Our Mission:
Opportunity
PTL was created to open the doors of opportunity. We are more than a nonprofit -- we are a movement of students, leaders, and community members fighting for more equitable internship opportunities by partnering with businesses and community organizations. We offer workshops, internships, and one-on-one guidance—plus guaranteed scholarships for every intern we serve.
Founded in 2021, PTL makes hosting a high school internship easier for companies and community organizations by managing outreach, logistics, and training while awarding students scholarships to pursue amazing internships in the summer without the financial burden of an unpaid role. In the past four years, we have received applications from over 15 different high schools in both the United States and Canada, hosted over 60 internship openings, and paid 65k in scholarships.
What We Do
Connect students with internships
Empower first gen/low income students
Launch a professional career
Founder Story
Growing up in an immigrant community, I’ve seen firsthand how families lack social networks, putting them at a real disadvantage when competing for internships or other career exploration opportunities. Experience gained through internships are invaluable, establishing lifelong mentorship relationships and helping students make more informed decisions about their academic and career paths. I started by sending numerous emails out, trying to get as much support as possible. It meant convinving people about not only the difference in access for opportunities, but actually doing something about it. PTL was a great experience for me learning how to lead and organize a team. It taught me the importance of setting goals and deadlines for yourself and also for everyone else, ensuring everyone's accountable.
- Steven Li
A Message from the CEO!
Through my high school career, I was always looking for ways to build my skills and explore my passions. When I landed my first internship as a freshman, I was grateful– but also completely lost. There wasn’t much guidance, support, or clear communication, and I found myself having to figure a lot out on my own. I learned how powerful opportunities can be, but also how overwhelming they are when students are left to navigate alone. From then on, I knew that I didn’t just want access to opportunities, but I wanted to be part of something that made those opportunities meaningful. At PTL, we make sure that both interns and hosts are creating an environment of growth and learning. My vision for PTL is simple: to continue expanding opportunities while making sure no student feels the way I once did—uncertain, unsupported, and overlooked. Every student deserves to feel confident stepping into professional spaces, knowing they belong there.
As someone blessed by a multitude of opportunities, without deserving them, he strives to create that same opportunity for others. His track organization allowed him to work towards his goal. Through walkathons, he raised money for blood cancer; through free trainings, he helped build a community; through website blogs, he provided free education. But when he joined Project Talent Launch, he was able to further expand his goal. Project Talent Launch allowed him to fund for paid work-experience for undeserving students, giving them the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, while gaining financial benefits. Through Project Talent Launch, Jerry hopes to expand his impact of opportunity-giving to a vast variety of individuals.
A Message from the COO!
Our Reach
Our Past Interns Have Been Accepted to...
And many more top schools!
