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2025-2026 Challenge Detroit Fellow

Challenge Detroit
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Are you looking for a once-in-a-lifetime, full-time, paid opportunity to make a POSITIVE IMPACT while building your career?

The Challenge Detroit Fellowship program is a yearlong, full-time, paid opportunity for diverse, innovative, community-minded individuals to grow their careers, strengthen their leadership skills, build relationships, and gain experience in multiple areas of impact while contributing in Detroit’s vibrant communities through intellectual giving.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are a cornerstone of Challenge Detroit. We strive to create and support a culture where people can be themselves and feel included while including others. We value a diverse representation of individuals from near and far, across races and ethnicities, gender identity, orientation, skills, experience, and abilities. Diversity of thought and perspective are essential to our work.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

  • Monday-Thursday: you will gain valuable career skills through employment at one of our host employers—from large corporations to small businesses, nonprofits, public-serving organizations, and everything in between (you will be matched to a role that aligns with your skillsets). To get an idea of the types of host employers we have partnered with, click here.
     
  • Every Friday: you will engage in the program by working together with your cohort and collaborating with local nonprofits on intellectually-based, community-focused projects designed to move our nonprofit partners’ missions forward. You will also engage in leadership development sessions designed to develop skills and are introduced to local leaders from various industries.
     
  • Throughout the whole year you will cultivate your network, build friendships, and enjoy our city and its neighborhoods!
     

As a Challenge Detroit Fellow, you will:

  • develop valuable leadership and team-building skills through a multi-faceted leadership development program;
  • gain knowledge and experience in various areas of impact in an accelerated time frame;
  • grow your career at your host company and learn about different sectors and industries;
  • learn and leverage the art of design thinking and community development best practices;
  • collaborate with multiple Detroit-based nonprofits on strategic, intellectually-based, community-focused projects to support them in moving their missions forward;
  • acquire a better understanding of the city by learning about the history of Detroit and about various neighborhoods in the city;
  • cultivate meaningful relationships with your cohort and the broader Challenge Detroit community;
  • connect with and gain access to local leaders, thinkers and doers;
  • join the network of over 300 alumni Fellows who continue to engage and support the program as well as contribute in their communities; and
  • commit one year to the program—September 2025 through August 2026.


REQUIREMENTS:

We are looking for candidates who:

  • represent a diverse range of race, ethnicity, gender identity, orientation, thought, experience, perspective and ability;
  • are forward-thinking, proactive, and have a growth mindset;
  • are authorized to work in the U.S. for the duration of the program.

Successful candidates have exhibited: 

  • outstanding inter and intra-personal communication skills;
  • exceptional ability to work in diverse, cross-functional teams;
  • genuine care and desire to support communities;
  • understanding of and/or desire to learn project and time management;
  • adaptability and flexibility;
  • dedication to producing quality work;
  • openness to learning from their cohort, nonprofit partners, and community stakeholders.

Education & Experience:

  • Must have a bachelor's degree or higher by the start of the program in September 2025.
  • We are open to all majors and working experience.
  • Some host employers will be looking for typical skill sets and experience that are relevant to their industry and the roles they are looking to fill (e.g. architecture firms will only consider candidates with architecture backgrounds and skills, tech companies are looking for people with UX/UI experience).
  • Other employers will be looking for general, transferable skills that can be applied in various industries/roles (e.g. project or event management, marketing, operations, communications, business, human resources, social work, etc.).
  • Through the application review, interviews, and placement process, we will select candidates for roles that align with their skills and experience.

Schedule Availability:

  • Fellows must be available to commit to participating full time September 2025 - August 2026
  • Monday-Thursday: Must be able to work at host company (typically 9am-5pm but may vary by host company)
  • Fridays 9am-5pm: Must be available for Challenge Detroit programming
  • Possible evenings/weekends for Challenge Detroit social/cultural activities

Language: All programming is conducted in English. Must be able to read, communicate in, and comprehend written and spoken English. Candidates who can read and communicate in more than one language are welcome!

Physical Demands:

  • Ability to remain in a stationary position (sitting, standing) for extended periods of time. Fellows sit, stand, and sometimes walk for long periods during programming.
  • Ability to move self into different positions as needed to maneuver between, over, under, around, and/or beside furniture or other physical barriers.
  • Have the dexterity required for manipulating objects and standard office supplies and equipment. This position requires Fellows to utilize laptops to create deliverables, and occasionally write, sketch/draw.
  • Have the ability to receive and exchange accurate information in handwritten, typed, and spoken English. This role requires Fellows to participate in meetings in different formats, including but not limited to verbally asking questions and documenting responses (written or typed), as well as communicating (verbally; via email, telephone, text, and video) with multiple people throughout our projects and programming.
  • Have the ability to lift/maneuver up to 20 pounds occasionally.

Mental Demands: Must be able to learn new concepts, process and retain new information, maintain focus for long periods, problem solve, and handle multiple tasks that are intellectually demanding and challenging.

Work Conditions: Activities can occur in-person (indoors and outdoors) and virtually; must be able to work both independently and on a team.

Location & Travel: Must be in the City of Detroit or the Metro-Detroit area (within commuting distance to Detroit city proper), and able to commute to various locations in the City of Detroit regularly. Able to travel to and from a variety of locations across the City and the greater Detroit area.

Technology: Have access to a laptop with wifi and video conferencing capabilities, and is compatible for use with Google products. Be willing to learn new collaborative tools. Have consistent access to internet service.

 

SALARY & BENEFITS:

Fellows earn a $45,000 annual salary plus variable benefits* typical of your host company employer;

*Each host company employer has their own benefits package and time-off policy.

 

Application will open Winter/Spring 2025, Due Date TBA

 

Learn more and sign up for our interest list at https://www.challengedetroit.org/application