About Breakthrough Silicon Valley

Starting in middle school, Breakthrough Silicon Valley launches talented students who have lacked access to higher education on the path to college, and inspires high school and college students to become the next generation of leaders, advocates, and educators. While ambitious in our goals, BTSV works: a stunning 99% of BTSV graduates attend college immediately after high school, and 78% of BTSV Teaching Fellows are inspired to pursue a career related to education as a result of their BTSV experience.

BTSV’s tuition-free program provides year-round out-of-school time academic support, counseling, and advocacy for talented students from underserved communities who will be the first generation in their family to go to college. Through our students-teaching-students model, BTSV also provides a consummate professional development experience providing talented high school and college students the opportunity to expand access to educational opportunities, design and teach classes under the direction of seasoned educators, and learn about the K-12 system.

Located in San Jose, California, Breakthrough Silicon Valley is an affiliate of The Breakthrough Collaborative, a leading national service organization that acts as the national voice for 25 Breakthrough sites across the country.

The Position

BTSV’s internships prepare the next generation of leaders through a hands-on, impactful internship experience at a highly effective nonprofit organization. Throughout the internship, the Marketing and Communications Intern will be coached and supervised by our experienced BTSV staff. You’ll learn the ins and outs of nonprofit fundraising, get design and social media experience, and develop event planning and project management skills.

Each day throughout the internship will look different: You’ll assist with the planning and execution of multiple volunteer and donor events, including BTSV’s signature Career Exploration Day and our in-person and virtual Visitors Days. You’ll also support BTSV’s communications and marketing, including social media and fundraising campaigns, and take photos and videos at summer program sites and at events. Breakthrough is currently undergoing a rebrand, and you’ll have the opportunity to contribute by helping update and refresh website content to reflect our new brand identity.

The Marketing and Communications Intern reports to BTSV’s Development Events Manager.

What background and skills do you have?:

• You’re currently enrolled in a two- or four-year college.

• Experience with design programs, such as Adobe Creative Suite and/or Canva.

• Experience with photo and video editing.

• Experience with social media platforms, especially TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

• You have excellent writing skills and are a stickler for grammar.

• Proficiency with MS Office and Google Suite, including Excel/Sheets.

• Ability to plan, organize, and implement projects with attention to detail.

• Creative problem-solver with a can-do attitude; willing to support where needed.

• Communicative and able to responsibly pose questions and ask for clarification whenever necessary.

• “Breakthrough Spirit”: You’re a collaborative team player who is committed to excellence and open-minded. You demonstrate a desire to continuously learn and grow, think creatively to solve problems, and work with a sense of humor and humility.

• Passion for Breakthrough Silicon Valley’s mission and goals.
  

Bonus points if:

• You’re majoring in marketing, communications, nonprofit management, or another related field.

• You have experience with Salesforce, Mailchimp, SquareSpace, and/or Asana.

• You have experience with SEO and website management.

• You have experience with event planning.

• You’re bilingual (Spanish or Vietnamese).

• You have experience at a nonprofit youth development or educational organization, particularly one focused on college access for aspiring first-generation college students.

We know that many strong candidates will not have all the skills we list. That’s OK. What else do you bring to the table? Please tell us!

Location, Commitment, and Compensation

This is a hybrid position; you will work both in person at BTSV’s main office at Herbert Hoover Middle School (1635 Park Ave, San Jose, CA 95126) at least three days per week, with the flexibility to work from a home office when in-person work is not required. Occasional travel to BTSV’s summer program sites and events in the San Jose area is also required. Candidates must be local to the Bay Area during the internship in order to be considered.

This is a full-time (30–40 hours per week) internship for 12–15 weeks between May/June and August/September 2026. Start and end dates are flexible based on your school schedule. This opportunity can begin as early as April with a part-time schedule (approximately 10 hours per week) prior to the start of full-time work in May/June.

This is an hourly, non-exempt position. The compensation for this position is $18.45 per hour.

Application Process

Apply online through this site and attach your resume and cover letter as PDFs. Please indicate where you heard about the position in your cover letter. We will review applications on a rolling basis.

BTSV engages with individuals of all backgrounds and as an Equal Opportunity Employer, BTSV is committed to providing employment opportunities to all individuals and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law.