Due 3/31/2024 for Fall 2024 Applicants
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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 a week, and they focus on one project as a team.
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?
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 - 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 8/11/23 for Spring 2024 and 3/31/24 for Fall 2024. 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 2024 Timeline:
Date Event
9/8/23 Client applications due
July - Oct Client meetings to finalize projects
10/23/2023 Applications open for students; will remain open through the summer
10/26/2023 Spring 2024 LIFT Information Session
12/3/2023 Student applications due
12/5/2023 Clients receive matches and select their teams
12/15/2023 Client selections due
12/20/2023 Matching emails and credit instructions go out to students
1/7/2024 Deadline for students to confirm participation and credit/no credit preference
1/16/2024 Spring classes start
1/24/2024 Deadline for client agreement submissions (client calls must take place before)
1/27/2024 LIFT Camp - Introductory Impact Skills
2/8/2024 First Consultant Meeting - Social & Special Topic
2/18/2024 Scholarship applications due
2/29/2024 Second Consultant Meeting - Special Topic & Scholarships Announced
3/3/2024 First reflection essay due for undergrads seeking credit / draft for grads due
3/28/2024 Third Consultant Meeting - Presenting to Clients
4/15-4/18 Project presentations
4/18/2024 LIFT Reception at Rowling Hall
4/28/2024 Second reflection essay due for undergrads/ final due for grads
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 in March, and students will have until December 1/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 provide a written agreement with your students around the scope of the work and submit this to Madison Gove following the launch call. They will be given a template for this. Once completed, the agreement will be shared with your Alumni Mentor. Please note that students will also have access to professional consultants from McKinsey & Company to ask project questions during the semester. They will sign confidentiality agreements but not NDAs.
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.
