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Students
See yourself in WNY this summer. If you’re a local college sophomore, UB can match you with one of Western New York’s top companies for an externship the summer after your sophomore year, even if you’re not a UB student. You’ll earn $4,000 (and course credit) as you gain experience and explore career paths, with opportunities throughout WNY.
Summer 2025 Applications Now Closed
2024 WNY SEE Participants
This program is open to students from all majors with sophomore standing, including:
- UB sophomores.
- Sophomores at other WNY universities and colleges.
- Sophomores who went to high school in WNY.
Students who are curious, creative, and want to gain new skills are strongly encouraged to apply.
- Students who are eligible include:
- Students enrolled at the University at Buffalo.
- Students enrolled at other universities/colleges in Western New York (WNY).
- Students enrolled in college outside WNY who earned a high school diploma from a WNY high school. (Please note that high school transcripts will be required for in-state/out-of-state tuition purposes. Please see the UB Registrar website for more information.)
- WNY includes the following counties: Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming.
- Applicants must:
- Currently be enrolled as a sophomore in college, having first enrolled in Fall ’23.
- Be in their third or fourth semester of college upon application to the program.
- Complete their fourth semester prior to the commencement of the program on June 2.
- Students need to be in good academic standing, with a minimum 2.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA.
- The Sophomore Externship Experience is only open to US Citizens or students holding permanent residency. It is not intended for international students.
As an extern, you get paid $4,000 to gain experience, build your network, develop your leadership skills, and see how you can make a difference in our community. You also earn one course credit through UB (pass/fail), as well as a micro-credential you can put on LinkedIn and your resume.
Students receive the equivalent of $4,000, paid as a scholarship for completing 200 hours of externship and professional development activities. Payments are made in three disbursements, scheduled between the program start and end of July (in accordance with add/drop dates and tuition/billing cycle).
Students must also pay tuition for one credit hour.
100% Success Rate
100% of students who participated in the first year of the program felt more prepared for future professional experiences.
These organizations hosted externs in 2024.
- ACV Auctions
- AMPAworks
- Breadcrumb Analytics
- Buffalo Zoo
- Chautauqua Institute
- Cyber Hygiene Academy
- Cytocybernetics
- Finta
- FoodNerd
- Harmac Medical Products
- JP Food Trucks LLC
- JSA Logistics Inc.
- Kaleida Health
- M&T Bank
- NOCO Energy Corp.
- People Inc.
- Redprint
- REES Technologies Inc.
- Stepwise
- TechBuffalo
- Tresca Design
- Twipes
- UB Facilities
- West Herr Automotive Group
- WTS, Inc.
What will i need to apply?
- Unofficial High School Transcript
- Unofficial College/University Transcript
- Resume
Application - Next Steps
Application for Summer 2025 are now closed. Please check back in December for information on Summer 2026.
Need Help?
Startup and Innovation Collaboratory
Student Life
University at Buffalo
340 Student Union, North Campus
Buffalo, NY 14260
Phone: (716) 645-8111
Your externship takes place over nine weeks from June 2–July 31 for approximately 25 hours a week. You can plan to spend:
- Majority of hours spent onsite with a company
- Typically, Monday-Thursday.
- Students will be paired at host sites, which means you and one other extern will be at the company.
- A subset of hours, typically on Friday, will be used for a weekly meet-up or virtual meeting with other college students
- During these social activities (such as Food Truck Tuesdays, Shakespeare in the Park and an Explore Buffalo Tour of Silo City), you’ll learn more about everything the Buffalo-Niagara region has to offer.
- We plan to match students with businesses based on each student’s interests and major.
There will also be an orientation experience in early June, where you can meet fellow student externs, build your professional skills, and learn more about what to expect during your externship.
- Students in the program may enroll in up to six additional credit hours for summer ’25.
- You may also work additional jobs, as long as you are available for the externship (plan on five hours a day during business hours — plus travel time — Monday through Friday).
- You are responsible for your own transportation.
- Students are responsible for their housing accomodations. Information about housing options and how to apply for housing at UB is available on the Campus Living website.
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.
- Externs have opportunities with start-up companies, including through 43North.
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.