Student Engagement Request Form

The Innocence Project works to free the innocent, prevent wrongful convictions, and create fair, compassionate, and equitable systems of justice for everyone. Our work is guided by science and grounded in anti-racism. Since our inception, the Innocence Project has used DNA and other scientific advancements to prove wrongful conviction. To date, we have helped to free or exonerate more than 250 people who, collectively, spent more than 3,600 years behind bars. Our efforts have led to the passage of more than 200 transformative state laws and federal reforms. Today, the Innocence Project continues to fight for freedom, drive structural change, and advance the innocence movement. To learn more, please visit www.innocenceproject.org.

The Innocence Project welcomes inquiries from students seeking structured learning engagements aligned with our mission.

This application is not for our standard semester-based internships. Those opportunities are posted and filled through a competitive recruitment process on our Careers page.

This intake form is intended for co-op or fellowship proposals from students.

All requests are reviewed case-by-case based on internal; capacity and alignment of student goals with institutional needs.

If your proposal aligns with our mission and we have capacity, a member of the People & Culture team will follow up.

Inquiries and proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis, but decisions can take up to 3 months. If you are working with a specific timeframe for your application and response, please note this in your application materials, and we will do our best to be responsive within that window of time.

If approved, engagements may include:

• Participating in structured departmental projects
• Supporting departments in their already established work
• Completing defined deliverables
• Engaging in supervised learning activities

All responsibilities are determined after internal review and departmental approval.

Applicants must:

• Be enrolled in or affiliated with an accredited academic institution or recognized fellowship program
• Demonstrate a clear interest in the work and mission of the Innocence Project
• Propose a structured co-op or fellowship engagement for consideration
• Provide details about any academic sponsorship, supervision, or credit structure associated with the proposal

• Enthusiasm for the work of the Innocence Project and for social justice, including a demonstrated commitment to public interest
• Shared commitment to the IP's values of accountability, collaboration, empathy + compassion, equity, person-centeredness, quality focus, and self-awareness

The Innocence Project will work with students to complete the appropriate paperwork to apply for funding through academic institutions or other organizations.

Any financial support, academic credit, stipend, or funding must be provided to be considered.. Applicants are responsible for confirming funding arrangements prior to submission.

Submission of this form does not guarantee placement, and all requests are reviewed based on mission alignment, equity considerations, and organizational capacity.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, it is our policy not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, familial status, marital status, predisposing genetic characteristics, actual or perceived domestic violence victim status, unemployment status, caregiver status, or any other category protected by law. Experience with the criminal legal system is not an automatic barrier to consideration; individuals with such experience are encouraged to apply.

To submit a request, please click "Apply for this Job" below.

Applicants must complete all required fields and provide any supporting information related to the proposed engagement to be considered. If any question is not applicable to you, you may enter "N/A" in the response field.

Only complete submissions will be reviewed. Information submitted through this secure site is kept confidential.