Student Internship Program

Each year we hire students who are passionate about housing affordability.

Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability, is looking to hire University of Utah student interns (associates) for 20 hours/week to assist in the research of affordable housing initiatives for the Ivory Prize. Students with an understanding of and passion for ideas about housing affordability, as well as a prior background in Business, Finance, Public Policy, or Construction & Design will be given preference. Additionally, students within the University of Utah School of Architecture and Planning, David Eccles School of Business, and Masters of Real Estate Development Program are encouraged to apply.

Please see the description below and contact keni@ivoryinnovations.org with any questions you might have about the position.

Applications for the 2025-26 Student Associates are OPEN NOW until February 21, 2025!

Current Students

Student Alumni

Apply Now

Student Associate Areas of Focus

Construction & Design

University of Utah undergraduate and graduate students interested in real estate, construction, or architecture will benefit from the role as a Construction Associate with Ivory Innovations. Interns will build a deeper understanding of the building process, learn about innovative design techniques, and connect with construction & architecture experts from across the country.

Finance

University of Utah undergraduate and graduate students interested in Private Equity/Venture Capital sourcing or impact investing will benefit from the role as a Finance Associate with Ivory Innovations. Interns will build skills in sourcing, business writing, and company diligence, as well as connect with experienced founders with backgrounds in finance, real estate, startups, and technology.

Policy &
Regulatory Reform

University of Utah undergraduate and graduate students interested in local, state, or federal government and housing policies will benefit from the role as a Policy Associate with Ivory Innovations. Interns will build skills in research, policy evaluation, and writing, as well as connect with policy leaders and experts from across the country.

Student Associate Experience

Student Associates participate in a wide range of activities including: diligence trips across the United States, pitching for the Ivory Prize, or even participating in Hack-A-House. There are plenty of benefits for students and their time at Ivory Innovations is well spent learning and growing as individuals and as a team.

Student Alumni Testimonials

After working at Ivory Innovations, our alumni are working on exciting projects for a variety of organizations. To learn more about our past student associates, look below.

Keni Nelson

"The best part of Ivory Innovations is learning about affordable housing from extremely knowledgeable and passionate people, and being inspired by those... that hope to reshape the entire housing industry."

Greyson Rynders

"I love finding and reaching out to new and innovative companies that are working to help with the housing affordability crisis!"

Katelyn Johnston

"I had such an excellent experience... I am thrilled to continue working towards finding and implementing affordable housing solutions and collaborating with such a well-rounded team. "

Natnael Kidane

"Working with the team has been a great experience thanks to their support and mentorship."

Summer Internship Opportunities

Ivory Innovations offers qualifying Student Associates the opportunity to find a summer internship (May-August) with companies sourced through the Ivory Prize nomination process.

Check out where our Associates have interned

Student Associate Program Details

Fall Semester - 15 to 20 hrs/week:

Source organizations making an impact in the housing affordability space that fit within Ivory Innovations’ three criteria: Affordability, Scalability, Innovation

Schedule, plan, and attend calls with company founders and executives to perform deeper diligence on potential nominees

Act as a company liaison/representative to communicate between sourced companies and the Ivory Innovations team

Write executive memos on each sourced company that include: Project Description, Business Model, Innovation, Key Metrics, Risks & Barriers to Scale, and Team Information

Pitch sourced companies to the Selection Committee

Spring Semester - 5 to 15 hrs/week:

Attend judging sessions and be prepared to answer questions about companies from the Advisory Board

Conduct further diligence to write 5-page memos for Top 25 finalists and create/present PowerPoints for Top 10 Finalists

Continue to act as a point of contact between companies and Ivory Innovations

Students will have opportunities for additional research projects for portfolio organizations
Passion for innovative, impactful, and solution-focused organizations and policies

Interest in housing issues and policies

Experience researching an synthesizing government policies or a public planning background

Sophisticated oral and written communication, organization, and time management skills

Enrollment at the University of Utah during the 2025-26 school year
Attend in-person Monday meetings from 4:30-5:30 PM located in the University of Utah Spencer Fox Eccles Business Building (SFEBB)

Attend weekly team virtual team meetings

Work for 2.5+ hours in office during specified time blocks
Paid internship - $14/hour

Hybrid schedule

Travel opportunities

Networking opportunities

Potential summer internship

Opportunities for growth within the company
Business writing

Business analysis and risk assessment

Due diligence

Understanding the financial and regulatory hurdles of real estate development

The home-buying process

Problem-solving and critical-thinking skills

How local, state, and federal policies impact housing supply

Construction methods, building process, and design techniques

The depth and breadth of the real estate industry and career opportunities available

Extensive research and analytical skills