What’s New
Registration for summer 2024 student volunteer opportunities will begin April 15, 2024, and end May 17, 2024. Summer session will begin June 3, 2024, and end August 30, 2024.
Please pay attention to program updates and registration requirements listed below.
The next registration opportunity will be for the spring 2025 student volunteering session. Registration dates will be posted to the LSVP webpage at a later date.
Program Requirements
- U.S. Citizenship
- Minimum of 16 years of age
- Current student enrolled at least half-time in high school, undergraduate or graduate programs at an accredited college or university (Applicants transitioning between high school and college are eligible if the institution will sign the paperwork that they are enrolled for an upcoming semester)
- Ability to volunteer services in-person at NASA Langley Research Center or remotely, under the supervision of a Langley civil servant mentor.
About the NASA Langley Student Volunteer Service Program
The Langley Student Volunteer Program (LSVP) offers unpaid study-related work experience for students in a high school, trade school, technical or vocational institute, junior college, college, university, or a comparable recognized educational institution who are pursuing curricula in subject matter fields useful to NASA Langley and in which the work experience is beneficial to the career development of the student. Students may volunteer their services to NASA Langley Research Center, gain work experience and knowledge, and engage in early career exploration. The program will allow students to navigate project tasks under the guidance of NASA Langley’s experienced professionals, performing pre-professional duties pertinent to the subject matter field for which they are being trained. Student volunteers are exposed to the Federal work environment and learn about the missions and responsibilities of NASA Langley.
Since the COVID-19 Pandemic, LSVP has added remote opportunities for students across the country, resulting in added success in both remote and onsite participation. Per LSVP guidelines, student volunteers may not be placed in the same organization as a family member or relative, and cannot be enrolled in any other student programs while enrolled in LSVP.
Student Volunteers participating in LSVP are not considered to be a Federal employee for any purposes other than injury compensation or law related to the Tort Claims Act. Service is not creditable for leave accrual or any other employee benefit.
How do I apply?
Only if you meet the requirements listed above, send an email to larc-svp@mail.nasa.gov with a cover letter and resume paying special attention to the below requirements. Resumes will only be accepted via the email address listed above or from an established NASA contact with established mentor.
Alternatively, any applicant with established NASA contacts can ask them to seek out a Langley civil servant mentor on their behalf in lieu of going through the program selection process. In this situation, be sure to send your cover letter and resume to the NASA contact to be shared with potential mentors, and the LSVP Manager.
What is required for my resume and cover letter?
- The student’s cover letter and resume should be submitted as a single document. This document should contain no personal identifying information aside from a name and valid email address where the student can be reached.
- The student’s submission file name should contain the student’s area of interest, month of earliest available start, latest date of availability, and the student’s first initial and last name in that order, i.e., Avionics – May – 8.12.17 J. Smith
- Create a header on the cover letter that includes the student volunteer’s name, school currently attending, student volunteer’s contact information, and NASA Langley Student Volunteer Program. The body of the cover letter should outline the student’s area(s) of interest, what experience the student hopes to gain and the time period available to volunteer. This information should include the days per week, hours per day, including daily work schedule (i.e. June 3rd – August 30th; Monday 8:00am – 10:00am, Tuesday 11:00am – 1:00pm, etc.) Please include a start and end date.
- The resume should include current education status, academic accomplishments, awards, work experience, volunteer experiences, skills, clubs, certifications, interests, hobbies, other accomplishments and/or experiences to help mentors learn more about who you are and whether your skills and interests align with their area of expertise and organizational projects.
What do I do after submitting my resume and cover letter?
Be patient.
Interested mentors will contact the student directly to gauge interest in their work and come to an agreeable commitment for the volunteer duration. The LSVP Manager does not pair student volunteers with mentors, nor control the selection process. NASA Langley does not maintain a list of available positions for mentors.
I’ve got a mentor to work with! What now?
Congratulations! We hope you enjoy your NASA Langley experience. Before you start, there are required forms that must be completed. Enrollment Forms will be provided to you once you and your mentor notify the LSVP Manager of your volunteer agreement.
At the end of each session, student volunteers will work with their mentor to submit a written report to the LSVP Manager covering accomplishments and goals met while volunteering during the current session and provide the total number of hours of volunteer service performed.
Testimonial: Helen Phan
This program has given me the amazing opportunity of catching a glimpse of what it is like to work at NASA. I am currently working on a project that my mentor gave me, and it’s nice to know that I am contributing to NASA by working on and eventually completing this project. I have never had any sort of job before, so this experience has taught me valuable professional skills including broad topics such as workplace etiquette and detailed topics such as writing emails in a professional manner. My mentor has been a great person to look up to, and along with the valuable professional skills I have learned from him, he has also taught and explained different topics in math that are related to the project I am working on. I have learned to not be afraid of asking for help and that I am surrounded by extremely knowledgeable people here at NASA. I would recommend this program to any student who is looking for a great professional experience at NASA.
SVP Manager:
Twanna N. Dixon
