Internships are how many young people open the door to a future career. They’re a chance to test out a field, build a professional network, develop new skills, and discover what kind of work feels meaningful. But getting these opportunities, and particularly paid internships, isn’t easy. 

At Summer Search, the Career Team helps post-secondary students navigate every step of the process: from polishing a résumé and practicing for interviews to making connections with employers and industry professionals. And once students land an internship, the support continues. 

 

Before internships begin, students may participate in a week-long Summer Internship Intensive facilitated by the Career Team and industry leaders. Throughout their internships, students receive additional coaching and check-ins to help them navigate challenges, maximize their learning, and make the most of their experience. 

This summer, Summer Searchers across the country are putting those skills into practice. Here’s a look at some of the work they’re doing, and what they’re learning along the way.

 

 

For Dayansi M. from Philadelphia, her internship as an Academic Mentor for the Summer Bridge program at Parkway Center City Middle College has given her the opportunity to support high school students taking courses through Community College of Philadelphia. Her responsibilities include providing academic mentorship and escorting students around campus. ” 

For Dayansi, the experience started long before her first day. Summer Search helped her prepare for the interview—and changed how she felt about the process. 

“Prior to Summer Search’s help, I was not good with interviews. I felt anxious and dreaded the interview. Afterwards, I felt confident and ready for the interview which then I thankfully obtained the job.”

 

 

For Maria G., also from Philadelphia, her internship as a Summer Legislative Intern for State Representative Elizabeth Felder has offered a firsthand look at how policy takes shape. She has supported legislative research and constituent services at the district office and is learning “how policy ideas turn into real proposals, and how important it is to listen to the community before making decisions.” 

Maria credits both Summer Search and her mentor, Sydney, with helping her prepare for this opportunity:  

“Summer Search and Sydney helped me with application stuff like my resume, interview preparation, and how to write professional emails. Most importantly, it gave me more confidence to enter the corporate world and to navigate the job search process, which can be very competitive. I’m very grateful for all the support I have received.”

 

 

Heather D. is spending her summer in Seattle as a Finance & Grants Intern with the University of Washington’s Medicine’s Division of Cardiology, where she supports Budget Fiscal Analysts and Grant Managers with purchase orders, billing discrepancies, reimbursements, and grant-funded budgets across 11 departments of the UW School of Medicine. It’s a role that has shown her that finance is about much more than numbers. 

“I learned that finance is a super interdisciplinary field – I not only got to learn all the numbers and equations, but I also got to learn how the clinical trial process works.” 

She credits two Summer Search mentors, Michael Davis and Angel Munguia, with inspiring her along the way and shared: 

“Summer Search provided me with a ton of free preparation resources like 1-on-1 resume reviews, mock interviews, and coffee chats with Summer Search alumni in the finance industry.”

 

 

In Boston, Ketshaly P. is interning with the Philanthropy Division at one of our internship partners, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. After attending the Boston Summer Internship Intensive last year (2025), Ketshaly built on that foundation with Summer Search support through the application process, mock interviews, and ongoing coaching throughout her internship. The Career Team is already encouraging her to think about what comes next, including full-time opportunities after her internship. 

One of Ketshaly’s highlights so far was attending a company retreat with her colleagues at the aquarium after a division meeting focused on the impact of philanthropy at Dana-Farber. She shared:  

“I really enjoy working somewhere that is mission-driven.” For Ketshaly, the internship offers more than workplace experience. It’s helping her imagine a future career grounded in purpose.

 

 

Finally, Ariana G. is spending her summer as an Undergraduate Intern at Summer Search internship partner, Legal Services for Children in San Francisco, where she supports projects and day-to-day operations across the organization. Equipped with skills from the Bay Area Summer Internship Intensive she attended this year, Ariana has hit the ground running with work that includes conducting an annual client satisfaction survey, analyzing feedback, and presenting recommendations to staff. She has helped plan a community BBQ, attended immigration, education, and guardianship meetings, and worked on the Spanish intake line to help Spanish-speaking clients access legal services. Ariana shares: 

“I have strengthened my communication, organization, and public speaking skills, especially through presenting survey findings to staff. I’ve also gained a deeper understanding of immigration, education, and guardianship law, as well as the teamwork and collaboration required in a nonprofit legal setting. Overall, the experience has reinforced my passion for serving underserved communities and making a positive impact.” 

These students are working in very different fields but all of them are gaining invaluable experiences and connections, and none of them are navigating the workplace alone. 

That’s the goal of Summer Search’s career programming: not simply to help students land an internship, but to give them the tools, relationships, and support they need to turn an opportunity into momentum that they’ll carry forward beyond this summer. 

 

Summer Search is currently seeking new internship partners for the 2027 season. If your company is interested in hosting a talented Summer Search student, please contact Christian Moore, Workforce Manager, at cmoore@summersearch.org to learn more.