Businesses

UB students dressed in business attire and ready to work.

Ready to help your company grow? The new Sophomore Externship Experience (SEE) program matches top Western New York companies with local college sophomores for the summer. 

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Applications Currently Accepted

Apply now! applications are being reviewed on a rolling basis.

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Get Access to Leading Student Externs—Without All the Work

Save valuable time and money when you join the SEE program.  

  • We interview and match students to your needs.
  • We handle the payroll.
  • You meet students early in their college careers.
  • Your brand awareness increases among college students.

We Cover Half the Costs

Now your company can work with some of the most ambitious and innovative students in WNY for less, thanks to a grant from the Prentice Family Foundation and support from UB. Here’s how it works: 

  • Your company commits to supporting two sophomore externs for two years. You will host new students each year.
  • Externs are paid $4,000 each, per summer, which helps attract top students.
  • The stipend for the externs will be split between support provided by the Prentice Family Foundation and your company as follows:
    • First year: Costs fully funded (no cost to you)
    • Second year: Your organization pays half the cost — $4,000 total for two externs.
UB Manages the Payroll and Paperwork 

Students are paid through UB, so you don’t have to add them to your payroll or worry about extra paperwork.

What to Expect

Each student extern spends 20 hours per week onsite with your organization, typically Monday-Thursday, for eight weeks during June and July. 

Companies hosting externs will be expected to:

  • Define a meaningful and challenging assignment that externs can successfully undertake within the designated 8-week timeframe.
  • Provide a lead mentor and other point person(s) who can commit time to the externs.
  • Host students on-site, in-person, Monday through Thursday, for eight weeks.
  • Provide dedicated workspace for in-office work, any necessary supplies and technology.
  • Evaluate each extern’s progress at the midpoint and conclusion of each summer.
  • Attend host site orientation and closing experience ceremony.

UB: Here to Help You Manage and Support Externs

In addition to screening and interviewing externs, we offer tools for designing projects and evaluating externs, and we also provide an orientation for businesses. 

What Is an Externship?

An externship can make you more competitive for future internships, fellowships, jobs and other opportunities. Externships typically happen earlier in a student’s college career and during a shorter period than an internship. Externs may work on a specific project rather than have longer-term responsibilities.

Questions? Need More Info?

Startup and Innovation Collaboratory

Student Life

University at Buffalo
340 Student Union, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260

Phone: (716) 645-8111

The WNY Sophomore Externship Experience @ UB is supported through an annual gift from the Prentice Family Foundation. It is operated by the Startup and Innovation Collaboratory powered by Blackstone LaunchPad with support from numerous campus partners.