High School Internships

Aspirnaut™ is a K-20 STEM pipeline for diversity with the goal of increasing the numbers and diversity of the STEM Workforce. Aspirnaut™ Summer Research Internships are hands-on and mentored laboratory experiences for high school and undergraduate students interested in a career in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM).

The high school summer research internship program for summer 2025 runs from June 1 – July 12, 2025.

The High School Summer Research Internship Program recruitment includes those from rural geographical areas and those who identify as underrepresented in the biomedical, clinical, behavioral, and social sciences. Students considered for this program will be those who have achieved excellent grades and test scores in math and science and who have demonstrated a commitment to pursuing a career in a STEM field. Students must be at least 15 years of age at the start of the program and have current health insurance for the duration of the program.

In short, we are looking for students interested in STEM and who need access to opportunity. Successful candidates are curious, highly engaged, resourceful, resilient, and their recommenders can give specific examples of these qualities.

• Full application through our REDCap survey (Application Link), which must be completed by the student applying for the program
• Official Academic Transcript, reflecting most recent semester’s final grades (Fall 2023), which must be submitted by a school official using a school email address (uploaded to our RedCap system, which is linked to the applicant’s record on our system)
• Two letters of recommendation (submitted to our RedCap system, which is linked to the applicant’s record on our system)
  • One letter must be from a science, technology, or mathematics instructor
  • The second letter can be from another adult that can speak to your unique qualities that distinguish you for this program
  • Additional letters may be submitted and will be considered with the other requested documents
• Interns must have valid, current health insurance at the start of and for the duration of the program.
• (If applicable)
  • • ACT and/or SAT Test score reports

Application and supplementary materials will be accepted until 11:59 PM CST on Wednesday, January 15, 2025.

For our high school program, international students are welcome to apply. Students are responsible for their own cost of travel to and from Nashville, TN, and for obtaining any required visas or travel clearances.

Schools or colleges/universities often issue an unofficial, informal copy of the transcript the student can access. This may be through your online student portal dashboard or as a downloadable PDF copy. We will accept a copy of an unofficial transcript until the official transcript (with Fall 2023 final grades displayed) is available. The official copy must be transmitted electronically no later than 11:59 PM CST on January 17, 2024.

Official transcripts are provided to programs, other institutions, and applications directly from the school or college/university. These are typically sent via certified transcription service, or directly from the school. We require this official copy, which may be sent from an official school email and school administrator, for application review.

We recognize that final Fall 2023 grades may not be available by our deadline. We require the most up-to-date copy of your grades by our deadline. You may submit the final grades after the deadline only if this has been pre-arranged with our office.

Please note: an application packet is not considered complete without an official copy of your transcript.

Letters of recommendation are opportunities for the recommender to showcase your unique case for admission to the program. Generally, the most effective letters are from those who know you best and can provide specific information about your unique strengths and opportunities for growth. No two letters will look the same. Please contact researchinternships@aspirnaut.org for further guidance.

We accept supporting documentation through our electronic REDCap application. When proceeding through the REDCap application, you will be prompted to provide contact information (name and email) for the individuals responsible for transmitting transcripts (high school program) and your letters of recommendation. Each individual will receive an email directly from Aspirnaut (researchinternships@aspirnaut.org) with instructions and unique link to a REDCap form in which to submit the respective documentation.

Please contact researchinternships@aspirnaut.org for alternative arrangements if your transcript or letters of recommendation cannot be submitted in this format.

Yes, you may submit additional materials that you believe will augment your application packet. Applicants in the past have included resumes, certificates, and other supporting documentation.

Please contact us directly at researchinternships@aspirnaut.org. Uploading to our REDCap system will date and time stamp submisisons, allowing us to verify if the application was submitted on time. Materials submitted after the deadline will not be considered as part of a completed application.

Please contact researchinternships@aspirnaut.org. We can provide access information once we verify your identity.

Our high school program is funded by private donations and strategic partnerships. As such, the number of positions we can offer each summer varies. Our average, our high school group ranges from 15 to 20 participants each summer.

A summer research internship with the Aspirnaut™ program is an immersion experience in biomedical research. Interns will work a standard 40-hour work week in a research lab under the guidance of a mentor and research team. Throughout the week interns will also participate in lab meetings, luncheons with Vanderbilt University Medical Center faculty and staff, and ACT/SAT prep courses, which can total up to an additional 10-15 hours of programming and training. For high school students, the resident counselors plan social activities around work time so that interns can explore Nashville.

Students should arrive with funds to cover personal expenses that are not included below. Students are also responsible for the cost of travel to and from Nashville, TN. However, to help offset increasing travel costs, students selected for the 2025 summer program will be able to apply for full or partial needs-based travel scholarships. More information on the travel scholarship and application process will be available in spring 2025.

The program provides at no cost to the student, the following:

High School students:

• Double occupancy lodging on Vanderbilt University campus
• Daily meal credit for the duration of the program
• A salary of $2,000 for the six-week session, which will be prorated depending on the actual length of participation. Salary will be distributed after successful completion of the program.
• 24/7 chaperonage by current undergraduate Resident Counselors who are usually majoring in STEM fields
• ACT/SAT test preparation materials
• Luncheons with distinguished faculty and members of the scientific community
• Lab costs and lab supplies including lab coat
• Scientific poster printing

Aspirnaut™ High School interns are paid after the successful completion of all program components.

Yes, all high school participants are required to be in the presence of an authorized adult or resident counselor at all times during the program. The administrative team will coordinate scheduling so that interns can conveniently get to where they need to be.

Aspirnaut™ houses high school interns in one of the university residence halls in Vanderbilt’s Commons area (on Vanderbilt Peabody campus) with separate areas for female and male participants. High school residents must be supervised at all times, so the resident counselors reside in the residence halls as well.

These arrangements may change pending considerations around COVID-19 guidelines and Federal, State and local mandates.

High school interns are not allowed to use private cars during their stay. If a high school intern needs to drive to Nashville in her/her own car, it will remain parked for the duration of the program.

If selected for the program, participants will receive a handbook that includes a detailed list of suggested items to pack. Briefly, interns will need close-toed shoes and leg coverings for the lab. Casual clothing is fine in the evenings and on weekends. Interns may wish to bring a set of clothing appropriate for special occasions (final presentation day, poster session, one-on-one meetings with distinguished faculty and administrators). For the dorm room, interns will need twin sheets, towels, and toiletries.

Our first priority is the health and safety of the interns and staff members. As Aspirnaut™ is hosted on Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and Vanderbilt University (VU) campuses, we follow institutional guidelines and responses, along with metro, Federal, State, and CDC recommendations and mandates. We will closely monitor and assess the ongoing situation regarding summer 2025.