The months of September, October and November are peak application season, not just for seniors knee-deep in college apps and scholarships, but also for rising sophomores, juniors and even freshmen. As one’s desk is filled with the workload of essays, three new books, math packets, history textbooks and extracurricular duties, internship applications occupy that last sliver of space remaining. Internships are an integral part of college applications and the high school experience as they introduce you to a true working world, further develop your interests in particular fields and aid in figuring out your true passions. This is why going out of one’s way and having an opportunity to work with real scientists, and make a tangible difference in the world by contributing to projects, expresses commendable initiative and leadership. Due to the proximity of Montgomery County and specifically Richard Montgomery to numerous biotech companies, government-funded science institutes, research labs and excellent university-led programs, there are multiple ways students can be provided, free, and sometimes even paid, science experience, without prior research participation. However, as a STEM-oriented student, there is a lot of competition and ignorance to which programs are out there. This guide breaks down and summarizes a few of these opportunities that are open for high schoolers to show interest in and apply to.
1. SEAP
SEAP (Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program) is an eight-week-long program run by the DON (Department of the Navy). This program places ambitious high school students across Navy labs in their area, where they engage in hands-on Naval research while being mentored by on-the-field engineers and scientists. SEAP is meant to facilitate students pursuing DON careers, guide STEM education and educate regarding different technologies and development opportunities. “I think it’s [SEAP] a really great experience, we also go on a trip near the end of the internship up to Norfolk to see the Naval fleet and that’s really cool seeing your work in action,” junior and SEAP participant, Sophiana Jiang, said. A selective and competitive program, SEAP has around 38 placements, five of which are located across Maryland.
2. IBBS High School Internship Program
The IBBS (Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research) High School Internship Program is a program affiliated with UMD (University of Maryland College Park) and NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology), located in Rockville. Again, a highly selective program, its goal is to provide an opportunity for students to do research in the field of biotechnology. IBBS has two possible options: a paid summer program that runs for eight weeks and can even provide MCPS Internship course credit, or a year-long program where students will obtain summer pay and credit for the semesters.
3. Summer Rise
Summer Rise (Reimagining an Innovative Student Experience) is a program facilitated by MCPS in collaboration and cooperation with various businesses, educational institutions and non-profit organizations. Summer Rise provides an opportunity for MCPS students to engage in career-based learning and hands-on learning in various fields of interest. It is a five-week program requiring 50 hours of work, pairing kids with organizations like JSSA, Kaiser Permanente, Medstar Health, etc. Even though it isn’t strictly STEM-based, there are options for pairings to STEM-based organizations. “Everyone was really nice and they were all so welcoming, so it was really easy to get interviews and contacts … it [Summer Rise] was a really nice exposure to a professional environment,” junior and participant in Summer Rise, Susan Suh, said.
4. NIST Summer High School Intern Program
For the more engineering-oriented students, one of the most prestigious programs is the NIST SHIP (Summer High School Intern Program). An eight-week unpaid program located in Gaithersburg, SHIP allows high schoolers to be involved with research alongside real NIST scientists. One will be expected to design an experiment alongside a mentor and contribute to tangible investigations with provided lab access to facilitate those projects.
The Exelon Foundation Boys to STEM Academy and Exelon Foundation STEM Academy are programs for young men and women, respectively, where students spend a free week in either the UMBC or UMD campus, as part of the program. They learn about energy and sustainability, partake in interactive workshops, engage in field-trips, connect with mentors and leaders, build leadership skills and work in teams with real-world projects. “It [Exelon] was a really fun academy because you get put into mentor groups, so you get close to eight kids there,” junior and Exelon participant Ritika Arun-Venkatesh said.
The ASPIRE program run by Johns Hopkins’ Applied Physics Lab is one that encourages, breeds and facilitates independent thinkers, researchers and problem solvers. Interns are paired with APL staff to learn techniques and complete projects in a professional environment. They are expected to learn and work independently, persevering and thinking innovatively through ideas and problems. Students must engage in a minimum of 190 hours of the internship between their onboarding and capstone event date, spread over six to nine weeks over the summer.
Even though some of these programs open towards the end of the year and close near the beginning of next year, it is vital to note them down and have a physical and mental grasp of these deadlines. The year quickly becomes incredibly hectic and therefore it is efficient practice to finish these applications in the beginning, to avoid the last-minute rush and accidental forgetting of a vital recommendation letter or supplemental essay.
