Thank you for your interest in Impact Corps, which pairs UT Austin graduate and undergraduate student teams with community organizations and social enterprises during the 2023-24 academic year. Students help partners address a challenge, while gaining new skills and practical experience. Students have the option to participate for either the fall semester or the 2023-24 academic year. Deadline to apply: ASAP. For students applying by 9/1, students will be notified of their acceptance by 9/12. Students accepted by 9/12 do not need to take Impact Corps for independent study course credit (1 credit pass/fail each semester) through the LBJ School of Public Affairs. A recording of the first workshop will be shared for students who missed it.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS & DESCRIPTION:
WHAT IS IMPACT CORPS?
The Impact Factory (https://theimpactfactory.org/) is a social entrepreneurship and community service hub at The University of Texas at Austin. The Impact Factory developed Impact Corps to both enhance local organizations’ capacity to address challenges in our community and give students a unique, hands-on learning and skills-building experience with tangible impact.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
1. Non-profit organizations, public institutions, and social enterprises apply to be clients, submitting potential projects
2. Any graduate student or undergraduate student in their sophomore to senior year at UT Austin may apply to join Impact Corps, ranking project preferences
3. The Impact Factory selects and pairs clients with student-teams with 2-5 members for a project lasting 1 or 2 semesters
4. The Impact Factory pairs student-teams with an advisor and student-teams, advisors and community partners develop a scope of work
5. The Impact Factory provides workshops to students over the course of the year on project management & strategy, human-centered design, and other relevant skills based on projects’ needs
6. Students are asked to take Impact Corps for independent study course credit (1 credit pass/fail each semester) through the LBJ School of Public Affairs if your college allows this. If that does not work for you, it can be an extra-curricular activity only.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN APPLICATION:
You must be committed to dedicating five hours weekly to Impact Corps and prioritize Impact Corps as a top extracurricular activity. Impact Corps is looking for students from a wide range of diverse backgrounds. We seek resourceful, innovative team players who enjoy solving problems, are comfortable with ambiguity, driven by a desire to serve others, and eager to gain practical experiences and build new skills. If you will be swamped with other courses and commitments during the academic year, you should NOT apply. We understand how busy students can be, so please consider this opportunity when you can be fully committed and engaged.
*Note: Students studying outside of Austin during the Spring semester who would like to participate for the full academic year will be able to do so. If this pertains to you, please note this in your application.
Students are required to attend the following fall workshops. Please mark your calendars now for these workshops. Spring workshops dates will be shared with students in the fall.
Thurs., August 24 5:30-7:45pm Orientation/1st workshop
Thurs., September 14 5:30-7pm 2nd workshop
Saturday, September 16 10:30am-12pm 3rd workshop
Friday, September 22 4-5pm 4th workshop
Thurs., October 12 5:30-7pm social
Thurs., November 16 5:30-7pm 5th workshop
NEXT STEPS:
Soon after the first workshop, students will meet with their client and develop a scope of work and submit it to their client and mentor. Then students will get started on their project. Students are required to check in with their mentor at least twice during the fall semester and three times during the spring semester.
For students applying by 9/1, students will be notified of their acceptance by 9/12. A recording of the first workshop will be shared for students who missed it.
PROJECTS
Students are asked to rank projects in order of preference in the below application. You can view the project list here. “Preferred student skills/interests” are not required.
Please select "next" button below to complete short application form.
Have questions? Contact Laura Rosen, The Impact Factory laura.rosen@austin.utexas.edu
