Post a Project-based Internship

Project-based internships offer organizations the opportunity to engage student talent on short-term, outcome-driven assignments. These internships are centered around a clearly scoped project – with defined goals, deliverables, and timelines – typically lasting 2-6 weeks.

• Efficient and Impactful: Advance a priority initiative that needs fresh thinking or extra capacity.
• Flexible Format: These experiences can be remote, hybrid, or in-person and designed to fit academic calendars.
• Mentor-Led: Students receive guidance and feedback from a staff member throughout the experience.

This is an ideal option for companies, nonprofits, or alumni looking to give back by mentoring students while making progress on meaningful work

Dartmouth students are uniquely positioned to take on project-based internships year-round, thanks to the flexibility of the Dartmouth academic calendar and off-term structure.

Students may pursue projects during:

• An academic term, when they are enrolled in classes and seeking part-time, flexible experience
• An off-term, when they are not enrolled in classes and often available for more hours
• Academic breaks, such as the month of December or summer, when short-term projects are ideal

This flexibility allows you to engage students on

Project-based internships can be paid or unpaid. Before posting an unpaid position, please check all applicable regulations, including the US Department of Labor internship guidelines

Offering a project-based internship is extremely straightforward. Here’s how to get started:

1. Identify a Meaningful Project

Think of a real business need that could benefit from focused, short-term support. Good projects are:

• Scoped to be completed in 2–6 weeks
• Measurable and outcome-oriented (ex: create a report, design a prototype, analyze data)
• Not mission-critical, but still valuable to the organization

2. Define the Scope

Clearly outline:

• Project Description: What is the student being asked to accomplish?
• Timeline: When should the project start/end? Are there key milestones?
• Deliverables: What should the student produce or present by the end?
• Skills Needed: What background or competencies would be helpful?
• Skills Gained: What skills will the student have gained by completing the project?

3. Assign a Point of Contact or Mentor

Designate someone on your team to serve as a guide. Their role may include:

• Providing context and direction
• Offering feedback at checkpoints
• Supporting the student’s learning and engagement

Weekly check-ins (even brief!) go a long way in making this experience successful.

4. Decide on Format and Logistics

Project-based internships are often:

• Remote-friendly: Students can contribute from anywhere
• Part-time: Ideal during academic terms or short breaks
• Compensation: Determine the project wage. Employers are expected to offer pay when possible; if budget constraints exist, the Center for Career Design may be able to provide funding support to the student.

We can advise on what format best fits your goals and the student population you’d like to reach.

5. Submit Your Project

Once your project is ready, submit it through our website. The team will review your submission to ensure the opportunity aligns with our learning objectives and student engagement standards. Anticipate up to five business days to review the project proposal.

Please note: All submissions are subject to approval by the Center

• 2025 Sophomore Summer Program
• Marketing Campaign Development: Students Developed a set of marketing materials, including branded content for Instagram, Facebook, and google Ads. The project covered three months of scheduled social posts, recommendations on which to boost for nonprofit impact, and the creation of Google Ads utilizing a monthly budget.
• Storytelling & Testimonial Library: Students curated a library of first-person stories and testimonials from clients, families, volunteers, and staff. The content, written stories, quotes with photos, and short videos was used across newsletters, donor appeal, video ads, and displayed at a large community celebration with potential reuse at future events.
• Trail Exploration & Content Creation: Students explored local trails as first-time users and documented their experiences through photos, videos and written reflections. The project generated authentic, relatable content to help newcomers feel more comfortable with outdoor recreation while giving students hands on experience in content creation and community engagement.
• Educational Board Game Design: Students created a unique, customizable board game that engaged players across age levels and served as an educational tool. The project included developing game mechanics and visuals, exploring cost effective production options and a prototype that could be used for community engagement and outreach.
• Archival Research & Narrative Building: Students researched and organized archival materials, conducted interviews and helped create a narrative documenting an organization’s history, growth, and present-day impact.
• Community Engagement Program Pilots: Students designed and piloted two community engagement programs, (a walking club and community chats) by building, scoping, and recruiting participants. The project also involved tracking outcomes and measuring impact to inform program development.
• Digital Presence Refresh: Students refreshed an organizations website and social media presence by developing updated content and design concepts. The project included conducting interviews, analyzing current digital communications, and creating materials that more effectively communicated the mission and engaged supporters.
• AI Chatbot Implementation: Students designed and implemented and AI powered chatbot on a website to help youth quickly and safely access resources and information. The project provided experience in AI development, digital accessibility, and understanding the challenges faced by foster youth transitioning to independence.

• [The students] were truly exceptional students. It was a pleasure to work with them and learn from them. They really took Foster Nation’s proposal and ran with it. They pushed and surpassed what the organization thought would initially be possible to achieve over a 4 week program. We look forward to exploring how we, as an organization, can grow from their project. – Foster Nation

• It is valuable to get a young professional’s perspective on how best to convey energy and excitement to a cultural topic. –Franco-American Centre