteer Houston does not hire or place the interns.) A full list of all selected agencies and their contact information are posted here:

Agency listings for 2009

Important Dates:

November 13, 2008 @ 4:00 P.M. – All grant applications are due to Volunteer Houston

January 31, 2009 – All applicants will be notified as to their participation in the summer program

February, 2009 – Mandatory Orientation Meeting for all selected agencies

March/April, 2009 – Agencies recruit and interview potential interns

May 1, 2009 – Agencies must have their interns selected for the summer

May 15, 2009 – All intern hiring paperwork is due to Volunteer Houston

June, 2009 – Community Summer Jobs Program kicks-off

June/July, 2009 – Interns attend Seminars & Community Service Project

August 31, 2009 – Final evaluations from agencies and interns are due to Volunteer Houston

For additional information
or to RSVP for the Information Session,
call Laura Meares at (713) 964-0205
or email Lauram@volunteerhouston.org.