At the University of St. Thomas, the call to serve is at the heart of our mission, particularly serving those with limited access to educational excellence. With those students and their families in mind, the University launched the Rising Stars Internship Program in 2019, to propel scholarship - dependent students into the professional environment as future contenders for top positions. Through the program, qualified first generation and lower-income students are granted the opportunity to continue their educational journey at UST while gaining valuable work experience, professional mentors, and a growing network with in the corporate world. It is a win-win program – corporate sponsors gain a productive employee, and the Rising Stars become valuable assets prepared for Houston’s workforce.

The program has experienced substantial growth in a short amount of time, starting with 5 students in 2019 and growing to over 240 students today. Students in the Rising Stars program work for corporate and nonprofit sponsors as interns for 10 hours each week during the academic year. By combining scholarships, financial aid, and annual support from sponsors and underwriters, the Rising Star students have little to no out-of-pocket costs for tuition. Not to mention, they also build professional skillsets and a network through their internships.

This program makes the dream of attending college a reality. It also introduces these students, most of whom have limited exposure to Corporate America, to new professional experiences and mentors. In May 2024, the second Rising Star cohort in the University's history graduated and 100% of the students had full-time job offers or continued their education at the graduate level. 

With your support, we can continue to grow the Rising Stars Internship Program and increase the number of students who are impacted by this life-changing initiative.