Culture and Talent Communications Intern
Department: Equity, Culture, and Talent
Location: Indianapolis, USA
Duration: May 12, 2026- August 6, 2026
Compensation: $18-$21 per hour for student enrolled in an undergraduate program
$20-$24 per hour for students enrolled in a graduate program or a recent graduate
Schedule: 40 hours weekly. Schedule can be negotiated with supervisor.
Intern works from the Bottleworks District office three days a week.
Purpose
The intern will work closely with the Equity, Culture and Talent team to support Lumina Foundation’s efforts to cultivate an inclusive, high-performance culture and workforce. This role will strengthen the employee experience and organizational effectiveness by helping translate Lumina’s people practices into clear, accessible communications and resources for staff. The internship offers an opportunity to contribute to Lumina’s equity-centered culture work while building practical skills in internal communications, knowledge sharing, and organizational development in support of Lumina’s mission to drive systemic change in education.
Responsibilities
The intern will assist team members with:
Internal Communications and Knowledge Sharing: Support the development and implementation of HR knowledge-sharing resources that strengthen staff clarity about Lumina’s people practices. Partner with the Director of Culture and Talent and relevant stakeholders to translate policies and processes into warm, plain-language guidance that is easy to access, easy to understand, and consistently maintained over time. This work will include building and refreshing a set of HR FAQs and self-service resources that clarify how key experiences work at Lumina, including leave, time off, benefits basics, onboarding and offboarding, and who to contact for what. The intern will also support internal communications by drafting and organizing people-related updates and helping ensure resources are published in the right channels and remain current. This will be the primary focus of the internship.
Culture and Organizational Development: Support learning and development initiatives that reinforce consistent people practices and Lumina’s ways of working. Responsibilities include assisting with background research and draft materials that align with Lumina’s Leadership as a Competency framework and manager fundamentals. This work includes compiling research-based resources to support managers, organizing content into usable formats, and drafting practical tools and templates for review and refinement. The role will focus on research, drafting, and content preparation support.
Organizational Effectiveness and Advisory Group Support: Participate in the Equity, Culture, Advisory Group and support communications and coordination needs that help the group’s work move from discussion to action. This may include assisting with materials and participant-facing information for the June retreat, and helping organize follow-up resources and next-step communications. The intern will also support the implementation planning phase that follows Lumina’s organizational effectiveness survey (staff engagement survey) by assisting with staff updates, manager-ready materials, and intranet resources that make priorities and next steps clear and easy to access.
Requirements
Education and experience
- Enrolled in or recently graduated (within the past 12 months) from a bachelor’s or master’s program in Human Resources, Communications, Organizational Development, I/O Psychology, Public Policy, Education, Business, Journalism, English, or a related field.
- On track to graduate within the next two years, if currently enrolled.
- Interest or experience in internal communications, knowledge management, employee experience, learning and development, or organizational effectiveness is a plus.
- Experience drafting clear, audience-friendly content, such as FAQs, guides, newsletters, training materials, web content, or campus communications, is a plus.
Qualifications
- Continuous access to high-speed internet when working remotely.
- A commitment to advancing equity in education and reducing barriers to learning after high school, with particular attention to unjust outcomes related to race, ethnicity, household income, and geography.
- Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to translate complex information into warm, plain-language guidance for staff.
- Strong research skills and comfort summarizing information into clear, usable materials.
- Strong attention to detail and organization, with the ability to manage multiple drafts, feedback cycles, and deadlines.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively, take initiative, and follow through on assigned projects.
- Comfort working with common workplace tools, including Microsoft Office and willingness to learn Lumina’s intranet tools and internal platforms.
Work environment and physical demands
- Work is performed in an office environment, mostly sedentary.
- Role requires the ability to read, write, and communicate effectively, and to use technology necessary to draft and edit documents, publish intranet content, and manage shared trackers and files.
This description is only a summary of the typical job functions, not an exhaustive list of all possible responsibilities, and may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.
Application
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted during the interview period.
Interview Period: Feb. 16 – March 6, 2026
Internship Dates: May 12 – Aug. 7, 2026
About Lumina Foundation
Lumina Foundation is an independent, private foundation in Indianapolis committed to making opportunities for learning beyond high school available to all. We envision a system that is easy to navigate, delivers fair results, and meets the nation’s need for talent through a broad range of credentials. Our goal is to prepare people for informed citizenship and for success in a global economy. Lumina is among the nation’s largest private foundations, with an endowment exceeding $1.6 billion and offices in Indianapolis and Washington, D.C. Lumina has a passionate and committed staff who value candor, collaboration, and connection. Learn more about our core values.