To prepare students for post-grad careers, Bucknell offers many opportunities, such as the Undergraduate Executive Intern Program (UEIP). Unique to students in these positions, the training and experience they gain working closely with both staff and students within sectors of Bucknell administration cultivates a rewarding experience. As applications for the 2024-2025 academic year opened this week, (posting available on on Bison@Work), program staff and current student interns have been working to spread the word.
Undergraduate interns can now work with up to eleven different executive campus offices. Participating offices each have various roles and responsibilities students take on during their time as interns. Aside from working specifically in their offices and with office staff, the students also collaborate with each other through weekly UEIP meetings led by the student coordinator. Positions outline that students interested in these roles must possess aspirations for leadership and learning while also having a passion for making improvements to Bucknell for its community at large.
The program first began in 2007 and has since been ongoing, expanding, and improving. Of the eleven eligible offices that partake, nine offices employed student interns during this 2023-2024 academic year. Insight from the roles within each office gives eligible students a glimpse into the possibilities for positions they can apply to.
Office of the President
Libby Hoffman ’24 is an Anthropology major and Italian Studies minor. For this academic year, she has served as the executive intern for the Office of the President.
A position in this office encompasses a wide variety of responsibilities and tasks. The student selected for this position acts as the student coordinator for the entire internship program, meaning they are required to strategize intern development while also working to prepare and plan for the program’s future. Some of this work involves coordinating the recruitment process in the spring, which Hoffman has been leading this semester. They also have the opportunity to present Bucknell administration with the progress they track of the program.
Office of the Dean of Students
Accounting major and Art History minor Sarah Hanlon ’24 has served as the executive intern to the Office of the Dean of Students throughout this academic year. Reflecting on her time and participation in the program thus far Hanlon shared, “UEIP is a great capstone experience for student leaders on campus who are looking to leverage their skill sets to make a meaningful impact. Having the opportunity to work with a group of such passionate and high-performing students has been one of my most rewarding experiences at Bucknell.”
Working as an intern in the Office of the Dean of Students primarily centers around aiding initiatives and conducting research for bettering student life. Students have the unique opportunity in this position to serve as a link and contact between Bucknell students and the dean.
Office of the Provost
Eliza Ray ’24 is an Education Major with both Physics and Race & Ethnicity Studies Minors. For 2023-2024 Ray is serving as the executive intern for the Office of the Provost.
Work for an intern in the Office of the Provost gears toward aiding the balance of student life. While a liberal arts education provides students with expansive academic opportunities, the Provost’s Office works to combine this with opportunities independent from a classroom setting. Similar to many of the intern positions, the student in this office has an opportunity to act as the connection between students and university executives.
Division of Library and Information Technology
Juliya Harnood ’24 is a Computer Science and French double major and the current executive intern for the Division of Library and Information Technology (L&IT).
An intern in this position works closely with faculty from all of Bucknell’s colleges along with the staff of L&IT. This intern is also given the responsibility of heading a Student Advisory Group, which provides L&IT with feedback about their on-campus resources and issues students may be facing.
Office of Communications
Megan Collins ’24 and Sarah Downey ’25 work alongside each other as executive interns for the Office of Communication. Collins is a Psychology major and English–Film/Media Studies minor, and Downey is a Political Science and Italian Studies double major with a minor in English–Creative Writing.
Interns in this office work on a variety of tasks and platforms relating to Bucknell’s forms of communication, including the Alumni magazine, Bucknell’s website, new releases and more. A large portion of their work also accounts for their collaboration with the social media teams at Bucknell. Students working in this office assist in connecting Bucknell with future and potential students, donors, and stakeholders.
Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences
Spencer Howell ’24, an International Relations Major and Arabic & Arab World Studies minor served as the executive intern for the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences.
One of the main focuses described for a position as an intern in this office is creating projects which contribute to the achievement of college unity in the College of Arts & Sciences. In this position, students also contribute to leading the Dean’s Student Advisory Council and improving and promoting the CAS Mentor Collective.
Office of the Dean of Engineering
As a Mechanical Engineering major himself along with a Spanish major, César Spadea ’24 worked as the executive intern for the Office of the Dean of Engineering. Sharing his favorite aspects about the program Spadea said, “This program has given me the chance to work alongside other passionate students and faculty that have taught me a lot.”
This intern position serves as an integral aspect for keeping students of the College of Engineering connected to the dean. Working as this link between the office and students, the intern takes on various roles to aid specifically engineering student’s academic life. Coming into this position, the student intern also becomes a Co-President of the Engineering Student Board.
Office of University Advancement
The executive intern for the Office of University Advancement this year has been Gracyn Shaw ’25, an International Relations and Russian double major.
Working with University Advancement, this intern position focuses mainly on maintaining and creating relationships with Bucknell’s alumni. Efforts from the intern in this office can also mainly include research on the Annual Fund and donations.
Office of Athletics and Recreation
Yosief Tewelde ’26 has been working as the executive intern for the Office of Athletics and Recreation this year. Tewelde is a Management and Organizations major in the Freeman College of Management.
The student intern taking on this position can expect to work closely and assist all of Bucknell’s Athletics administrators, incorporating both marketing and planning as it relates to Bison Sports. This intern takes a critical role in the Bison Nation student section and in general student opportunities for sports events.
