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DFI Graduate Fellows Program

DFI is seeking Summer 2023 Community Revitalization Fellows

Submit your application materials online using the form below by Friday, February 3rd

DFI offers graduate students paid summer internships in real estate and community development to support our work across North Carolina communities. Examples of projects include:

  • Evaluation of the adaptive reuse potential of a historic Main St hotel in a small western NC town
  • Master development of a new urbanist town center in a small town next to a major metro area
  • Pre-development for mixed-income housing in a tourism-based urban community
  • Development of a revitalization strategy for a distressed neighborhood in a rural community

Under the guidance and supervision of staff, graduate student interns will assist with real-estate pre-development tasks, including, touring local projects and collecting field work data; meeting project stakeholders; conducting market research; designing and implementing processes to solicit and incorporate community feedback on development plans; developing models to test financial feasibility; researching industry best practices; writing blog posts; and preparing presentations.

Qualifications: Graduate students in planning, business, public administration and/or related disciplines such as public health, social work, geography, landscape architecture, or architecture are encouraged to apply. Applicants should demonstrate a strong interest in acquiring practical experience in real estate development and finance, community development, affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, and downtown revitalization. Fellows will use GIS and Excel; prior experience (course work or professional experience) in these subject areas is helpful but not required.

Compensation & Expectations: $11,600 stipend and GSHIP for 40 hours/week, May 15th – August 11th, with 5 days paid vacation + UNC Holidays. Travel, including occasional overnight trips, may be required.

Hiring Process: Submit your application materials online at https://dfi.sog.unc.edu/fellows-program by Friday, February 3rd. Interviews will occur throughout February; final hiring decisions expected by March 1st. Please direct any questions to Sarah Odio via odio@sog.unc.edu.

Apply using the form below.

DFI Fellow Application

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Max. file size: 10 MB.
Max. file size: 10 MB.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is an Equal Opportunity Employer