Gifts to the HBS Fund support a wide range of people and programs like this.

Elizabeth Powers (MBA 2021) was thrilled to land a summer internship at a highly respected consulting firm. Then came COVID-19, and the firm announced it was shortening her job from 10 weeks to two. “Suddenly I found myself in a difficult situation,” says Powers. Such internships enable MBA students to gain valuable work experience, explore career options, and apply their classroom learnings.

As the economic consequences of the pandemic took hold, many students like Powers found themselves facing a very different job market. “Many summer internships were canceled,” explains Kristen Fitzpatrick (MBA 2003), managing director of HBS’s Career & Professional Development (CPD). “Graduating students who already had job offers saw their start dates delayed, and those interested in hard-hit industries like hospitality and entertainment had to broaden their searches.”

To support students facing this uncertainty, the flexible resources of the HBS Fund enabled the School to triple funding for its Summer Fellowship Program and open it up to graduating as well as current students. These fellowships provide stipends to supplement lower-paying internships (for example, at nonprofits and startups). In a typical year, about 250 first-year students are awarded summer fellowships. This year, some 750 first- and second-year students received them.

The School also reached out to all alumni, encouraging them to post open full-time jobs and internships with CPD and asking them to consider creating special projects and consulting opportunities for students over the summer. Those efforts netted almost 1,000 new postings.

Powers was relieved to receive a summer fellowship. Rather than work for just two weeks at the consulting firm, she spent the entire summer at Continuum Lab, a pioneering venture firm run by Vladimir Jacimovic (MBA 1992), who created a summer training program for five students in response to the School’s outreach. “My background is in health care,” says Powers, who worked remotely for the San Francisco, California–based firm from her home in Providence, Rhode Island. “This appealed to me because it was completely different.”

She is grateful for the unexpected opportunity to explore a new career path she might never have considered otherwise. “I developed ideas for startup companies that use artificial intelligence in industries undergoing profound change,” enthuses Powers. “I got to experience what it’s like to be an entrepreneur, and I learned more than I thought possible about cutting-edge technology. I couldn’t have asked for a better summer.”

More Student Stories

Lillian Cartwright

MBA 2020

Lillian Cartwright used her summer fellowship to work on startup she created as part of the HBS's Arthur Rock Center Accelerator program last year. ShelfLife is a B2B marketplace that enables small businesses to take advantage of economies of scale in the food and beverage packaging supply chain. “Specialty food and beverage producers join our platform to secure group purchasing rates, establish transparent benchmarks, and learn from other high-growth brands,” says Cartwright.

Lillian Cartwright used her summer fellowship to work on startup she created as part of the HBS's Arthur Rock Center Accelerator program last year. ShelfLife is a B2B marketplace that enables small businesses to take advantage of economies of scale in the food and beverage packaging supply chain. “Specialty food and beverage producers join our platform to secure group purchasing rates, establish transparent benchmarks, and learn from other high-growth brands,” says Cartwright.

Kevin Chenault

MBA 2021

Kevin Chenault planned to focus on a film production company that brings underrepresented voices to life, but changed direction following the murder of George Floyd and subsequent demonstrations. He and his brother, Ken Chenault Jr. (MBA 2019), helped cofound the Anti-Racism Fund, which provides capital from a pool of donations to a portfolio of curated organizations whose ethos align with four pillars of purpose: justice system reform, education parity, health and wellness access, and community outreach and social justice advocacy. In its first two months of operation, the nonprofit raised more than $650,000.

Kevin Chenault planned to focus on a film production company that brings underrepresented voices to life, but changed direction following the murder of George Floyd and subsequent demonstrations. He and his brother, Ken Chenault Jr. (MBA 2019), helped cofound the Anti-Racism Fund, which provides capital from a pool of donations to a portfolio of curated organizations whose ethos align with four pillars of purpose: justice system reform, education parity, health and wellness access, and community outreach and social justice advocacy. In its first two months of operation, the nonprofit raised more than $650,000.

Mariano Parro

MPP/MBA 2020

Mariano Parro helped launch ProTalento, which seeks to bridge the skills gap among young people in Latin America. “The pandemic is severely affecting economic development, and our team saw an urgent need to provide better and more affordable online job training,” says Parro. ProTalento creates personalized learning routes for young people, helps finance their studies, and supports them in finding and retaining jobs. Parro, who has since started working for Boston Consulting Group, appreciated the opportunity to explore “a cause I care deeply about” and plans to stay involved.

Mariano Parro helped launch ProTalento, which seeks to bridge the skills gap among young people in Latin America. “The pandemic is severely affecting economic development, and our team saw an urgent need to provide better and more affordable online job training,” says Parro. ProTalento creates personalized learning routes for young people, helps finance their studies, and supports them in finding and retaining jobs. Parro, who has since started working for Boston Consulting Group, appreciated the opportunity to explore “a cause I care deeply about” and plans to stay involved.

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