Internship Academies

If you’re an employer who is interested in hiring our students through our academies, visit our Employer Internship Academies Page.

Join an LDL Internship Academy for success in securing an internship! 

Internships are a powerful part of the life design journey—offering students a chance to explore possible paths, build essential skills, and expand their professional networks. From a practical standpoint, they matter: new LinkedIn data shows that interns are nearly 25% more likely to land a full-time job within six months of graduation. Despite their value, a recent Gallup report indicated that 30% of college students report not securing internships simply because they’re too hard to get.  

The Internship Academies support Johns Hopkins’ broader life design strategy by expanding equitable access to internships for all students, especially first-generation and limited-income students; deepening employer partnerships in strategic industries, including biotech, technology, finance, and consulting; and helping more students build the experiences, skills, and networks that strengthen post-graduation outcomes.

The LDL Internship Academies are here to change that…

These multifaceted cohort-based programs equip you with the necessary skills and connections to secure and thrive in your summer internship. Whether you are a First Generation, Limited Income (FLI) student, studying biomedical engineering or pursuing a career in tech or on Wall Street, there is a program for you. We invite you to sign-up for one of our four internship academies and become a part of this movement!  

The Wall Street Internship Academy was a great introduction to the world of finance. This Academy gave students an opportunity to explore the field as well as understand what is needed to break in. For me, the most helpful aspect of the program was the Fall Break trip to NYC. We visited UBS, Peak Span Capital, Stifel, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America. This trip gave me a better sense of roles within finance and allowed me to network with further alumni. I’d highly recommend this program to anyone who is curious about a career in finance.

Jessica Vora, Sophomore Economics Major

Interested in applying?

Applications will open late Summer 2026.

In the meantime, please meet with your Life Design Educator to discuss further opportunities for career development.

What You’ll Get:

Across the unique benefits of our four Internship Academies (i.e., FLI, BME, Tech, and Wall Street), participants of each program will gain:

  • Early Entry to spring career fairs.
  • Access to life design experts for personalized feedback and more.
  • Personalized Connections with alumni.
  • Skills to ace the application, excel in your interviews, and confidently walk into your internship with the knowledge to be your best.
  • Highlighted Exposure to summer internship employers.

I joined the academy after being recommended about the opportunity from several Life Design Educators. Both Emily and Marsha told me that the internship academy would be a great opportunity for me to increase my chances of success in finding an internship. I decided to join since I felt like a more structured form of support and connection would be helpful for me to reacclimatize myself to the university life. I honestly didn’t expect to find an internship and just wanted to get interview practice and make new connections. Luckily, I was able to do all that and find an internship through a Handshake application that was exclusively offered through the Industry Academy program. I’ve felt very fortunate and grateful to have the LDL team and especially someone like Emily who is such a great supporter and cheerleader in my corner!

Evelyn Pham, Sophomore Biomedical Engineering Major

Choose Your Academy:

The Life Design Lab offers four specialized Internship Academies designed to support students across industries, identities, and career goals. Each academy combines cohort-based learning, industry exposure, and personalized support to help you secure and succeed in a summer internship. 

FLI Internship Academy (FIA)

Designed for first-generation and/or limited-income students across all majors, this academy focuses on expanding access to internships, mentorship, and career-building opportunities. Participants gain hands-on training, employer connections, and support in building a compelling personal narrative.

Biomedical Engineering (BME) Internship Academy

Built for BME students, this academy helps translate technical knowledge into real-world experience. It emphasizes storytelling, networking, and positioning yourself competitively in research and industry spaces.

Tech Internship Academy

This academy prepares students for competitive roles in tech by focusing on technical storytelling, project development, and interview readiness in a rapidly evolving hiring landscape.

Wall Street Internship Academy

Focused on careers in finance, this academy equips students with the technical, behavioral, and networking skills needed to stand out in highly competitive financial recruiting pipelines.

For me, securing a summer internship was especially important for exploring job opportunities in the vast field of chemical engineering and finding my interests. Since coming to college, I have been extremely interested in learning more about and exploring the biotech field, and I wanted to learn how to succeed in applications and job interviews as an FLI student. The most valuable part of my experience was learning how to network, apply to jobs, build my application, and improve my interviews. Through the sessions, I improved my confidence and was able to build game plans on how to move forward and strategize for the internship search. I remember we did a workshop with Lemoine Joseph (where we learned how to incorporate AI into searching for jobs), the discovery of Vmock in our resume sessions, and the experience of practicing networking, introductions, and making our authentic introductions in another session. I really enjoyed learning more about resources and also putting myself in mock situations because practice is the best way to improve! I came into the academy not expecting to get anything as a freshman, but I was able to secure a paid internship at EverMint Health for the summer through the Placement Program, something I did not think was possible this early on in my undergraduate career!

Ava Wei, Freshman Chemistry and Biomolecular Engineering Major

How It Works:

Over the year, all cohort members will complete sessions covering everything from networking and interviewing skills to industry-specific skills and overcoming imposter syndrome. You will walk away full of confidence and the ability to authentically demonstrate yourself to employers.

After you complete the sessions, you will have the opportunity to engage in experiential learning, allowing you to try out the work and gain some hands-on experience. All cohort members will have the opportunity to be spotlighted during our Spring JobsForJays Hiring Initiative.

Questions?

For any questions regarding the program, please contact the following people: