One of the perks of studying in the US is getting 3 full months off for the summer (in most schools). Usually, sometime between May – August. Most people make different choices about how to spend their summer. You could either take summer classes, participate in summer research programs, volunteer in a hospital, or go on an internship. The idea is to do something that inspires you and sets you up for success for the next academic year and moves you towards your future goals.

In this article, we share a personal experience from our guest writer detailing what it was like to participate in a summer internship as an international student. Note this is part 1 of our summer internship series.

Why a summer internship?

Question: Tell us a bit about yourself

Response: I was born and raised in Kenya. I came to the United States on a full scholarship to study Chemical Engineering at Tuskegee University.

Question: Why did you decide on an internship?

Response: As a first-year student in a new school, and a new country, I was curious to find opportunities that could help me discover my interests and gain practical hands-on experiences. I was also interested in exploring different states and cities, making new friends and expanding my network.

Getting a summer internship

Question: How did you find your internship?

Response: The first thing I did when I was ready to apply to internships was to talk to professors and mentors. Through them I got recommendations on the vast opportunities available both in research (academia) or corporate internships. I even learnt of summer leadership internships that my own department was offering in the summer.

Based on my interests, I then embarked on lots of online applications for National Institute of Health (NIH) and National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduate (NSF REU) programs. I prepared my resume (let us help you prepare yours) and showed up to all career fairs in my department.

Internship applications and interviewing

Question: What was the process of searching for the internship and interviewing like?

Response: The process of internship applications took a long time. I remember applying to over 50 NSF REU programs, and attending career fairs. At these career fairs, I presented my elevator pitch and shared my resume to company hiring representatives. The waiting period to hear back from companies about whether I got the offer took up to 3 months, especially my freshman year.

The Interviewing process itself was  different for each program. Some programs had online interviews, in-person, or panel interviews. At the beginning I attended mock interview trainings that were provided by the career department at my school. These sessions helped me get comfortable at talking about my skills and experiences.

After my first internship, the application and interview process became a little easier. I also created time to attend conferences including Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and Women of Color Conferences. These conferences provided me with vast opportunities for interviews, and even on the spot offers for corporate internships. By the fall (December) of each preceding year, I already had internship offers and had to decide on the best offer by the end of year.

Accepting the internship offer and beginning the internship

Question: Did you accept your offer immediately?

Response: For the internship offers that I received in the Fall, I had until the end of the year to accept the offers. This gave me ample time (i.e. > 5 months) to compare and make the best choice for the summer. However, during my freshman year, I only got an offer in the spring (around March) so I had only a few weeks to accept the offer.

Thank you to our guest writer for sharing this research experience with us.

Key takeaways: Apply to multiple internships early. Participate in mock interviews. Practice your elevator pitch!

Join us for part 2 of the internship series, in an upcoming blog, to learn more about the actual internship experience!

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