New paid internship program helps URochester students launch careers

Landing an internship has never mattered more—or been harder to do. Employers consistently rank internship experience among the strongest predictors of hiring, and students who complete internships often earn significantly higher starting salaries than their peers (up to $20,000 higher, in fact). Yet internship opportunities have become increasingly competitive nationwide.

That’s why the University of Rochester launched Hire Rochester, a new paid summer internship initiative connecting undergraduates with career-building experiences made possible through alumni, community partners, and donor support.

None of this surprises Jodyi Wren, director of the University’s Gwen M. Greene Center for Career Education and Connections, which provides students with career support and professional development opportunities and facilitates the Hire Rochester Summer Internship Program.

“Internships aren’t just nice-to-have experiences anymore,” she says. “They are critical and lead to greater professional opportunities for our graduates.” Wren adds that more students than ever are applying for internships—at the University and across the country—yet internships and job postings are down significantly.

“Internships aren’t just nice-to-have experiences anymore. They are critical.”

This past academic year was no exception: Student demand for all internships, including the University’s four signature programs—Hire Rochester, Bond Scholar Program, Schwartz Scholar Program, and Ostrow/Newkirk Scholar Program—far exceeded availability, as did applications for general student internship funding.

Wren, who was a first-generation student without financial resources, could not afford an internship when she was in college. Like many students today, she understands that financial realities can stand in the way of career-building experiences. The need to cover living expenses while earning income keeps many students from pursuing internships that could shape their future careers. Through programs like Hire Rochester, Wren hopes all URochester students can access internship opportunities regardless of financial circumstances.

Here’s what this summer’s inaugural cohort of Hire Rochester Summer Interns learned on the job.

CLAIRE CHO ’28

Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Major: Business: Marketing
Internship: Nicslab Ops. Inc., a global semiconductor company

“I believe that in an age where the barrier to entry for technical fields is getting increasingly low, being able to bridge specialized knowledge and clear communication is becoming more important than ever. Working in semiconductors as a marketing major means my technical knowledge is limited, which is why I’ve been making a deliberate effort to study the field. If I don’t understand at least the gist of what we’re actually building and selling, my work will only ever be surface level. By studying my company, our competitors, and what we’re doing well and where there’s room to grow, I execute my work with a little more intention.”

ALAYNA LEESTMA ’27

Hometown: Caledonia, Michigan
Majors: History and Politics, Philosophy, and Economics (PPE)
Internship: Venture for ClimateTech, a global non-profit climate tech accelerator administered by NextCorps, and funded by NYSERDA

“Over the course of my Hire Rochester internship at Venture for ClimateTech, I helped manage a climate technology startup accelerator program spanning the course of a few months. One of my main projects involved coordinating more than one hundred meetings between nine startups and over 20 mentors. I also had the opportunity to give founders public speaking advice while they prepared for pitches. I am exiting my Hire Rochester internship with a strong interest in working in the nonprofit space after graduation, and look forward to applying the skills I developed in this internship during my senior year and beyond.”

“Levi” Li. PIERAN “LEVI” LI ’27

Hometown: Shanghai, China
Majors: Digital Media Studies and Audio Arts and Technology
Internship: Frintz, an innovative photography and advertising platform

“At Frintz, my role is mainly social media content creation. This internship has helped me grow in many ways. It is my first time working with a company in this kind of role, and I have learned how to use ClickUp to plan tasks, track time, and communicate with the team. I have also gained more hands-on experience in video editing, graphic design, and writing copy for a real company. This role has helped me improve both technical skills and soft skills, including time management, teamwork, and communication. Since I work remotely, I have to plan my daily schedule and manage about five to six hours of work each day. Overall, this internship has given me valuable experience and helped me feel more prepared for future work in media, marketing, and content creation.”

TRIET LY ’29

Hometown: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Major: Computer Science
Internship: The Adventure Nexus, a web-based platform and community hub for tabletop games and game masters

“Interning at The Adventure Nexus has been the most hands-on learning experience of my education so far. I’ve gotten to work on a live production system serving hundreds of real users—hardening payment and login flows, closing security vulnerabilities, and building an automated testing pipeline that keeps new releases stable. The Hire Rochester program made this opportunity possible, and it’s been the perfect bridge between my coursework and the industry. Concepts I first encountered in my data structures and algorithms classes suddenly had real stakes behind them. This internship has confirmed that I want to build reliable, secure systems for a living, and it’s given me the practical foundation and confidence to pursue that after graduation. I’m grateful to URochester for connecting students like me with experiences like this one.”

IVAN CEA GOMEZ ’27

Hometown: Santiago, Chile
Majors: Business: Marketing and Film and Media Studies
Internship: Rochester Red Wings, a minor league baseball team and Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals

“Working with the Red Wings has been both a professional and personal growth experience. From my first day, I immediately felt part of the team. With consistent feedback and close engagement from my supervisor, I’ve been able to grow alongside interns from many different backgrounds. It’s been rewarding to put my marketing coursework into real practice: tracking audience preferences, creating retail email campaigns, building SMS follow‑ups, measuring open and click‑through rates, and becoming more advanced in Photoshop. Seeing how operations shift behind the scenes has given me a unique look into how the sports industry works: niche, fast‑paced, and incredibly collaborative. This internship has shown me how much I can grow when I apply what I’ve learned in the classroom to real-world challenges. It’s shaped my education, strengthened my career goals, and given me confidence in the path I’m building.”

Scaling student success

This summer’s Hire Rochester program is just the beginning. By 2030, the University aims to establish 50 Hire Rochester internships, supporting the institution’s strategic objective of ensuring every student participates in at least two experiential learning opportunities during their four years on campus.

“Hire Rochester’s first summer made it clear that our community wants to help and they want to give back,” says Wren. “The demand from students—and the enthusiasm from alumni and community partners—has been incredible. Our biggest challenge now is expanding the program so more students can benefit.”

Group photo and Cea Gomez portrait by Gary Cong ’27; other photos provided by the students.