UB’s WNY Sophomore Externship Experience program returns in 2025

UB’s WNY Sophomore Externship Experience (SEE) program is set to return in 2025, offering paid opportunities for undergraduate sophomores from UB and across the region to gain hands-on experience with some of Western New York’s top companies.

Designed to help students develop their skills, expand their networks and deepen their understanding of professional opportunities in the region, the program aims to foster a new generation of talented individuals who can make a lasting impact on the local economy. The program is run by Student Life’s Startup and Innovation Collaboratory Powered by Blackstone LaunchPad (UB CoLab) at UB.

Through the SEE program, participating students are matched with leading Western New York companies and organizations, where they can apply their academic knowledge in real-world settings, explore career paths and enhance their professional readiness. Each extern will receive a $4,000 stipend for the nine-week program, which will run from June 2 to July 31, 2025. Additionally, externs will earn one course credit through UB (pass/fail) and a micro-credential they can showcase on their LinkedIn profiles and resumes.

The SEE program is supported by The Prentice Family Foundation and administered by the UB CoLab, with collaboration from a wide range of campus and community partners.

“We were thrilled by the success of last year’s inaugural SEE program, which exceeded our expectations in terms of student engagement and employer participation,” says Hadar Borden, director of UB CoLab. “With more than 200 applicants and 47 students placed in externships across 25 host companies, the program demonstrated the immense value of exposing students to real-world opportunities in Western New York.

“This year, we are looking forward to expanding the program to include even more students, businesses and industries,” Borden adds. “It is an exciting time to grow this initiative and help connect our students with the workforce of the future while also showing them the incredible professional possibilities right here in our region.”

The SEE program is open to all undergraduate sophomores who have completed their fourth semester by the spring of 2025. This includes students from UB, other Western New York colleges and universities, and those who graduated from a local high school. The externship is designed to be a part-time, immersive experience, with approximately 25 hours per week working with the host company and engaging in professional development activities.

Externs will have the opportunity to engage in various professional development activities, including weekly meetups with fellow students, community-building events like Food Truck Tuesdays and cultural experiences such as Shakespeare in the Park and an Explore Buffalo tour of Silo City.

Last year’s program saw participation from students across a variety of majors, including arts and sciences, engineering, business and health fields. The host companies and organizations in 2024 included ACV Auctions, Buffalo Zoo, Chautauqua Institution, M&T Bank, Kaleida Health, NOCO Energy Corp., People Inc. and many others across industries like technology, health care, finance and manufacturing.

“UB SEE offers the opportunity to companies and organizations to apply and join this program as leaders in workforce development in Western New York,” Borden says. “Not only are we providing an opportunity for students at UB, and beyond, to get meaningful experience early in their college careers, we are working with reputable employers in our region to help bolster the workforce in the years ahead.”

By participating as host sites, companies gain access to emerging talent and fresh perspectives, all while contributing to the growth of Western New York’s future workforce.

Interested students and companies can visit UB’s SEE program website or contact the UB CoLab for more information.