Businesses
Ready to help your company grow? The new Sophomore Externship Experience (SEE) program matches top Western New York companies with local college sophomores for the summer.
On This Page
Summer 2025 Applications Now Open
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until spots are filled.
Save valuable time and money when you join the SEE program.
- We interview and match students to your needs.
- We handle the payroll.
- You meet students early in their college careers.
- Your brand awareness increases among college students.
The stipend for the externs will be split between support provided by the Prentice Family Foundation and your company as follows:
- Your company commits to supporting two sophomore externs for the summer.
- Externs are paid $4,000 each, per summer, which helps attract top students.
- The stipend for the externs will be split between support provided by the Prentice Family Foundation and your company as follows:
- Extern One: Costs fully funded (no cost to you)
- Extern Two: Your organization pays $4,000
UB Manages the Payroll and Paperwork 
Students are paid through UB, so you don’t have to add them to your payroll or worry about extra paperwork.
Each student extern spends approximately 20 hours per week onsite with your organization, typically Monday-Thursday, for eight weeks during June and July.
Companies hosting externs will be expected to:
- Define a meaningful and challenging assignment that externs can successfully undertake within the designated 8-week timeframe.
- Provide a lead mentor and other point person(s) who can commit time to the externs.
- Host students on-site, in-person, Monday through Thursday, for eight weeks.
- Provide dedicated workspace for in-office work, any necessary supplies and technology.
- Evaluate each extern’s progress at the midpoint and conclusion of each summer.
- Attend host site orientation and closing experience ceremony.
In addition to screening and interviewing externs, we offer tools for designing projects and evaluating externs, and we also provide an orientation for businesses.
An externship can make students more competitive for future internships, fellowships, jobs and other opportunities. Externships typically happen earlier in a student’s college career and during a shorter period than an internship. Externs may work on a specific project rather than have longer-term responsibilities.
Applications are now open and will be accepted on a rolling basis until spots are filled.
Startup and Innovation Collaboratory
Student Life
University at Buffalo
340 Student Union, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260
Phone: (716) 645-8111
The WNY Sophomore Externship Experience @ UB is supported through an annual gift from the Prentice Family Foundation. It is operated by the Startup and Innovation Collaboratory powered by Blackstone LaunchPad with support from numerous campus partners.