Off-Campus Internships

As ambitious and high-achieving St. Lawrence University students, we often seek out as many opportunities for professional development as possible, but this can be difficult to navigate during our busy academic school year. This often puts pressure on well-deserving scholars to hope for a summer internship. Luckily for us, the CIIS office offers a variety of programs for students to gain professional experience while studying off-campus for a semester. Off-campus study programs are not only a great way to expand your cultural understanding and sharpen your academic skills domestically or internationally, but also to participate in invaluable internship work over the course of several months. Internships and work experience are an integral component of off-campus study in a variety of settings and disciplines, from across the pond in London to bustling NYC and all the way to beautiful Thailand. Here, we look at some of the amazing work that students have participated in while studying off-campus.

Five of our very own SLU Signature Programs contain an internship component. The New York City program has a full-time semester experience, and London, Kenya and the Adirondack semester programs all have a 4-week internship during the semester. The Spain academic year option has a part-time experience in the spring semester. The breadth of internship placements is truly impressive. Here are a few testimonials from our SLU Signature Program students around the world: 

Cameron Brennan ’26 studied with the London program in the spring of 2025. He said, “I had the great opportunity to intern at BMO (Bank of Montreal) Capital Markets London office for the last month of my semester with the risk management team on the trading floor. Being able to commute to work every day in a city like London and live in an apartment with my friends gave me a true feel for what post-grad life can be like, which is a feeling that seems very foreign while being a student at St. Lawrence. I gained knowledge and experience in several different positions/roles on the trading floor, which has only grown my interest in finance and has given me excitement for my future in this industry.”

During Bryn Rodger’s ’26 internship with Naivasha Raptor Center (Kenya Bird of Prey Trust) while studying in Kenya in spring 2025, she worked closely on means of protecting the raptor population and habitat while restoring the populations through rescue, rehabilitation and monitoring. “During my IDS, every day brought something different – from working in the clinic to going out into the field. We contributed to day-to-day operations like feeding injured birds, nest material collection and general conservancy upkeep,” she said. “Our first week was mainly spent in the clinic working directly with the wildlife veterinarian. Our second week was spent at Soysambu Conservancy working with Simon Thomsett, an expert in the field of raptor rehabilitation and falconry.” 

Rodgers also commented about the immeasurable experience she brought back with her to use towards future conservation work and coursework. “Being an intern at NRC, I learned how to adapt better when plans changed quickly,” she said. “I also improved my ability to ask meaningful questions about conservation strategies and geared the conversation more towards what can be done in the future. This experience has shown me that not every academic opportunity has to directly align with my primary interests and passions. By stepping outside my comfort zone, I discovered new hobbies and ways to grow both personally and professionally.”

Reid Wilson ’26 took full advantage of this opportunity during his year off-campus in Spain, where he worked with Comunidades Unidas as a Project Development Intern. Reid shared with us his thoughts on his spring semester internship: “My internship opportunity abroad was amazing! I simultaneously developed professional skills while learning about local issues and the importance of civil society,” he said. “I worked with community members and professionals to create solutions and promote advocacy. Overall, the experience gave me a great perspective and helped define my future career path.”

With a variety of disciplines and fields to explore not only within our incredible SLU Signature Programs, but in many of our partner programs, like Sorrento, Italy, Prague, Czech Republic, Bengaluru, India, Shanghai, China, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Washington DC and Trinidad and Tobago, the options for students are plentiful.

Trey Pierce ’26 was able to share with us some of his outstanding work while studying off-campus in our Thailand partner program. “In the fall of 2024, I studied abroad in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Through the ISDSI (International Sustainable Development Studies Institute) program, I was an operations intern with Chiang Mai Touch, a sustainable development organization, and North Gate Jazz Coop, the most prominent music club in Chiang Mai,” he said. “As a music and communications student, I had the opportunity to network and work with the most talented musicians and industry makers in Thailand. I hosted fundraisers during open mic nights, studied marketing strategies, and interviewed major players in enriching sustainable development in Chiang Mai, Thailand’s music city. After two months of impactful musical experiences and life-changing connections, I played a central role in planning and executing the Chiang Mai Street Jazz Festival. We staged a week of pop-up jazz performances in the streets of Chiang Mai’s old city, highlighting local businesses, musicians, and Thai culture. As the ultimate culmination of my internship, the final day of the festival involved a six-hour mainstage event with musicians from around the world. Taking lead in operations and artist relations, I contributed majorly to this historical event, raising money for sustainable development in Chiang Mai. My time with Chiang Mai Touch changed my life and furthered my career. I plan to return to Chiang Mai soon!” 

Lily Welch ’26 spoke of her amazing experience while working at the International Rescue Committee, helping refugee and asylee children adapt to the U.S. school system. “Having the opportunity to complete internships while studying abroad gave me real-world experience,” she said. “Not only was I able to explore potential career paths and fields I was considering, but I was also able to put to use the concepts I was learning about in the classroom.” The program is designed to provide participants with unmatched real-world experiences to be carried with them back to the classroom and beyond.

Alexa Santana Lugo ’27 highlighted the academic side of the New York City program along with her professional experience. “The classes were engaging and dynamic, especially with Professor Will Maitland Weiss and Dr. Mert Kartal, who made the city itself feel like an extension of the classroom,” she said. “I interned at a family office during the semester, which gave me valuable exposure to the finance industry and helped me secure a summer role on the buy side, also in New York City.” 

Do these programs sound amazing to you? (Obviously, yes.) Fear not, ambitious student, you don’t have to already have a zillion LinkedIn connections or know the ins and outs of each of the locations the programs are based in to be placed in an internship. You will work closely with the support and guidance of the CIIS office to find and secure an opportunity that is right for you. For more information about these programs, check out the CIIS website. And remember, the deadline for studying off-campus Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 is due Feb. 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. to Studio Abroad. Early Decision for SLU Signature Programs (Kenya, Adirondacks, Bordeaux, France, Spain, London and NYC) for Fall 2026 and Spring 2027 is due on Dec. 6 at 11:59 p.m. to Studio Abroad.