Presidential Internship Program (PIP)

PIP Overview 

The PIP is a fully-funded internship program that matches a select cohort of SUNY Potsdam students with North Country employers during the month of June. Site applications and selection occur in fall, and student applications and selection occur in spring (sites and students are matched in late spring). The PIP helps students with their degree/career progress, and the program helps North Country sites with workforce infrastructure in the summer. PIP students receive tuition coverage for 3 internship credits and a wage stipend to cover 120 hours. In the spirit of President Smith's charge to "elevate engagement," the PIP aims to continually maintain and build upon our community partnerships. The PIP is administered by the Internship Coordinator in the Lougheed Center for Applied Learning (LoCAL). 

Applications

Site applicants must provide a detailed job description for each position submitted (multiple submissions are allowed for different positions). 

Student applicants must rank their top site choices and upload a resume and letter of support from a faculty mentor. Interested students should work with their academic advisor, financial aid, and faculty mentor(s) to decide if this program fits their degree plans. 

Interview and Matching Process

Once sites have applied, the LoCAL will compile a list of site finalists to share with students in early spring. Student applicants will review the site list/positions provided and rank their top 2 choices. Based on the strength of their PIP application, student finalists will be invited for Round 1 interviews with LoCAL staff. Students that make it past Round 1 interviews will continue to Round 2 interviews with their top site choices (students must schedule interviews with their top choices). Sites will identify student finalists who represent the best fit for their position needs, and the LoCAL will confer with sites before announcing final matches in late spring.

PIP Credits/Hours

Credits are the same as any other registered internship at SUNY Potsdam (1 credit = 40 hours on site). The PIP pays tuition for 3 internship credits and awards a wage stipend for 120 hours. Sites are expected to provide 108 site hours between June 1-June 30, and the students counts 12 hours of weekly Career Readiness sessions toward their 120 overall hours. 

Note: A student and site can still register additional credits during July-August, once the PIP has ended (any internships occuring after the PIP are registered separately as non-PIP internships). Like any credit-bearing internships at SUNY Potsdam, PIP internships are registered through Handshake. 

Faculty Sponsor and Site Supervisor

The Internship Coordinator will serve as the PIP faculty sponsor, and PIP students will identify their site supervisor once a placement is confirmed. 

• The faculty sponsor creates a course syllabus, checks in with a student intern, and assigns a final grade based on successful completion of all academic assignments and site work/hours. The faculty sponsor can also consider a site supervisor's evaluations when assigning the final grade. 
• The site supervisor provides site training and onboarding, oversees the student intern's day-to-day site work, offers constructive feedback regarding site work performance, and completes a midterm and final evaluation (evaluations are automatically emailed by Handshake at the midpoint and conclusion). 

Registering credits for the PIP

Once all internship details are in place with the site (end of April-early May), the student must submit their internship proposal on Handshake. The proposal will go through a chain of approvals before being registered with the university, which will include both the faculty sponsor and the site supervisor. Note: Internships must be registered before field experience begins with the site. The Internship Coordinator will hold an info session for the PIP cohort that reviews the entire registration process, funding, etc. 

Other Expenses 

While the LoCAL cannot pay for housing or meals, students can apply for the Internship Support Stipend and internship scholarships to offset these costs during summer. Applications for these funding opportunities can be found on the Internships/Student Info page under the "Apply for Internship Funding" tab. Note: Priority for the Internship Support Stipend and scholarships will be given to non-PIP students, due to the full funding that PIP students receive. 

Timing

The PIP has been redesigned as a June-only program. Changing to a June schedule helps guarantee full funding/timely payment for the entire cohort, and it creates better curricular structure around the Career Readiness sessions occurring in each week of June. 

Career Readiness Sessions

The PIP student cohort is required to attend (in person) Career Readiness sessions during the month of June. These sessions are designed around the 8 NACE Career Readiness Competencies, and each meeting topic features a guest speaker from the campus/community. Sessions count toward an attendance grade for the internship, and students' course assignments will be tied to each session. Site supervisors are expected to release their student intern(s) in time for each session, should a site conflict exist. Session hours are a requirement of PIP participation and do not count toward total site hours for the internship. 

Site Application

PIP Site Application for Summer 2027 opens at 9 a.m. on October 1, 2026 and closes at 9 a.m. on December 1, 2026.

How to apply:

• Must be a North Country employer
• Must have an internship opportunity during month of June (120 total hours)
• Demonstrate why your site should be chosen for the PIP
• Provide a clear write-up of internship job descriptions (the more detailed, the better)

Student Application

PIP Student Application for Summer 2027 opens at 9 a.m. on January 1, 2027 and closes at 9 a.m. on March 1, 2027.

How to apply:

• Make clear connections between your site choices and your degree work/career goals
• Rank top 2 site choices (check list of site options for 2027)
• Upload current resume
• Share the recommendation link with a faculty mentor/advisor 
• Provide availability for Interview Round 1 with LoCAL staff

Check on these items before submitting an application: 

1. Academic Advisor—Check your eligibility to participate in the PIP by reviewing how 3 internship credits might affect your degree plan. 
2. Financial Aid—Ask if participating in a 3-credit internship would impact your financial aid package. 

The PIP 2027 Site List will be posted once site applications have closed in December 2026. Please stay tuned! 

Students: Please review the PIP 2027 Site List when completing your PIP application. Your PIP application will require you to rank your top 2 site choices from this list and provide rationale for each choice. 

Sites: The PIP 2027 Site List includes position details from your submitted application. Please contact the Internship Coordinator by December 15, 2026, if you wish to make any edits.

These local internship sites made the PIP possible in Summer 2026:

• St. Lawrence County Arts Council ("Teen Summer Program Intern")
• SUNY Potsdam Wilderness Education Program ("Field Instructor Intern")
• Blueline Magazine ("Marketing and Public Relations Intern")
• St. Lawrence County Public Health Department ("Mosquito Surveillance Interns")
• The Orchestra of Northern New York ("Arts Administration Intern")
• SUNY Potsdam Business Affairs ("Business Affairs Intern")
• Second Chance Scholars, Inc. ("Grant Writing Intern")
• SUNY Potsdam First Year Experience Program ("FYE Intern")
• Third Wheel Pottery Studio ("Business Management, Arts/Ceramics Internship")
• Crane Youth Music ("Camp Counselor and Administrative Intern")
• SUNY Potsdam Sustainability Program ("Sustainability Intern")
• SUNY Potsdam Criminal Justice Camp ("Summer Camp Counselor")