Design Innovation Internship Grant

Have you been awarded (or want to hustle and create) an internship opportunity to apply design thinking and social impact innovation this summer? The Hive aims to offer 3-4 grants to passionate college students who have received design innovation internship offers and lack funding or income to cover their living expenses.

Apply Here!

Criteria

1. You are a current student or graduating senior from The Claremont Colleges.

2. You have completed at least one Human-Centered Design (HCD) class. These may include Intro to HCD, Advanced HCD, Design for Enviro. Behavior Change, Community-Engaged Design for a More Just Public Realm, or Design Equity.

3. You have received and accepted an internship offer to apply design thinking and social impact innovation. In other words, you will contribute to something that aims to have a positive impact on the world (e.g. public health, climate, education, etc.). You will beencouraged to be creative, to think outside of the box, and to be human-centered in your work.

4. You will work at least 8 weeks full-time (40 hours/week) between June 1 – August 15.

5. You have exhausted your funding options at your home college and other sources. We will prioritize high-need applicants who have not received funding.

6. You commit to publishing a public-facing Medium article or vlog of summer work experience by August 15, 2026. More details will be provided later.

Funding

Each student will receive up to a $5000 stipend for their full-time (40 hours/week) commitment to an internship. Payment to the grantees will be made in two parts – at the start of the summer

period and upon receipt of the final communications deliverable. This award is intended to be a stipend to support your living expenses. We cannot guarantee that the amount will cover all

costs in all locations. The Hive cannot offer additional funds or support for meals, housing, travel, or any other costs this summer. You are responsible for finding your housing.

Location

You can live where you need to be to complete this internship, as indicated by your supervisor.

Supervision and Mentorship

This project will be supervised and mentored by an employee at the internship company. The Hive faculty will not supervise you, but you are welcome to check in with us for advice!

Timeline

Applications open: February 3, 2026

Applications due: March 29, 2026, 11:59 pm PST

Grant awards announced: May 1, 2026

Your internship will last at least 8 weeks between June 1 – August 15, 2026.

Medium blog submitted on your internship experience and impact: August 15, 2026.

Main Learning Objectives

· Practice human-centered design skills

· Deliver impactful innovation

· Develop as a strong collaborator

· Gain real-world work experience

Application Process

Submit this application form by March 29, 2026, 11:59 pm to be considered:

https://forms.gle/S7SFTy6skXuCT3tNA

Email Shannon Randolph at shannon.randolph@hive.claremont.edu or Linett Luna Tovar at linett.lunato@hive.claremont.edu with any questions.