The internship is such a core part of MBA students’ experience. It’s a requirement to graduate. And it’s also the hopeful step towards a job in the right industry, role and city. But that also means that MBA students spend so long building up to ‘The Internship,’ even from before we get accepted into MBA programs, that there’s a sense the internship is going to be so extremely different from what we knew before. I finished up my own internship in August, which I enjoyed immensely. But after discussion with classmates, interns from other schools, and those who have done MBAs in years gone by, I thought I’d summarize some of my reflections on ‘Internship Season’.
The first few weeks were full of change. I moved to the Bay Area to intern at Adobe and started commuting by car — something I’d never done before. Turns out, I didn’t hate it. For others, the adjustment looked different: navigating public transit for the first time in Chicago, New York or San Francisco, living with family or in-laws, or relocating to a city where they knew no one. Hearing everyone’s stories was a reminder of how much varied growth happens outside the office.
There’s no standard template for an MBA internship. Some friends had multiple projects, instead of one. Others focused on launching startups. Work hours ranged from 14-hour days, six days a week, to strictly enforced 8-hour shifts. Even within one company, you could find an extreme difference in the level of manager engagement. The diversity of experiences has been truly eye-opening as we continue to consider the longer-term trajectory of our careers.
On average, Fuqua students have about 5 years of working experience, often across multiple companies. Compared to going back to school, the internship was still work in the way we remembered it. You have meetings, you have deadlines, you have things that interest and frustrate you. And because the internship is so short, managers sometimes want to give you a concrete project — a consulting-lite arrangement. Finding what excites and pushes you in amongst the day-to-day was pretty important.
At Fuqua, it’s pretty hard to stay focused on one priority as so many things are happening at once. But after finals in April, most of us started internships around late May, and the Fuqua chats fell quiet — everyone immersed in their summer roles.
But the silence didn’t last. Our student-led clubs kept moving. My Tech Club co-president, Vini Ushima, and I held weekly calls starting in July to plan initiatives and coordinate with our cabinet. Our class also selected Fall electives, reserved lockers, and supported Orientation planning in early August. The “quiet” is really just a pause… and then just like that, we’re back!
It was conversations around returning to Fuqua, electives, etc., that demonstrated another variation on what people find rewarding. I’ve always preferred work to school (I think because I’m largely extrinsically motivated), and some really did just want to skip second year and get straight into these new opportunities. But others couldn’t wait to get back to classes with clear assignment expectations. There was, of course, the third group that are looking at passive income streams, but by and large, school or work was a major split. That’s not to say there is a good or bad here, but the surprise came from people’s comments about coming back.
If your internship is 12 weeks, and you’re part of a formal program, the timeline is easy to break down. The first week is onboarding. The last two weeks are final presentations and offboarding. That leaves nine weeks. Then there’s the 4th of July weekend in the middle — Adobe (joyously) takes that whole week off. Which leaves 8 weeks. So, two real months to make an impact, learn as much as you need to, meet as many people as you can, and explore the area around you.
I was grateful to have the support from my manager who encouraged me to spend time building relationships across the organization and explore a side project in an area I was curious about. But looking beyond, I found those who also made the most of their summers reflected weekly on what they needed to achieve, planned ahead, and planned backups. Working long hours wasn’t going to get everyone that return, but building relationships activated many other benefits, including a slightly longer-term perspective.
It’s a great feeling to receive a return offer — before the summer, it’s the goal everyone’s working toward. But interestingly, not everyone I’ve spoken to wants to go back, and that’s completely valid. One of the best parts of the internship experience is that it’s a set commitment, by design. It gives you the freedom to explore without strings attached.
What’s really striking has been seeing people invest so much energy into landing a role, only to realize once they’re in it that it’s not the right fit. And others have gone into something they’re not sure about and were completely sold on that direction! It’s a powerful reminder that you often can’t know until you try — and that lifestyle and culture can sometimes outweigh even the most exciting job title or company name.
So, there you have it. A bit of insight into the realities of internship season. It’s a phenomenal opportunity for young professionals, but as with every facet of the MBA, no two experiences are exactly alike. Keeping track of all the varieties has been fascinating, but it’s also brought important context to our individual journeys!
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1. Life Adjustments
The first few weeks were full of change. I moved to the Bay Area to intern at Adobe and started commuting by car — something I’d never done before. Turns out, I didn’t hate it. For others, the adjustment looked different: navigating public transit for the first time in Chicago, New York or San Francisco, living with family or in-laws, or relocating to a city where they knew no one. Hearing everyone’s stories was a reminder of how much varied growth happens outside the office.
2. No Two Internships Are Alike
There’s no standard template for an MBA internship. Some friends had multiple projects, instead of one. Others focused on launching startups. Work hours ranged from 14-hour days, six days a week, to strictly enforced 8-hour shifts. Even within one company, you could find an extreme difference in the level of manager engagement. The diversity of experiences has been truly eye-opening as we continue to consider the longer-term trajectory of our careers.
3. Work Is Sometimes… Just Work
On average, Fuqua students have about 5 years of working experience, often across multiple companies. Compared to going back to school, the internship was still work in the way we remembered it. You have meetings, you have deadlines, you have things that interest and frustrate you. And because the internship is so short, managers sometimes want to give you a concrete project — a consulting-lite arrangement. Finding what excites and pushes you in amongst the day-to-day was pretty important.
4. Fuqua Quiets Down, but Not For Long
At Fuqua, it’s pretty hard to stay focused on one priority as so many things are happening at once. But after finals in April, most of us started internships around late May, and the Fuqua chats fell quiet — everyone immersed in their summer roles.
But the silence didn’t last. Our student-led clubs kept moving. My Tech Club co-president, Vini Ushima, and I held weekly calls starting in July to plan initiatives and coordinate with our cabinet. Our class also selected Fall electives, reserved lockers, and supported Orientation planning in early August. The “quiet” is really just a pause… and then just like that, we’re back!
5. Some Still Prefer School To Work
It was conversations around returning to Fuqua, electives, etc., that demonstrated another variation on what people find rewarding. I’ve always preferred work to school (I think because I’m largely extrinsically motivated), and some really did just want to skip second year and get straight into these new opportunities. But others couldn’t wait to get back to classes with clear assignment expectations. There was, of course, the third group that are looking at passive income streams, but by and large, school or work was a major split. That’s not to say there is a good or bad here, but the surprise came from people’s comments about coming back.
6. The Summer Goes Quickly
If your internship is 12 weeks, and you’re part of a formal program, the timeline is easy to break down. The first week is onboarding. The last two weeks are final presentations and offboarding. That leaves nine weeks. Then there’s the 4th of July weekend in the middle — Adobe (joyously) takes that whole week off. Which leaves 8 weeks. So, two real months to make an impact, learn as much as you need to, meet as many people as you can, and explore the area around you.
I was grateful to have the support from my manager who encouraged me to spend time building relationships across the organization and explore a side project in an area I was curious about. But looking beyond, I found those who also made the most of their summers reflected weekly on what they needed to achieve, planned ahead, and planned backups. Working long hours wasn’t going to get everyone that return, but building relationships activated many other benefits, including a slightly longer-term perspective.
7. Going Back Is Just One Possibility
It’s a great feeling to receive a return offer — before the summer, it’s the goal everyone’s working toward. But interestingly, not everyone I’ve spoken to wants to go back, and that’s completely valid. One of the best parts of the internship experience is that it’s a set commitment, by design. It gives you the freedom to explore without strings attached.
What’s really striking has been seeing people invest so much energy into landing a role, only to realize once they’re in it that it’s not the right fit. And others have gone into something they’re not sure about and were completely sold on that direction! It’s a powerful reminder that you often can’t know until you try — and that lifestyle and culture can sometimes outweigh even the most exciting job title or company name.
So, there you have it. A bit of insight into the realities of internship season. It’s a phenomenal opportunity for young professionals, but as with every facet of the MBA, no two experiences are exactly alike. Keeping track of all the varieties has been fascinating, but it’s also brought important context to our individual journeys!
The post 7 Reflections on Internship Season appeared first on Duke Daytime MBA Student Blog.
More...
How does this impact your International MBA decision?
I'd be glad to learn your thoughts on this story : 7 Reflections on Internship Season