Two GEM Employers Announce “Letter of Intent” Commitment

Intel, in July of 2014, led the way in a phenomenal initiative to guarantee full time employment for each sponsored GEM Fellow as long as they performed during their internship and graduated from their program at their matriculating GEM University.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory announced in January 2015, based on the pioneer effort of Intel, the launch of a similar initiative. Beginning with their 2015 GEM Fellows, all students will receive a full time offer, guaranteeing employment as long as they perform in their GEM internship(s) and graduate with excellence at their GEM University of matriculation.

Way to go Intel and MIT Lincoln Laboratory!  Thank you for implementing the GEM mission with excellence!

We welcome other GEM Employers to create similar programs. Below are examples of how a GEM Employer can best leverage their participation in the GEM program!

GEM Employer Best Practices

1. Place GEM Fellows in internship assignments directly aligned with their graduate program.
2. Assign the GEM Fellow a company mentor, someone who is not tied to their performance, but can guide them in professional development.
3. While the GEM Fellow is interning at your location, set-up formal meetings with senior leadership to provide access opportunities for the Fellow.
4. Create social events to allow GEM Fellows, other summer graduate level interns, and mentors to network.
5. Provide a formal, full-time offer letter during their GEM internship and before they return to their graduate program. This offer can be in the form of a “Letter of Intent”, if the Fellow is not graduating within the next year, or a standard offer letter with an expected start date.
6. For GEM PhD Fellows with an expected graduation date into the future, create formal visiting opportunities for the GEM PhD Fellow to return to your site to present their research or dissertation proposal to senior technical leaders. Create formal collaborative research opportunities with the GEM PhD Fellow’s faculty advisor.
7. Promote your selection of your GEM Fellows by  featuring your GEM Fellows on your website, social media and other marketing collateral.