Internship Program
The Finance and Operations Internship Program works with division units to develop and manage internship opportunities for Carolina students. Connecting students with campus internships aligns with the Enable Career Development initiative of the University’s strategic plan, Carolina Next: Innovations for Public Good. The internship program directly supports Objective 3.1 of the initiative — Integrate career preparation into all students’ experiences — and provides students with the opportunity to gain real-world experience from professionals in their fields of study
Benefits of the Program
- Provide meaningful, project-based career experience for students.
- Gain direct benefits from the students’ skills acquired from the University’s rich learning programs.
- Meet short-term staffing needs for addressing special projects.
- Develop a pipeline of future employees.
Internship Versus Student Employment
Hiring an intern is not the same as hiring a regular student employee.
- Student employees mainly perform day-to-day administrative or operational tasks to support the regular workforce. These positions generally repeat year after year and require standard supervision and training skills.
- Interns apply academic knowledge to real-world tasks and projects and learn from professionals to gain insights into industry practices. The internship will likely be focused on a one-time project that requires specialized planning and support. UNC-Chapel Hill internships may qualify for academic credit.
How We Can Help
Providing a rich internship that helps students in career development—and ideally motivates them to stay with the University after graduation—can be difficult for departments that are frequently understaffed and may not have connections with student organizations and departmental contacts across campus. The program staff is available to manage your internships start to finish, or support departments in the following ways as needed:
- Work with departments, academic programs and student organizations to identify opportunities and, if applicable, define course credit requirements.
- Help hiring managers develop job descriptions.
- Manage recruitment, job posting and the hiring process.
- Provide onboarding, mentorship and assessment support and resources.
Internship Requirements
- Provides a clear job/project description that builds on academic skills and gives the student the opportunity for career exploration and development.
- Includes no more than 25% clerical or administrative duties.
- Uses the mentor/mentee model to provide constant support and feedback for professional growth.
- Consists of no more than 20 hours per week while enrolled in classes. During the summer students may work 40 hours/week if not enrolled in classes.
Submit Internship Support Request for Spring 2025
Students frequently attempt to secure internships many months in advance. Our goal is to post internship positions three to six months before the planned start date.
- Complete the internship request form.
- Questions? Contact Layna Johnson, internship program manager, at Layna.Johnson@unc.edu.