We recognized that our intern class lacked ethnic diversity and we wanted to ensure students – regardless of their background – had the opportunity to join our troop.

Every year, the recruiting team at SurveyMonkey makes a concerted effort to reach prospective candidates at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). As an example, during the last two years, our recruiting team visited two HBCUs: Claflin University and Georgia Tech and hosted events for students at 5 others (Georgia State, Benedict University, South Carolina State, Morehouse and Clark Atlanta).

During these visits, we hold information sessions, mock interviews, and real interviews. On the most recent trip, we were delighted to have our CEO, Zander Lurie, join the recruiting team, host multiple events and reach out to prospective candidates directly.

The program works to create awareness about our internship program, share what it’s like to work in Silicon Valley, and encourage students to continue participating in STEM. Additionally, it provides tips and tricks for a successful interview with a Tech company.

We believe our HBCU Recruiting trips reinforce our commitment to create opportunity for all.

In 2016, two students joined us as interns, both of whom now work as fulltime employees. In 2017, two more students joined as interns, both of whom we hope will return as fulltime employees after graduation. Lastly, we also hired one other HBCU student as a fulltime employee who heard about us at an college info session we held.

Teresa Brewer