The Internship
Entrepreneurial skills are skills for life and the best way to learn life skills is by doing them.
Entrepreneurial Skills For Life
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Internships may be completed at large corporations, small businesses, or non-profit organizations. In some cases, students pursue their own ventures, in consultation with an approved supervisor.
Given the diverse academic backgrounds of students in the minor, internship experiences can vary significantly. However, certain internships such as camp counseling, scientific research roles, and sales associate jobs are not approved for the minor.
If you are considering an opportunity in one of these areas, or if you are uncertain about the eligibility of a particular position, please check with the Director of Internships & Career Services for guidance.
The Shuford Program does not place students in internships but we work with you to help you meet this requirement. We do not guarantee that every student will be accepted to an internship – acceptance is a mutual agreement between the student and the company.
Internship Requirements
All Shuford Program Internships require:
- Completion of ECON 325 BEFORE the start of your internship
- A completed Learning Contract BEFORE the start of your internship
- Attendance at at least TWO (2) Professional Development Activities DURING your internship
- An Internship Journal detailing your experience AFTER completion of your internship
Experience Expectations
As a student of the Shuford Program, you are an ambassador of the Program and the University, and your behavior must meet UNC’s Student Code of Conduct.
- We expect you to contribute, at a high level, to the company or organization during your internship.
- We strongly advise against taking a vacation or days off during your internship. Doing so dilutes your experience and can damage the employer’s perception of your commitment to the internship.
If you are terminated from your internship for any reason, you must notify the Director of Internships & Career Services immediately.
Throughout the experience, the Director of Internships & Career Services offers support for challenges or questions that arise.
Click through to learn more about internship requirements & timeline.
Before starting your internship, you must have completed ECON 325 AND the Learning Contract. The Learning Contract gives the Director of Internships & Career Services information needed to approve or recommend any needed changes to your internship to verify your internship meets program requirements. Please note, internships completed before admission to the program or before completing ECON 325 will not count towards the internship requirement.
The Learning Contract includes:
- Your commitment to bring your best effort to the internship experience. Your agreement is bound by the honor code, so all information must be accurate and up to date. Any changes to your internship should be reported to the Director of Internships & Career Services.
- Key internship details – where you’ll work, your start date, and the skills or knowledge you expect to gain. Please be detailed when listing the skills or knowledge you hope to gain, for example “I expect to build on my writing and communication skills through working on company campaigns. Working at ACME PR will help me grow my professional network through the contacts I make there.”
The majority of students complete their internship over the summer, but the Shuford Program recognizes there are sometimes extenuating circumstances. Please make sure to meet with Director of Internships & Career Services to discuss your options if a full-time summer internship is not an option for you.
Learning Contracts are due by April 15th for summer internships. If you need more time to secure your internship, contact the Director of Internships & Career Services before that due date with updates about your progress.
⚠️ Your internship will not count for the requirement if the Learning Contract is not approved before beginning your internship.
Click here to submit your Learning Contract.
During your internship, you are expected to participate in professional engagement or development activities. Engagement helps you get comfortable making friends and connections across industries and organizations. You must participate in two activities before or during your internship. This could include events like:
- Summer Connect networking events in cities around the country
- Startup Connect, hosted by Innovate Carolina, where students can connect with startup founders Social events hosted by your internship sponsor
- A conference related to your work industry
- Participating in your company’s social or team-building events
It is also recommended that you review Internship Journal prompts and take notes during your internship to help you complete this assignment.
All participants must complete an Internship Journal, which records your experience and reflections about the internship. This journal has THREE (3) parts:
- Reflection and analysis of your work environment
- Reflection and analysis of the usefulness your internship
- Evidence of your professional development and growth through the required TWO (2) professional development activities
Full journal instructions & prompts will be sent to you by the Director of Internships & Career Services once your internship is approved.
Please note, completion and submission of this journal is required to enroll in the capstone course, ECON 393. Internship Journals must be submitted by the first day of class for the semester in which you wish to enroll in ECON 393. You must use the link in the Internship Journal instructions to turn in the journal. You must be enrolled in ECON 393 by the Shuford Program Coordinator – you will not be able to enroll yourself in the course during registration.
Internship Funding
The Shuford Program recognizes taking an internship can be cost-prohibitive and is dedicated to supporting all students in their plan to complete this requirement.
Student funding is open for fall, spring, and summer experiences and is issued on a rolling basis. Priority is given to students with unpaid internships and those interning in high-cost-of-living locations like Los Angeles, New York City, or in international locations.
Hear From Our Students
DyQuan Bunns
Hope Center Uganda Intern, Summer 2024
Class of 2025
Major(s): Business Administration
Minor(s): Entrepreneurship“Spending a month in Uganda was more than just a journey – it was a transformation. The relationships I built weren’t fleeting connections but bonds that continue to shape me long after I left. From shared laughter over steaming plates of matoke to late-night conversations that cracked open new perspectives, every interaction deepened my understanding of resilience, joy, and community. Working with a nonprofit, I saw firsthand the power of grassroots impact—how real change isn’t about swooping in to “fix” but about standing beside, listening, and empowering. Living there meant immersing myself fully, not as an outsider observing but as someone welcomed into homes, stories, and traditions. Even now, oceans away, I still carry those friendships, those lessons, and the unshakable realization that home isn’t just a place – it’s the people who make you feel seen, valued, and forever connected.”
Claire Medley
Cresa Intern, Summer 2025
Class of 2026
Major(s): Communication Studies
Minor(s): Entrepreneurship“This summer, I interned at the Commercial Real Estate firm, Cresa, in Atlanta, GA. The best part of being in Atlanta was seeing the city’s CRE market grow nonstop. Working in Industrial Tenant Representation, I toured sites across the metro area and saw the boom in data centers and distribution facilities. The coolest part was all the building tours, especially Cresa’s project at the massive NCR building off Highway 85. Touring everything from the dining floors to the high-security infrastructure was inspiring. I also helped design invitations and marketing materials for the Economic Leaders Breakfast, a project that showed me how CRE connects to real business growth. After seeing Cresa’s video, I tracked down the Market Leader’s email and drove from North Carolina to Atlanta the next day to meet him. The vibe in the office was great, and he offered me the internship on the spot. That bold move became the story of my summer and taught me the value of betting on yourself.”
Jason Calderon
JC Designs Intern, Summer 2025
Class of 2027
Majors(s): Business Administration
Minor(s): Entrepreneurship and Advertising & Public Relations“I interned at JC Designs, a student-run creative studio I founded that offers marketing, web design, and consulting services for local businesses and student organizations across Chapel Hill and beyond. Although my business is based in Chapel Hill, I spent most of the summer studying abroad in London at LSE, which meant working remotely across time zones. This challenged me to streamline client communication and project management while still building strong connections with clients back in North Carolina. One standout project was developing a new late-night marketing strategy for Que Chula Tacos on Franklin Street. We focused on positioning the restaurant as a go-to post-bar food spot with a new digital campaign and brand voice set to launch soon. It was a great mix of data-driven decision-making and creative execution, and I’m excited to see it roll out over the next few weeks and months! I created it through my own business. The Shuford Program empowered me to treat JC Designs as a legitimate internship experience and helped me structure my growth around meaningful milestones and advisor check-ins for a venture I was already passionate about.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Resources include alumni, campus and company contacts; resume assistance; interview preparation; and general career advice. The Career Services Manager is available to meet with students who would like assistance in finding a work site.
Each student’s internship looks different. Students have worked with national and multinational companies like KPMG, Bank of America, the Boeing Company, and Microsoft. They’ve also worked at startups locally and abroad like Dosso Beauty and Mignonne Gavigan.
We will not accept camp counseling, lab research or sales associate positions. If you are unsure if your position would satisfy the requirement, please consult with the Career Services Manager.
Students can request academic credit for the internship through ECON 193.
If the study abroad does not include an approved internship, we will help students find alternatives, such as a position during the academic year.
During your interview, observe the clothes your interviewer and other staff wear. Use that to guide your choices. Remember, it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed. Click here for more information on clothing styles, from business casual to business formal.