Experienceship Program
Project Description
The Experienceship Program is an internship program for rising second and third year students currently enrolled in the Smeal College of Business with an interest in Corporate Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIENT) major, offered by the Management and Organization Department.
The program aligns with the Invent Penn State initiative to support economic development in Pennsylvania, further instilling a culture of entrepreneurship and corporate innovation, as well as building a stronger entrepreneurial ecosystem across the University and Commonwealth.
Pennsylvania small businesses and startups, including Ben Franklin and Happy Valley LaunchBox companies, will benefit from this subsidized program. Harnessing the entrepreneurial skills and capabilities of Smeal students will increase the likelihood of commercial success of new ventures.
Thanks in part to a generous gift from the Doug and Leila Leech family and the Farrell Center for Corporate Innovation and Entrepreneurship, students will benefit by obtaining real-world experience in small, growing businesses, finding new networking opportunities, developing professionally, and leveraging opportunities to apply what they know.
Pennsylvania Startups & Small Companies
- Companies eligible to have a student placement should have under $1 million in annual revenue and be located in Pennsylvania. Companies with revenue over $1 million may be considered, depending on budget constraints
- Responsibilities should ensure a robust and engaging experience for the student in a startup/small company
- Interested companies must apply via the Nittany Lion Careers (NLC) portal at https://nittanylioncareers.psu.edu/ to be considered, and must use the key word “Experienceship” in the job title
- Company applications will be vetted by the faculty and staff of the Farrell Center to ensure a good fit between company and students.
- Please indicate in the description if this is a remote position
Program Summary
- Provides experiential internships for Smeal students
- Places skilled Smeal students in PA startups and small businesses
- Interested students and companies must apply through Nittany Lion Careers portal at https://nittanylioncareers.psu.edu/
- Students must apply for the subsidy through Farrell Center upon being selected.
Important Dates
- Company job posting deadline: February 15
- Student application deadline: April 1
- Student Subsidization Request deadline: May 1
More Information & Application Instructions
Travis Lesser
Phone: 814-865-8673
Email: Xship@psu.edu
Rising Smeal Second & Third Year Students
- Students must apply through the NLC portal at https://nittanylioncareers.psu.edu/ to be considered
- Use the search term "Experienceship" to filter eligible positions
- Once selected, the student must submit a Subsidization Request to the Farrell Center to be eligible for program funds
- Students is paid in two installments: end of May and end of August
Job Search Resources
Search for local, regional, or global career opportunities as a job seeker or post as a recruiter or employer in Penn State’s student and alumni recruiting platform nittanylionCAREERS.