Marketing and Communications Intern - Summer 2025

About Breakthrough Silicon Valley

Starting in middle school, Breakthrough Silicon Valley launches talented students who have been historically excluded from higher education on the path to college, and inspires high school and college students to become the next generation of leaders, advocates, and educators. While ambitious in our goals, BTSV works: a stunning 99% of BTSV graduates attend college immediately after high school, and 78% of BTSV Teaching Fellows are inspired to pursue a career related to education as a result of their BTSV experience.

BTSV’s tuition-free program provides year-round out-of-school time academic support, counseling, and advocacy for a diverse group of talented students, most of whom come from under-resourced communities and will be the first generation in their family to go to college. Through our students-teaching-students model, BTSV also provides a consummate professional development experience providing talented high school and college students the opportunity to understand the K-12 system and the drivers of educational inequities, and to design and teach classes under the direction of seasoned educators.

Located in San Jose, California, Breakthrough Silicon Valley is an affiliate of The Breakthrough Collaborative, a leading national service organization that acts as the national voice for 25 Breakthrough sites across the country.

The Position

BTSV’s internships prepare the next generation of leaders through a hands-on, impactful internship experience at a highly effective nonprofit organization. Throughout the internship, the Marketing and Communications Intern will be coached and supervised by our experienced BTSV staff. You’ll learn the ins and outs of nonprofit fundraising, get design and social media experience, and develop event planning and project management skills.

Each day throughout the summer will look different: You’ll assist with the planning and execution of multiple volunteer and donor events, including BTSV’s signature Career Exploration Day; execute mailings, including appeals and acknowledgment letters; research prospective donors; and make sure our Salesforce data is up-to-date. You’ll also support BTSV’s communications and marketing, including social media campaigns, making updates to BTSV’s website, and taking photos and videos.

The Marketing and Communications Intern reports to BTSV’s Vice President of Development and Corporate Partnerships.

What background and skills do you have?:

• You’re currently enrolled in a two- or four-year college.

• Experience with design programs, such as Adobe Creative Suite and/or Canva.

• Experience with social media platforms, especially TikTok and Instagram.

• You have excellent writing skills and are a stickler for grammar.

• Proficiency with MS Office and Google Suite, including Excel/Sheets and Canva

• Ability to plan, organize, and implement projects with attention to detail.

• Creative problem-solver with a can-do attitude; willing to support where needed.

• Communicative and able to responsibly pose questions and ask for clarification whenever necessary.

• “Breakthrough Spirit”: You’re a collaborative team player who is committed to excellence and open-minded, demonstrates a growth mindset, thinks creatively to solve problems, and works with a sense of humor and humility.

• Commitment to Breakthrough Silicon Valley’s mission and goals as well as a passion for educational equity.

Bonus points if:

• You’re majoring in marketing, communications, nonprofit management, or another related field.

• You have experience with photo and video editing.

• You have experience with Salesforce, Mailchimp, and/or SquareSpace.

• You have experience with event planning.

• You’re bilingual (Spanish or Vietnamese).

• You have experience at a nonprofit youth development or educational organization, particularly one focused on college access for first-generation students and students of color.

We know that many strong candidates will not have all the skills we list. That’s OK. What else do you bring to the table? Please tell us!

Location, Commitment, and Compensation

This is a hybrid position; you will work both in person at BTSV’s main office at Herbert Hoover Middle School (1635 Park Ave, San Jose, CA 95126) at least three days per week, with the flexibility to work from a home office when in-person work is not required. Occasional travel to BTSV’s summer program sites and events in the San Jose area is also required. Candidates must be local to the Bay Area during the internship in order to be considered.

This is a full-time (30-40 hours per week) position for 10 weeks from June-August 2025. Start and end dates are flexible based on your school schedule.

This is an hourly, non-exempt position. The compensation for this position is $17.95 per hour.

Application Process

Apply through this site and attach your resume and cover letter as PDFs.  Please indicate where you heard about the position in your cover letter. We will review applications on a rolling basis.

BTSV engages with individuals of all backgrounds and we are committed to embracing diversity within our organization, including developing a team who represents the communities we serve.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, BTSV is committed to providing employment opportunities to all individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.

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