UPIC internships open career paths for undergraduates; department applications due March 1

The Center of Career and Professional Development announces upcoming deadlines for its Professional Internship and Co-Op (UPIC) program.

UPIC empowers undergraduate students by offering paid, mentored learning and professional development experiences on-campus. Students have the opportunity to work with Clemson faculty and staff on real-world projects, helping prepare for future careers. Since UPIC’s inception in 2011, the program has grown to a total of 901 internships throughout the 2018-19 academic year.

Students’ efforts in the UPIC program have not gone unnoticed; 97 percent of UPIC faculty and staff managers rated their UPIC student’s overall performance as “good” or “outstanding.” And 95 percent of students rated the overall value of their UPIC experience as “excellent” or “good.”

Second-semester UPIC intern, Emily Anne Godbold, works in the Division of Finance and Operations.

A senior economics major with a minor in women’s leadership, Godbold works as a lean process improvement intern, consulting departments on campus in identifying processes to improve and implement action plans. Through her first two semesters, she has worked on a wide range of projects including Diversity and Inclusion goals and Clemson Forward.

“Lisa Knox and Christina Brumback were very supportive by allowing me to participate in lean training and tasks to add value to my role,” said Goldbold. “My ideas were heard too.”

A May 2020 graduate, Goldbold intends to start a full-time position at Deloitte, a Washington, D.C. consulting firm. There she’ll work as a business technology analyst. Godbold credits her UPIC experience with opening career opportunities after graduation.

“Being a UPIC intern allowed me to grow as a professional by enhancing my communication, strategic planning, technical and analytical skills. Finance and Operations exposed me to lean principles and tools for continuous improvement while giving me the chance to gain new experiences,” Godbold said.

“My internship enhanced my Clemson experience and shaped my career path. I found my voice, built a better brand and expanded my Clemson family.”

Knox praised Godbold’s performance and willingness to engage with the team.

“It was valuable to have a student perspective on projects and processes within our office. Goldbold asks great questions and wants to learn to understand and prepare herself for the future,” Knox stated.

“She was intimately involved in projects and began seeing real issues in the workplace and how to go about solving problems. She learned about the dynamics of people and the importance of understanding and collaboration.”

As Godbold prepares for a role with Deloitte after graduation, Knox sees the kind of long-term opportunity UPIC provides for undergraduate students looking for experience and departments looking to hire them.

The deadline for all departments to submit summer and fall 2020 internship proposals is March 1. Applications received after the deadline will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Visit the UPIC website for additional information, site application and position description forms.