Wake Forest LEAP Internship Program
Wake Forest Lab Experiences: Academics and Professions (WF LEAP) is a six-week internship that provides an opportunity for local high school juniors and seniors to explore their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) interests with hands-on experience in a professional lab setting. In addition to the LEAP coordinating team, students are supported by two Wake Forest mentors who introduce them to the foundations of their discipline, lab etiquette, and scientific research principles.
While this program centers STEM interests, WF LEAP also emphasizes professional and career development, to give students the skills to build their professional network and become comfortable in interview settings. Throughout the program, students participate in workshops and trainings to build their knowledge and confidence in areas with which they may not have had prior experience. Interns then demonstrate this development by presenting their final projects at the end-of-year symposium their peers, mentors, and families.
WF LEAP seeks to increase the number of underrepresented youth in the STEM education-career pipeline and provides framework in which they can experience and create connections in their desired field of study. It fosters interns’ curiosity and provides a foundational understanding of the STEM career opportunities available to them.
As a paid opportunity, participating students are able to focus on their educational and professional growth while still generating an income similar to traditional summer jobs.
Hosted by Wake Forest University, the program gives interns access to dozens of active laboratories and research spaces that are used by researchers in groundbreaking STEM fields. Whether interested in the healthcare, environmental science, mathematics, or other STEM disciplines, interns are placed in an environment that is home to world-renowned research and innovations.
WF LEAP host labs represent: Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Health and Exercise Science, Physics, Mathematics, and Statistical Sciences.
LEAP interns also gain valuable experience from day trips to sites including:
- Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine
- Inmar Intelligence
- The Mazie Woodruff Aviation Technology Lab
- Numerous Wake Forest Campus Resources and Locations
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The 2024 WF LEAP application has closed! But stay tuned for information regarding LEAP 2025.
FAQ
Wake Forest LEAP recruits rising juniors and seniors from six Title I Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools who display curiosity, resilience, and a desire to explore topics with which they may not have prior experience.
These schools are:
- Carver High School
- Glenn High School
- Kennedy High School
- North Forsyth High School
- Parkland IB High School
- R.J. Reynolds High School
There is no GPA requirement for prospective interns. Rather a variety of factors are considered when selecting candidates for each summer cohort.
Each year, the application opens in mid-December. Students first connect with their school’s “Teacher Advocate” to notify them of their interest in applying.
A Teacher Advocate, located at each of the participating high schools assists by helping to identify students who would most benefit from this opportunity and who show interest in learning more about an area of STEM. Students can learn more about the WF LEAP program and the steps to apply by connecting with their school’s Teacher Advocate.
Our current Teacher Advocates are:
- Carver High School
- Raquel Perez
- Glenn High School
- Ellen Hefner
- Kennedy High School
- Deborah Cochran
- Sarah Shepard
- North Forsyth High School
- Amy Dyer
- Meigan Milleson
- Sybil Anderson
- Parkland IB High School
- Shakari Mosley
- R.J. Reynolds High School
- Tracy Cobb
WF LEAP is a co-mentored program. Each intern is paired with a primary Wake Forest faculty mentor and a graduate or undergraduate student co-mentor, selected by the faculty mentor. WF LEAP believes that mentoring is critical for the development of each intern, and their mentors guide them through learning new technical skills, soft skills, and professional and personal development. The skills and experiences gained creates a strong foundation that can be built upon in pursuit of careers STEM fields and other professional environments.
Each year, WFU STEM faculty apply to serve as LEAP mentors and the WF LEAP program staff matches them with students who have similar interests or aspirations.
The Wake Forest LEAP Program would like to thank:
For more than 25 years, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund has supported STEM programs in North Carolina through the Student STEM Enrichment Program. The Student STEM Enrichment Program supports diverse programs that enable students to participate in hands-on STEM activities for K-12 students and pursue inquiry-based exploration in the Burroughs Wellcome Fund’s home state of North Carolina.
We are grateful for the support the Burroughs Welcome Fund has given us as well as the support of those below who allow this program to be possible.
