Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering major and Honors College student Sarah Freeman spent her summer close to the one place she’s always wanted to travel: space. Freeman’s work as a sustainable aviation intern at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland had her conducting analysis on electric aviation components and running the same outreach events she once attended as a child.
Because of NASA’s ‘30,000-foot view’ (aptly named for cruising altitude) approach to a well-rounded internship experience, she’s received training in both technical work and soft skills such as communication and logistics that are needed to bring her ideas to life.
“I would say this experience exceeds my childhood expectations,” Freeman said. “When I pull into the parking lot every morning and see the NASA logo, it never gets old.”
Whether it was on the shores of Lake Erie, in a theater in Cincinnati, or in our nation’s capital, Miami students like Freeman spent their summer preparing for their future careers. Learning by doing is an essential part of Miami’s curriculum, which the Princeton Review recognized when it ranked Miami among the top 15 best public schools for internships in the country. Internships are more than just a way to spend the summer away from Oxford; they represent one of the most incredible things Miami can offer: an opportunity to grow.
And there are many resources on campus that can help. The Urban Leadership Internship Program (ULIP), for example, brings students to Dayton, Ohio, to explore civic engagement and leadership development. Architecture major and Honors College student Aliyah Bing has spent the summer addressing the housing crisis by building affordable homes for families with Habitat for Humanity.
Or there’s the Altman Institute for Entrepreneurship, a cross-disciplinary program that emphasizes research and immersive, real-world learning opportunities. Theatre and Arts Entrepreneurship double major Jamie Ripperger was connected to the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company for a custom experience.
“It's administrative,” Ripperger said. “So I'm going to meetings, I'm dealing with some data analysis. It's still like a sit down, 9 to 5 job, but it's all based around theater. And theater is my everything.”
Business Economics major and Oxford native Jacob Farmer is also experiencing his first time away from home and his first time working in an office setting. As an intern for Ohio House Representative Warren Davidson, he’s been able to get a firsthand view of how policy comes together on the House floor. Farmer, an Honors College student drawn to the analysis side of economics, even worked on a project with the office’s Financial Services Council to present to the congressman.
“It's been a huge transition and such a great adventure,” Farmer said. “It's been super enjoyable and stressful at times, and kind of chaotic and crazy, but it's been a lot of fun and I've really enjoyed it.”
Although he expected to complete an internship at some point during his college career, securing one before his sophomore year was a welcome surprise.
“I thought I'd have something eventually because Miami is so full of opportunities but that it came so quickly was a shock,” Farmer said. “All the doors kind of opened at once. All the right things fell into place to get me here and that was definitely because of Miami.”
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