DFI Graduate Fellows Program

DFI Summer 2025 Community Revitalization Fellows

**Submit your application materials online using the form below by Friday, February 7th**

DFI offers graduate students full-time paid summer internships in real estate and community development to support our work across North Carolina communities. DFI partners with local governments to attract private investment for transformative projects by providing specialized real estate development and finance expertise. Project types range from master-planned developments, urban infill redevelopment, downtown revitalization, neighborhood redevelopment, and affordable housing development. Examples of projects include:

• Pre-development feasibility analysis for affordable housing in a tourism-based community
• Evaluation of the adaptive reuse potential of a historic Main Street hotel in a small town
• Master development of a new urbanist town center in a small town next to a major metro area
• Development of a revitalization strategy for a distressed neighborhood in a rural community

Under the guidance and supervision of professional staff, graduate student interns will assist with real-estate pre-development tasks, including, touring local projects and collecting field work data; meeting project stakeholders and recording and synthesizing community input; conducting market research and case studies related to commercial and residential development; developing financial models to test 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 for 40 hours/week, May 14^th – August 8^th, 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 7^th. Interviews will occur throughout February; final hiring decisions expected by March 3^rd. Please direct any questions to Sonyia Turner via turner@sog.unc.edu.

Apply using the form below.

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