Happy internship application season!
As a graduating senior at UC Berkeley, it’s safe to say that many of my conversations with friends over the last few months have revolved around internships: If we haven’t gotten them, we discuss where we’re applying. If we have got them, we talk about how they’re going.
In this blog, we highlight five Berkeley students — including yours truly — who’ve worked transformative internships in a diverse range of fields. Hearing about other students’ internship experiences is a wonderful way to learn about what opportunities are out there, and I hope the following stories inspire you to get searching.
Internship spotlights
Software engineering
“As an intern under Microsoft’s CoreAI org, my primary project was building an AI agent to help developers throughout the API release process. This involved indexing data across multiple data sources and formats. I ran controlled experiments to understand which design choices worked best, and used those insights to guide future improvements and make the agent more reliable. Getting experience with technologies and tools like agentic retrieval RAG definitely furthered my interest in computer science.” — Hillary, Class of 2026, majoring in computer science
Hillary on the first day of her internship, posing with the Microsoft sign in front of building 92.
Entertainment: diversity, equity, and inclusion
“Last summer, I worked for Warner Bros. (WB) Discovery as an intern for the Inclusion Creative & Production team. It was an in-person internship in Burbank and my time was split between working in their corporate office building, on their studio lot, and working in their HBO office in Culver City. My responsibilities included content review for WB Animation (reviewing scripts, character designs, and episodes at every stage of editing) and helping to organize and facilitate inclusion workshops for cast and crew of WB Motion Pictures, as well as events in partnership with WBTV. I also did data analysis and& a lot of calling talent agencies to put together an inclusive casting database. This job was perfect for me because I am passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work and entertainment, so it kind of merged my two niches.” — Rachel, Class of 2026, majoring in media studies
Rachel (right) and her inclusion team at an event they put together on the Warner Bros. studio lot.
Entertainment: digital distribution
“As a Digital Distribution Intern at NBCUniversal, I felt a bit out of my element. The corporate world felt like an unnavigable realm I had only recently been introduced to. However, I was buzzing with excitement to work with movies and in an industry that had a sort of out-of-this-world star quality like no other. Though the summer was full of challenges — including awkward intern mixers and lots of rapid notes on jargon and unfamiliar terms — I felt that after my experience, I learned what was important to me and better understood where my passions lay within.
I knew that I was someone who loved to meet and talk to people, and that I was someone who was endlessly curious. I knew that I disliked remote work and wasn’t super interested in digital marketing. I felt wholly unequipped to work within Digital Distribution in particular, but with the endless support of my team, I was actually both challenged and in my element. My summer at NBCUniversal is one that I tend to idealize in my head, but I think it is because it showed me for the first time what it really means to invest yourself in both your team and work: I wanted to make my team proud, and I wanted my work to matter because we worked on intellectual property (IP) that both excited me and reinvested me in the film industry. Overall, my NBCUniversal summer felt like one where I was working, but never without some sort of element of play and fun. The balance of the two brings a lot of nostalgia when I think of my experience, and all in all, I feel it was one of the best intern experiences I’ve ever had.” — Megan, Class of 2026, majoring in American studies
Megan and ET in the 10 Universal City Plaza building, from which NBCUniversal does corporate business.
Biological research
“I interned at Valley Water in San Jose, California, over the summer in their Water Quality Lab, working on testing various qualities of the water in Silicon Valley, such as dissolved solids and conductivity! Valley Water provides safe and clean water as a leading water resources management agency for Silicon Valley, and the lab itself specifically supports water treatment and purification centers by tracking water quality and helping to ensure water quality is within the required limits. Though the work I did as an intern doesn’t exactly align with my passions in Bioengineering, the hands-on lab work and experience working in an accredited lab with strict protocols and standards was incredibly valuable as someone hoping to work in industry in the future. Other than experience, I loved the values of Valley Water itself along with the friendly and supportive work environment while working there.” — Amarrah, Class of 2027, majoring in bioengineering
Amarrah and her fellow interns getting a tour of the water treatment centers in San Jose.
Policy and communications
“I had a transformative experience working as a communications intern for the Multnomah County Department of Community Justice’s Juvenile Services Division. This position allowed me to hone my editorial, graphic design, and visual arts skills while also learning about evidence-based practices and programs that support youth in and after detention. I had the privilege of sitting in on a group of youths’ weekly Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) sessions to witness firsthand how the game fosters prosocial behavior, challenges problem-solving skills, and — most important of all — allows them to retain a sense of freedom while in detention. After conducting interviews with the youth and the volunteer with whom they play, I wrote an article about the piece for my County’s newsletter.” — Nina, Class of 2026, majoring in film & media
Nina (right) and two fellow interns from the Multnomah County College to County Mentorship Program at the end of their summer internship.
Advice for prospective interns
“Don’t feel shy to ask an advisor or someone else you know for advice on your resume or cover letter! Also, always try to do some research into where you’re applying, both for your own consideration before applying and for resume and interview purposes.” — Amarrah, Class of 2027, majoring in bioengineering
“It’s great to have a master copy of your resume, but I recommend tailoring your resume for each job you apply to so you can highlight how your skills relate to that specific role. Also, apply to way more roles than you think you should. It can be super tedious, but sometimes you need to apply to 30 jobs for each singular one offer you receive‘ll get back — which is not something to be discouraged about! The job market is unpredictable, so it just helps ensure you’re giving yourself the best chance for success.” — Rachel, Class of 2026, majoring in media studies
For more advice on how to prepare for your internship or career, you can read Melissa’s blog Preparing for an Internship, or watch Rico’s video.
People keep saying, “It’s harder now than ever to find a job”. 😵💫😵💫 Luckily Rico and The UC Berkeley @berkeleycareerengagement Center have resources to help you crush your next job interview! 💪
💻 Follow @berkeleycareerengagement for more job tips!
📄 Visit https://my.berkeley.edu to get connected and network with your fellow Berkeley alumni.
😮💨 Don’t panic!
#UCBerkeley #UCBerkeleyLife #JobHunting #CollegeTips #Berkeley
Set your sights high and soar, Golden Bears. A rewarding internship is right around the corner.
Nina Takahashi, Class of 2026, is majoring in film & media and minoring in Japanese and creative writing.
Want more?
- Wondering how to prepare for an internship? Berkeley Career Engagement employees provide resources and advice.
- Are you a graduate student looking for an internship? Read guest writer Taiwo’s experience interning for Intuit.
- Explore writing jobs and internships at UC Berkeley.