Event Status
Scheduled
Due 10/6/2024 for Spring 2025 Applicants
Due 3/9/2025 for Fall 2025 Applicants
Prospective Client Box (with example projects, dates, etc): https://bit.ly/LIFTprospectiveclient
Primary contacts:
Madison Gove Khamooshi (madison.gove@mccombs.utexas.edu) and Sandi Ruddick (sandi.ruddick@mccombs.utexas.edu)
__________
Welcome to the Global Sustainability Leadership Institute's Longhorn Impact Fellowship at Texas(LIFT)! We are glad your organization is interested in applying for student consultants from UT Austin. Corporations, social enterprises, and non-profits are eligible to apply.
LIFT will provide qualified student consulting services for corporations, social enterprises, and non-profits seeking support for their social and environmental impact problems. Interested? Fill out this application, and let us lift your work while elevating student experiential learning! Please note that student consultants are not interns and do not work full time. Their hours are limited to about 5 hours per student a week, and they focus on one project as a team of about 5 students.
Restrictions: For-profit clients need to be revenue-generating, in existence for at least two years, and have at least 5 employees. Non-profit clients must be 501(c)3 organizations for at least 3 years and have a minimum of 3 paid employees. We prefer to not take start-ups. We judge projects based on the following:
• Does it align with our mission and the client’s sustainability strategy?
• Does it create sizeable impact?
• Does it interest students?
• Does it give them knowledge?
• Does it create job opportunities?
Please note - We understand that business developments may cause a shift in the deliverables or conditions for the project. However, students are chosen for/apply to projects based on skills, knowledge, and interests. If project deliverables change, the team may not be able to produce high-level work and we are unable to recruit different students once the program begins. Please keep this in mind when you submit projects and create deliverables.
How it Works:
1) Fill out the Partner Application (you're here now!)
Eligible projects will focus on a specific challenge your organization is facing related to sustainability, corporate philanthropy, impact/ESG investing, or social and environmental innovation. They should also be able to be completed in 12 weeks. Please note that juniors, seniors, and graduate students from all disciplines may participate in this program.
Client applications close 10/6/2024 for Spring 2025 and 3/9/25 for Fall 2025. However, the sooner you can submit, the better! The GSLI will email your primary and administrative contacts to set up a meeting to discuss your project idea and whether or not it is a good fit for LIFT. Meetings will take place 3-4 months before projects start.
Spring 2025 Timeline:
Date Event
10/6/2024 Client applications due
Sep-Oct Client meetings to finalize projects
10/22/2024 Applications open for students
11/24/2024 Student applications due
11/25/2024 Clients receive matches and select their teams
12/8/2024 Client selections due
12/13/2024 Matching emails and credit instructions go out to students
12/20/2024 Deadline for students to fill out intake form and inform GSLI of credit/no credit preference
1/13/2025 Spring classes start
1/25/2025 LIFT Camp - Introductory Impact Skills
1/31/2025 Deadline for client/team agreement submissions (client calls must take place before)
2/13/2025 First Consultant Meeting - Special Topic
2/16/2025 Scholarship applications due
3/6/2025 Second Consultant Meeting - Special Topic
4/3/2025 Third Consultant Meeting - Presenting to Clients
4/11-4/17 Project presentations
4/17/2025 LIFT Reception at Rowling Hall
2) Select student consultants
Your organization's project will be posted in the student LIFT Fellows application. The app will be sent out across campus October 22/mid April, and students will have until November 24/mid July to apply. The GSLI will send you a list of applicants to your project, along with their resumes, within a week of applications being due. You will select applicants from the pool based on your needs and report your decisions to the GSLI. We will then finalize teams and assign alumni mentors. During this time, you will also add any pertinent documents or information for the students to look over to a Dropbox. This information transfer must be completed by the time students are selected so students can start learning about your org as soon as possible.
3) Set up a launch call with the students & prepare for LIFT Camp
The GSLI will send the students an introductory email to your primary representative (and administrative if applicable). You will need to schedule an intro call with the students at least a week before their LIFT Camp to discuss the project's scope, timeline, and expectations. You will also need to write a written agreement with your students around the scope of the work; students will submit this Client Consultant Agreement to Madison. You will be given a template for this. Please note that students will also have access to LIFT alumni mentors to ask project questions during the semester. All students will sign a confidentiality agreement with the LIFT program upon entry. We discourage NDAs due to the lengthy time it can take the university to approve, and because students are unlikely to encounter trade secrets in their work. However, we will work with you if your legal team needs an NDA. As the program’s work is not paid, we cannot accept other legal documents such as work agreements.
4) Get to work!
Projects will start after our LIFT Camp during the first week of each semester. This Camp, four hours on a Saturday, is meant to provide students with knowledge and skills that will help them in their projects. You will not need to attend the Camp. Prior to the Camp, students will spend a week or two reading any prep materials you provide to them.
Note- Although the first project is free, we do ask clients to consider giving to our scholarship program to support lower-income LIFTers.
Event Details
Date and Time
March 9, 2025, 11:58 to 11:59 p.m.