How do I get an Internship?

These are methods to help you find the right internship for you.

• Spend some time thinking about what type of internship experience you are interested in completing
• Brainstorm a list of organizations you would like to intern.  
• Meet with your academic department's Internship Coordinator
• Talk to potential employers at career and internship fairs.
• Remember, if you do not find an internship experience listed with the organization you're interested in, go directly to the source and inquire further!  Visiting the employer website can provide you with details on any internship programs they may have, or provide you with the information you need to inquire further.
• Don't forget to check on LinkedIn as well, where you can search for internship and entry-level job postings with companies related to people in your LinkedIn network.
• Reach out to your network via an informational interview, and make sure you ask where the person you are interviewing would recommend starting to look for internships in your field of interest.
• Make sure to fill out all of your paperwork correctly when applying for a posted internship! 
• Need more help?  Check out all the different ways that the Career Development Center can assist you!
• Check out the organizations’ websites and learn about their mission, noteworthy items that have been in the news, new program developments, and staff members.
• Handshake is a great resource for researching organizations that are specifically invested in Minnesota State Mankato students (See link to Video/Screencast below)
• Talk with people in your network to see if anyone has additional information about the organization you are interested in—often they have the “off the record” scoop and you can learn a lot from trusted sources.
• Keep organized notes on your findings to use as a resource in the application and interview process.
• Utilize your notes to form solid questions that you will ask at the end of your interview. You will impress them if you say “Upon doing some research, I found ____. Can you tell me more about this?”
• In any interactions with employers, know that they are the experts. Approach conversations with curiosity, not authority.

   

  Current Internship Openings

  Operations Internship - Dive Crew

  THIS IS A PAID INTERNSHIP! It is our mission to prepare our interns for future career successes by giving them practical, real-world experience that is valued across ALL industries. We aim to give our Interns a well-rounded, fully immersive experience and provide them with highly marketable, valuable, and transferable skills for them to apply in their continued education and future careers. Past Interns that have worked at Waterfront Restoration have progressed to career paths in the following positions and companies: District Sales Supervisor - The Hershey Company, Project Manager - Marvin Windows, Optimized Operations Engineering Intern - 3M, Business Intelligence Intern - Cargill, Business and Sales Management Associate - General Mills, Business Analyst - Target Corporation, and many more! What you will do as a Dive Crew Operations Intern:Recruit, interview, hire, and coordinate on-boarding for dive crew employeesDaily dive crew operations management and assistance to Operations ManagerSchedule all dive crew members and manage overtime through workload awarenessAdminister dive crew training to achieve a knowledgeable and productive workforceJob site analysis and operational reviews for efficiency improvements. What you will learn:How to identify and tackle problems following industry leading proven processes.Project and team leadership aimed at achieving ambitious company goals. Focuses will be on efficiency, productivity, and maximizing profit margins.How to collect, analyze, and make decisions based on data.How to work cross-functionally throughout the company management structure.How to overcome the challenges of a small business. Resources are in high demand, and you will have to be creative in solving challenges. What we look for in a candidate:Background in engineering, operations, business, leadership, communications, human resources or a related discipline.Strong organization, problem solving, and communication skills.Continuous improvement mindset with a proven ability to meet and exceed assigned goals. As a company we strive for challenging goals and our Interns need to be working towards growing professionally and contributing to the business growth daily.Comfortable managing multiple projects concurrently while maintaining attention to detail.Ability to work outdoors! Our jobs are on, in, and around lakes in MN. No better scenery than that!

  Operations Internship - Watercraft Inspections

  THIS IS A PAID INTERNSHIP! It is our mission to prepare our interns for future career successes by giving them practical, real-world experience that is valued across ALL industries. We aim to give our Interns a well-rounded, fully immersive experience and provide them with highly marketable, valuable, and transferable skills for them to apply in their continued education and future careers. Past Interns that have worked at Waterfront Restoration have progressed to career paths in the following positions and companies: District Sales Supervisor - The Hershey Company, Project Manager - Marvin Windows, Optimized Operations Engineering Intern - 3M, Business Intelligence Intern - Cargill, Business and Sales Management Associate - General Mills, Business Analyst - Target Corporation, and many more! What you will do as a Watercraft Inspections Operations Intern:Recruit, interview, hire, and coordinate training for watercraft inspector employeesManage daily operations of watercraft inspection programs with assistance to Operations ManagerSchedule all inspector staff and track labor hours throughout the summer seasonAdminister inspector training to achieve accuracy, professional, and thorough inspectionsDevelop improved systems and best practices of the watercraft inspection program What you will learn:How to identify and solve problems following industry leading proven processes.Project and team leadership aimed at achieving ambitious company goals. Focus will be on efficiency, data accuracy, environmental protection and business management.How to collect, analyze, and make decisions based on data.How to work cross-functionally throughout the company management structure.How to overcome the challenges of a small business. Resources are in high demand, and you will have to be creative in solving challenges.MnDNR trained and authorized level 1 and level 2 watercraft inspector What we look for in a candidate:Background in environmental studies, operations, business, leadership, communications, human resources or related discipline.Strong organization, problem solving, and communication skills.Continuous improvement mindset with a proven ability to meet and exceed assigned goals. As a company we strive for challenging goals and our Interns need to be working towards growing professionally and contributing to the business growth daily.Comfortable managing multiple projects concurrently while maintaining attention to detail.Ability to work outdoors! Our jobs are on, in, and around lakes in MN. No better scenery than that!

  Software Engineer Summer Intern

  At SigIQ, we’re building the AI infrastructure for the next era of learning — starting with PadhAI, India’s #1 ranked AI tutor that beat 1.3M students and even GPT-4o in live standardized testing. Backed by GSV Ventures, The House Fund, Peak XV (Sequoia India), and Duolingo, we’ve raised $10M to make one-on-one, world-class tutoring accessible to every learner. What’s summer intern? Our Interns are high-potential engineers who want to work full-time, take on real ownership, and learn by building in the wild, but who don’t yet meet our full-time bar. This is an opportunity with a clear path to conversion based on performance. Who You Are:You’re a cracked builder who: Has experience in React.js, Python, and Django. Currently in 3rd or 4th year college or masters student. Can ship fast, learn fast, and write clean, reliable code.Wants to be part of a world-class AI + EdTech team solving hard problems.You’ll Work On Building responsive, production-grade UI/backend for our AI tutor apps.Shipping features end-to-end in collaboration with engineers, PMs, and researchers. Going beyond chatbot UX, creating next-gen AI-native learning experiences.  Must-Have Qualifications:Prior project or internship experience in React.js, Python, and Django. Have experience with AWS, GCP, Azure Build optimization, SEO optimization. Strong coding fundamentals, attention to detail, and UI craftsmanship Hunger to learn and build relentlessly.

  Marketing Intern

  About Greenbox StorageWe revolutionize summer storage for college students nationwide!We pick up belongings at semester's end, store them safely over summer, then deliver everything right to campus each fall. Join one of America's fastest-growing startups where innovation meets real impact.Compensation$15 / hour base payCommission payWeekly incentives Some Marketing Interns will make up to $7,000 this season. Previous Interns:"As my time as a business development intern with Greenbox comes to a pause, I am very grateful for the experience as the company’s first Purdue University representative. Over the past semester, this role gave me the opportunity to lead the successful launch of Greenbox’s Purdue branch, introducing the company to campus while connecting students with an innovative storage solution. From developing outreach strategies to building connections with potential clients, it has been fulfilling seeing our endeavors pay off.Thank you to the Greenbox team and my supervisors Aaron Hyatt and Shila Bolenge.  Your guidance and support made this internship very rewarding. I’m excited to transfer what I’ve learned into future opportunities." -John Osuna, Purdue 2025“'I can’t stress enough how valuable this opportunity has been for me.  I have learned so much from my time with Greenbox.” -Logan, Miami University 2023"My internship was phenomenal.  Through this internship, I was able to improve my teamwork and leadership skills dramatically." -Jenny, University at Buffalo 2022Does This Sound Like You?Are you a gritty, solutions-driven innovator who thrives when handed real responsibility?  If you combine street-smart resourcefulness with the drive to build something meaningful—and embody reliability, results-driven focus, communication excellence, and relentless grit—you’re who we’re chasing.As one of America’s fastest-growing startups, Greenbox offers a founder’s apprenticeship.  You’ll work shoulder-to-shoulder with leaders to launch/scale your campus branch, building real-world entrepreneurial, marketing, and operational muscles.This isn’t just an internship—it’s a launchpad for future founders and ops/marketing leaders. Job OverviewThis internship will be throughout the Spring 2026 semester. The Marketing Intern's primary responsibility is two-pronged. The first responsibility is to conduct sales and marketing operations to promote Greenbox Storage on campus.  Working alongside our management team, you will ensure all advertising and marketing tasks are complete each week.  The second responsibility is to conduct item pickup and drop off operations.  These operations take place at the end of the spring semester and beginning of the fall semester. Position RequirementsFreshman, sophomore, or junior at your university (you must be a college student and live on / nearby your campus)Relentless work ethicDetermination for self-improvementProblem solving ability - challenges will be thrown at you. Do you have the necessary street smarts?Leadership ability - can you lead a team during move ins and move outs?Top notch communication - this is a fast-paced business. Quick and efficient communication is a must.High standards - our service is the best in the country. We need Interns who will maintain this level of quality.Knowledge of your campus - you will be conducting guerrilla marketing on campus.Relentless determination to get things done the right way.Part of this role is physically demanding. You’ll be required to drive a moving truck and transport items from campus to storage at the end of the spring semester, and from storage back to campus at the beginning of the fall semester. Are you willing and able to complete these requirements?Job Responsibilities Create and manage campus social media accounts (Instagram, TikTok)Publish 3 - 5 posts per week: reels, TikTok videos, static posts/storiesDevelop creative content around campus life, ambassadors, discounts, and referralsExecute guerilla marketing: flyering, chalking, whiteboardingInvestigate and engage in parent outreach through Facebook groups and online communitiesPromote and track incentivized referral programs Track engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments, views) and report weeklyConduct sales callsOperating trucks for transportation of customers items.Transport items from campus to storage at the end of spring semester.  Loading and unloading customers belongings.Managing inventory of orders in our APP. Organizing orders at the storage facility.Transport items from storage BACK to campus at the beginning of fall semester.Strive to hit your performance metrics each week.Attend required meetings.Maintain a positive attitude throughout your internship!  

  Business Operations Intern (Graduates)

  We are looking for a dynamic and motivated individual to join our team as a Business Operations Intern. As an intern, you will have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in various aspects of business operations, including project management, and process improvement. For the right candidate, this internship will offer you the chance to get a leadership position at our organization and make a huge impact. Responsibilities:Responsibility #1:Support the creation of strategic client roadmaps using our internal templates. Join initial onboarding meetings to ensure a smooth and positive start for each new client.Responsibility #2:Maintain regular communication with mentors and tutors to track student progress and ensure milestone alignment.Responsibility #3:Conduct periodic check-ins to gauge client satisfaction and identify opportunities to enhance their experience.Responsibility #4:Assist with day-to-day operations, including resolving urgent client concerns by coordinating with relevant stakeholders to identify the root cause and implement timely solutions.Responsibility #5:Act as a secondary point of contact for client requests related to internships or research opportunities. Provide responsive, personable support to mentors and help ensure both students and parents feel well cared for.Responsibility #6:Lead customer success follow-ups, particularly when parents raise concerns. Take ownership of issue resolution and ensure client expectations are met or exceeded.Qualifications:Strong analytical and problem-solving skillsStrong communication (replies quickly over email)Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, especially Excel or Google Sheets Ability to work independently and as part of a teamThis internship offers valuable hands-on experience and the opportunity to work with a talented and supportive team. If you are passionate about business operations and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply.