As part of For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester, URochester’s Simon Business School is launching its Hire Simon Internship Program, which will offer paid summer career-building opportunities to its MBA and MS students. The program is made possible through a generous $1.1 million leadership gift from University Trustee Emerita Janice Willett ’78S (MBA).
Willett’s commitment establishes the foundation for long-term growth and will support 10 students during the summer of 2027. The business school’s goal is to offer 30 paid Hire Simon internships to students each year by 2031.
“We are deeply grateful to Janice, an alumna and leader, for investing in this important paid summer internship program,” says University President Sarah Mangelsdorf. “Hire Simon will help these graduate level business students gain professional experience and build a strong foundation for their careers.”
“I know how valuable an internship can be,” says Willett, who secured an internship at Chase Manhattan Bank as a Simon MBA student. “That real-world opportunity made my business school education more meaningful, and it led to a full-time offer from Chase, which was a significant first step in my career path.”
Willett hopes the program will give today’s Simon students the same access to professional experiences that she had—and the financial support to take advantage of them.
Creating opportunities for future business leaders
While large employers often operate established internship programs, students pursuing roles with other organizations may find fewer paid options. Hire Simon will help remove the financial constraints that can limit students’ choices, opening doors to internships that align with their interests, values, and goals—for instance, at nonprofits, startups at various stages of development, and small to medium-sized businesses across the country.
In doing so, Hire Simon will create internships that might not otherwise exist. Beyond financial support, students will benefit from structured, high-quality experiences that include advising, supervision, and learning outcomes. Simon will evaluate the program’s success through student participation, internship quality, skill development, and career momentum.
Hire Simon will also help participating organizations better understand the requirements for hosting eligible international students.
“Hire Simon addresses these gaps,” says LaTanya Johns, assistant dean of the Jay S. and Jeanne Benet Career Management Center at Simon. “It creates additional paid opportunities for students while helping organizations become skilled internship hosts.”
For Simon’s MBA and MS students, internships offer valuable opportunities to apply classroom learning, explore career interests, and build professional experience. Hire Simon expands access to these opportunities, helping students strengthen their skills and contribute to participating organizations.
Expanding access to applied learning, enhancing the student experience, and improving career outcomes are key priorities of the University’s Boundless Possibilities strategic plan and For Ever Better campaign.
Hire Simon is modeled after Hire Rochester, an alumni- and donor-supported paid summer internship program available to undergraduates at Simon, the School of Arts & Sciences, and Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences.
The Benet Career Management Center at Simon will manage the Hire Simon Internship Program. Selected students will participate in a full-time summer internship and receive:
“Experiences gained through meaningful internships are vital to students as they evaluate and try to determine the career paths they wish to pursue,” says Jay S. Benet ’76S (MBA), University trustee and Simon National Council chair. “I couldn’t be more pleased with the support that Hire Simon will provide to our students and Janice’s generosity in providing that support.”
“Hire Simon can be game-changing for participating organizations,” says Willett. “Simon MBA and MS student interns bring analytical skills, qualitative thinking, and fresh ideas, and in return, they get valuable hands-on professional experience they might not find in a larger, more traditional business setting. This program is a partnership where everyone benefits: the students, the employer-partners, and Simon.”
For Willett, the program also sends an important message to employers: Simon stands behind its students and is willing to invest in connecting their talents with organizations that can benefit from them.
Support Hire Simon
Willett’s gift provides the foundation for Hire Simon, but reaching the program’s full scale will require broader support. Simon seeks additional funding for 20–25 more internships as well as host organizations. Alumni and industry partners can help by financially supporting Hire Simon, engaging their employers, and opening doors within their networks.
Simon alumni and friends can also become career connectors and support students by:
Willett is a retired editor at The Boston Consulting Group. She earned an MBA in finance and accounting from Simon in 1978, and later was a senior lecturer in business communications at the school.
In 2006, Willett joined the University’s Board of Trustees and has been vice chair of Simon’s National Council for many years. Her URochester philanthropic support spans decades. She and her husband, Joseph Willett ’75S (MBA), have established professorships, a directorship, scholarships, and prizes across the University, including at Simon, the School of Arts & Sciences, and Eastman School of Music. In 2008, she was a recipient of Simon’s inaugural Dean’s Medal. Most recently, during the For Ever Better campaign, she has committed more than $1.1 million to the Joseph P. Mack Catholic Center.
As a URochester volunteer leader, Willett serves on URochester’s For Ever Better Campaign Steering Committee and the Newman Building Committee. She is also an ambassador for the Wilson Society and a sustaining member of the George Eastman Circle, both of which are donor recognition groups that honor philanthropic impact.
Philanthropy and engagement are critical to the future success of the University. Learn how you can support For Ever Better: The Campaign for the University of Rochester. To make a difference for Simon Business School, contact Jaime Earl, executive director of Simon Advancement.
—Kristine Kappel Thompson, October 2026