An internship is still one of the best ways to land a full-time job.
Practicum, field placement, internship—no matter what you call it, work-based learning is a critical part of any student’s career preparation. Not only do these experiences introduce students to their chosen careers and help confirm or rule out job choices, they are the surest path to a full-time job. “Employers are more likely to convert interns to new hires than any other kind of positions,” says Saskia Campbell, executive director of University Career Services (UCS) at George Mason University. “That’s their recruitment strategy. That’s their pipeline.” And Campbell says George Mason students are in demand.
Beyond George Mason's job search platform, Handshake, students find internships by leveraging their personal connections and relationships with faculty who have close ties to federal agencies, government contractors, and nonprofit organizations in the Washington, D.C., area.
“When one door closes, open another”: This Costello student is making his way in the music industry
Learn about Cody's summer internship experience running social media for Capitol Dystrikt Music
George Mason University Student Internships
- August 14, 2025George Mason prepared students for real-world experiences ahead of their senior years.
- August 12, 2025Artificial intelligence brings new opportunities to the healthcare space, but what happens when it gets it wrong? One computer science PhD student is addressing this question and making a change.
- August 11, 2025Schar School senior Erika Burkard was determined to intern with a law firm. And she’s glad she did. See how she did it and the important lessons she learned from the experience.
- July 31, 2025For Ryanne Mardini, the humanities and STEM go hand in hand. The criminology, law and society major's summer internship with WorldStrides has taken her across the United States, inspiring young scholars to explore the world of STEM through hands-on learning opportunities.
- July 25, 2025George Mason University alum Dave Alpern is the president of the organization Joe Gibbs Racing and recently made a cameo appearance in the Netflix series, NASCAR: Full Speed, which documents NASCAR teams as work as they race to win the NASCAR Cup Series.
- June 13, 2025For Northern Virginia native Ryan McIntyre, the path to a master’s in environmental science and policy at George Mason University began with something simple: a love for the outdoors and a family connection.
- April 24, 2025When George Mason University junior Megan Miller toured the Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center, she didn’t realize she was being interviewed for an internship position.
- April 16, 2025Born and raised in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Marina Komarova, MS Business Analytics ‘24, knew she wanted to get a business degree from a respected American university.
- April 10, 2025George Mason University computer science major Nasrin Ali has a unique accomplishment—she has completed two internships with Microsoft and begins her third this summer.
- April 9, 2025Schar School graduating senior Christine Peretik found an internship that combines all of her majors and minors. See how her position at the Fairfax Circuit Court Historic Records Center inspired her college career.
- March 18, 2025See how internships on Capitol Hill opened public administration senior Dylan Morse’s eyes to how Washington operates—and what he likes best about governance.
- January 16, 2025George Mason University bioengineering student Andy Gomez is a busy guy. Not only is he working on a year-long internship with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), he is also a part-time clinical research assistant at the Inova Schar Cancer Institute.
Handshake is Mason's job search site, where you can find on-campus, part-time, work-study, internships, and full-time jobs related to your major, interests, and skills. Log in with your Mason credentials and get started by completing your profile.
“Employers are more likely to convert interns to new hires than any other kind of positions.”
~ Saskia Campbell, executive director, George Mason University Career Services