Corporate Internship Leadership Institute

CILI was established to bridge the gap between higher education and meaningful employment and low-income and first-generation college students. Our flagship fellowship program connects students to paid internship opportunities with employers who partner with CILI in the greater New Orleans area. We also provide a year or more of soft skill development training to support both personal and professional growth and success as students transition from academic life to careers and adulthood.

To date, CILI has trained over 150+ students who were matched to paid internships. 80% of our participants have received federal Pell Grants. Half of our students are first-generation college students. The participants in our program are highly driven and are high performing academically, with an average GPA of 3.2. They attend 16 colleges across Louisiana. Fellowship program students receive highly customized, one-on-one coaching from Human Resources and Business professionals.  Most recently, during the summer of 2025, CILI served 41 low-income college students who cumulatively earned over $92,250 in wages. During 2024, CILI’s 68 interns completed over 13,900 internship hours with 36 employers and earned over $250,000 through internships and part-time employment opportunities. Students worked in marketing, healthcare, banking, insurance, non-profits, economic development, manufacturing, engineering, and education-related organizations. 

Over the past five years, we’ve:

• Placed students in high-impact internships with businesses and organizations across Louisiana and beyond.

• And through signature events like our Annual Retreat and the Marketing CASE Competition, we deliver industry-relevant experiences that equip students to lead, innovate, and thrive.

• Built a growing network of mentors, employers, and program alumni committed to advancing workforce readiness and professional excellence.

We invite you to become a financial partner or annual sponsor and help us sustain and scale this vital work. Your contribution directly supports programming, student stipends, networking events, and leadership coaching that make a tangible difference in students' career trajectories.