A Decade of Opportunity: USM’s Career Exploration Internship Program Marks its 10th Year

Ten years ago, 23 University of Southern Maine students took a chance on a new program, hoping it would help them kickstart their careers. Today, nearly 200 are doing the same each year. On April 27, more than 50 students will take the stage to show what they’ve accomplished — and what USM’s Career Exploration Internship Program has made possible over the last decade.

Built on access

Launched in 2016 by USM’s Career and Employment Hub, the Career Exploration Internship Program (CEIP) was built on a simple but powerful premise: that every student deserves access to a paid, meaningful internship — regardless of their major, background, or professional network. 

For the last decade, CEIP has connected students with paid internship opportunities at more than 130 different local employers, with Career Hub staff guiding them through every step of the process.

According to a recent Forbes report, last year 8.2 million students sought internships nationwide — and only 3.6 million found one. The gap hits hardest for students who can least afford it. Only 27% of first-generation students have internship experience, compared to 41% of all college students nationally (Gallup, 2024).

The university’s program addresses the shortage by offering paid internships throughout the academic year and funding nonprofits that provide quality experiences but couldn’t otherwise afford to pay their interns — expanding the pool of opportunities available to students.

From a single advisor to a full-scale program

What began as a part-time project for a single career advisor has grown into a full program with two dedicated full-time staff and GA support, 80-plus employer partners, and nearly 200 interns placed across all three semesters.

“The programming has grown in so many ways,” said Lindsey Freeman, Internship Program Manager. “I’m particularly proud of the individualized professional development support the CEIP team offers students, as well as Coffee and Connections, a biannual signature event launched in 2024 where interns and employers gather to network over breakfast and hear from former program participants.”

The employer partnerships have expanded significantly as well. CEIP was originally anchored in Maine’s seven target technology sectors, including biotechnology, information technology, precision manufacturing, and aquaculture, as designated by the Maine Economic Improvement Fund. In recent years, the program has broadened into arts and nonprofits, adding partners such as Opera Maine, the Children’s Museum, and Special Olympics Maine.

To sustain that growth, CEIP implemented a cost-sharing model in 2025 in which employer partners now contribute more than $130,000 annually toward student pay — allowing grant funding from the Maine Economic Improvement Fund and the Abbagadassett Foundation to stretch further and support more students.

“When I took over the program in 2021, it was a priority for me to raise the interns’ pay rate,” said Freeman. “This summer, we’re bringing that to $19.50 — matching USM’s top student employment rate. That’s what makes participation possible for students who can’t afford to work for free.”

Real students, real outcomes

Mandy Ho, a senior computer science student, used CEIP as a launching pad for three different internships over the course of her time at USM. Her internship at Wayside Publishing revealed an interest in data privacy, which led her to an internship with Systems Engineering, and ultimately a cybersecurity internship at L.L.Bean — where she accepted a job offer ahead of graduating this May.

Ted Campbell, a junior double-majoring in political science and economics, credits CEIP with preparing him for success at the Maine Secretary of State’s Office as much as matching him with the internship.

“What’s great about the Career Exploration Internship Program is it takes you through skills that aren’t typically taught in the classroom — resume writing, cover letters, professional etiquette,” said Campbell. “You need the theoretical, but you also need the practical. And that’s exactly what CEIP provides.”

The results extend beyond the students themselves. In a recent survey, 98% of employer partners said they were more likely to hire a USM graduate as a result of their participation in the program — and 89% of interns said they now see meaningful job opportunities for themselves in Maine.

This spring, the program marks its 10th anniversary the same way it does every semester: by putting the students’ experiences on display.