Building Confidence Through Experience
Inside the UCU Alumni Internship Programme
Many students come to UCU motivated by curiosity and a desire to learn across disciplines. UCU's Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) curriculum equips them with a broad and versatile skillset including analytical thinking, research abilities, communication skills, and an interdisciplinary mindset to name a few.
As they progress through their studies, students often look for opportunities to put these strengths into practice: to test their interests, explore professional pathways, and see how their LAS background can translate into meaningful work during or after UCU.
What is the Alumni Internship Programme (AIP)?
One meaningful way students can explore how to apply their academic experience is by stepping outside the UCU bubble and gaining real-world exposure. The Alumni Internship Programme (AIP) offers a structured and supportive way to do this by connecting students and recent graduates with alumni working across a variety of fields. Through AIP, students apply and articulate the skills they’ve developed at UCU, gaining confidence and clarity about potential next steps.
AIP takes place every summer and provides hands-on, low-pressure experiences where students can test their knowledge, learn about professional environments, and further explore their career interests.
Imke Lazaro van Spijk '26 on Her Internship at the Julius Global Health Center
Imke Lazaro van Spijk ‘26 interned at the Julius Global Health Center at UMC Utrecht in summer 2025. She joined AIP to better understand professional settings and to apply her classroom knowledge to real challenges, goals shared by many UCU students exploring the possibilities after graduation.
Through her internship, Imke developed practical skills such as interviewing and stakeholder engagement, and she gained confidence in navigating new situations. “The internship gave me the opportunity to improve my ability to make choices,” she shared. The experience also taught her about organisational dynamics, fast-paced research environments, and structuring her work effectively.
AIP’s strength lies in the exchange it fosters between students and alumni. Imke felt genuinely listened to and valued, while her host organisation benefitted from her energy and perspective.
Her AIP experience inspired her to pursue a longer internship in a molecular lab aligned with her interests. Imke describes the programme as formative and highly recommends it. To continue supporting students like her, AIP is seeking new alumni hosts.
The internship gave me the opportunity to improve my ability to make choices.
The Scale of Our Impact
Last summer, AIP collaborated with 11 alumni who offered 15 internships—over 10% more than in previous years. Students reported overwhelmingly positive outcomes, and every respondent to our feedback survey said they would highly recommend their internship.
Yet demand remains high: more than 60% of applicants were unable to secure a placement, with particularly limited options for science and humanities majors. As we look to expand AIP’s reach, we rely on alumni support. With your help, we can continue creating meaningful internship opportunities for UCU students.
Written by Elise Gipmans ‘26 and Lexi Wiberg ‘26