An internship is still one of the best ways to land a full-time job.
Practicum, field placement, internship—no matter what you call it, work-based learning is a critical part of any student’s career preparation. Not only do these experiences introduce students to their chosen careers and help confirm or rule out job choices, they are the surest path to a full-time job. “Employers are more likely to convert interns to new hires than any other kind of positions,” says Saskia Campbell, executive director of University Career Services (UCS) at George Mason University. “That’s their recruitment strategy. That’s their pipeline.” And Campbell says George Mason students are in demand.
Beyond George Mason's job search platform, Handshake, students find internships by leveraging their personal connections and relationships with faculty who have close ties to federal agencies, government contractors, and nonprofit organizations in the Washington, D.C., area.
George Mason University Student Internships
August 23, 2023The Green Tunnel podcast, hosted by George Mason University professor Mills Kelly, has recently reached 100,000 downloads, a milestone that puts the show in the top 3% of podcasts nationwide.
August 10, 20232023 MPH graduate Ryan Shelton simultaneously worked to address zoonotic diseases and the mental health crisis among health care workers, transforming his passion to help others into a position as an ORISE Fellow at the CDC
August 9, 2023An internship at a legal nonprofit in Madrid leads a rising senior on a journey of self-discovery. Meet Gabriela Manzanares.
May 2, 2023Jaala Brown knew by the end of high school that she wanted to pursue a career in the media industry. Now, as the Mason communication major prepares for a May graduation, that pursuit is paying dividends, as she is working as an intern for NBC’s Nightly News with Lester Holt.
February 16, 2023When George Mason University students sign up for Video Production for Social Change, they won’t just learn in a traditional classroom setting, they’ll make an impact in their community.
December 14, 2022For her Master of Health Administration capstone, George Mason University graduate student Akshaya Chinnathevar Ramesh is interning at The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Capitol Hill and working with a team of analysts working on required reports to Congress on the effects of the No Surprise Act.
December 8, 2022During her time at Mason, University Scholar Aloana Hall had internships at the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project and the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia.
November 4, 2022The Next System Fellows Program is an inquiry-based, experiential learning opportunity for students eager to build a more just and sustainable global order for the future. It introduces Mason students to the emerging field of Next System Studies, connecting them with community changemakers working right now on alternative systems.
October 24, 2022Sonja Phillips-Thomas is a film and music double major in Mason's College of Visual and Performing Arts and is doing big things in the storytelling world.
October 14, 2022Industry Challenges is a unique section of the 300-level Multi-Disciplinary Challenges Honors College curriculum requirement restricted to students who have completed at least one year at Mason. As the practicum option (an alternative to the research focused HNRS 360), HNRS 361 is an experiential-learning course inviting students to take a hands-on approach to complex challenges.
October 7, 2022Hailing from a rural area, Schar School undergraduate Josh Lyon sees his Capitol Hill internships as a way to help those in need.
September 26, 2022Civil engineering student China Brown overcame challenges to achieve her dream. She will join Shirley Construction as a full-time engineer after graduating this December.
Handshake is Mason's job search site, where you can find on-campus, part-time, work-study, internships, and full-time jobs related to your major, interests, and skills. Log in with your Mason credentials and get started by completing your profile.
“Employers are more likely to convert interns to new hires than any other kind of positions.”
~ Saskia Campbell, executive director, George Mason University Career Services