Center for Student Research
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Research and internships
As part of the SUPER program, every student will complete at least one research/internship experience, preferably more. This can include experiences during the school year or summer and on or off campus. Not only can research and internships help you get a job after college; they can help you choose what career you want. Research and internships are also important if you want to go to graduate school.
When can you start internships and research?
You can start an internship or research at any point, but some programs do have limits. You cannot do an internship for credit until you are a rising sophomore, but we still encourage you to start internships as soon as possible. The only exception is international students who can only do credit bearing internships. Students are also eligible to use their RISE (Randolph’s Innovative Student Experience) program funds starting in their sophomore year. This program provides up to $2,000 that can be used for research and internships.
How do you find an internship or research opportunity?
Research opportunities can be on or off-campus. For off-campus research opportunities, start with the resources listed on this page.
For on-campus research, talk to faculty members from the SUPER program and other on-campus faculty members with whom you would like to do research.
The Randolph College Summer Research Program provides financial support for students and faculty conducting research together as well as a supportive research community, an opportunity to present your research, and guest lectures from visiting experts.
Randolph students gain valuable experience through a wide array of internships. The first step is to visit the internship coordinator in the Career Development Center. Take advantage of this time to talk about opportunities, review your resume and get internship-ready.
Does the internship have to be exactly what I want to do as a job?
You always want an internship that is in-line with your educational and career goals, but it does not have to be exactly what you want to do. When choosing an internship, think about what knowledge, skills and abilities you will gain from the experience that will help you towards your goals. In addition, internships can be a great way to find out if the career you think you want is really the right career for you.
Is research beneficial even if I don’t want to go to graduate school or be a researcher?
Conducting research is a great way to learn about the nature of science, develop critical thinking skills, learn laboratory techniques, enhance your ability to make presentations, and to simply get the hands-on experience that so many employers are looking for. All of this experience is valuable in any science career and research is an essential part of any science education.
Helpful resources for finding a research or internship opportunity
The Virginia Commonwealth STEM Industry Internship Program (CSIIP)
This program provides a common application for paid STEM internships throughout Virginia. The program offers internship opportunities year-round and all SUPER students should visit the website to look for interesting opportunities.
National Science Foundation – Research Experience for Undergraduates
The NSF- REU program is an opportunity to work with scientists and other undergraduates at an REU site. These positions are available in all fields of science and across the United States.
The Maria Mitchell Association in Nantucket offers summer opportunities in astronomy, environmental education and more. Many of the opportunities include housing and the website includes links to all of the programs.
Department of Homeland Security HS-STEM summer internships
The Department of Homeland Security offers 10 week paid summer internships in a variety of STEM fields with relevance to homeland security at multiple federal laboratories. Applications are typically opened in October and the program is open to juniors and seniors.
Department of Energy Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships
This program offers semester and summer paid internships that involve conducting research with a scientist or engineer at the US Department of Energy lab. Summer applications are typically available starting in October.
Students with familiarity with Mathematica can work with the company that developed the software for the summer. This internship is located in Illinois and application are generally due at the beginning of April.
Harvard Stem Cell Institute Internship program
Students who are interested in stem cell research can participate in an 11 week paid internship/research program at Harvard. The application is usually available in November and due in February.
Google provides a wide-variety of internship opportunities, especially for students interested in computer programming and engineering.
This list is in no way a comprehensive list of the opportunities available. We are all willing to help you find internships and research opportunities, but the ultimate responsibility lies with you. Spend some time looking around for posted internships and research and don’t forget to ask for help if you need it.
