For students seeking more than a typical summer internship, Summer on the Cuyahoga (SOTC) offers a rare opportunity: a fully immersive experience that blends meaningful, paid work with intentional community building and professional networking.
Each summer, SOTC brings together 80–90 talented undergraduate students for an intensive program designed to showcase the professional, civic, and cultural opportunities of Northeast Ohio. The result is not simply a summer job, it is a launchpad for careers, relationships, and long-term professional growth.
High-Quality, Paid Internships Across Industries
At the center of SOTC is a challenging, paid internship. The program partners with more than 50 employers across private, nonprofit, and public sectors, offering substantive roles in fields ranging from finance, healthcare, and engineering to marketing, arts and culture, public service, and nonprofit leadership.
These internships are intentionally meaningful. Students contribute to real projects, build in-demand skills, and gain clarity about their professional interests. Many participants have translated their SOTC internships into full-time employment opportunities, demonstrating the strength of the region’s employers and the lasting value of the experience.
For students considering where they might live and work after graduation, SOTC provides both exposure and momentum—allowing them to test-drive a career path while building authentic professional connections.
Cost-Free Housing and an Instant Community
One of SOTC’s most distinctive features is its commitment to accessibility. The program arranges and fully covers summer housing costs, removing one of the most significant financial barriers students often face when pursuing internships away from campus.
Participants live together in apartment-style residence halls on the campus of Case Western Reserve University, just minutes from Downtown and Uptown Cleveland. Shared kitchens and common spaces create daily opportunities for connection, conversation, and collaboration.
Living alongside 80–90 motivated peers from diverse universities and academic backgrounds fosters an immediate sense of belonging. What begins as shared housing often becomes a tight-knit community—one built through shared professional challenges, weekend exploration, and nearly three months of living and learning together.
Nearly 50 Curated Events That Showcase Cleveland
SOTC extends far beyond the workplace. Throughout the summer, the program curates more than 45 events and activities designed to introduce students to the region’s economic, cultural, and civic landscape.
Students engage with business and civic leaders, connect with young professionals, and explore Cleveland’s renowned institutions—from Progressive Field and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Karamu House, and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Community service projects, social outings, and small-group conversations deepen students’ understanding of the city and its opportunities.
These structured experiences provide context for students’ internships while helping them envision what it might look like to build a life in Northeast Ohio. Participants don’t just work in Cleveland—they experience it.
Alumni Mentorship and Lasting Professional Networks
Networking is intentionally embedded into every aspect of SOTC. Each student is paired with a local alumni host who serves as a mentor and connector throughout the summer. Alumni provide career guidance, facilitate introductions to area professionals, and offer insight into navigating both workplace dynamics and the broader community.
Beyond individual mentorship, students gain access to an extensive professional network through curated events and introductions. Relationships formed during the program often continue well beyond the summer—leading to job opportunities, mentorship, and long-term collaboration.
Equally powerful are the bonds formed within the cohort itself. The shared experience of working, living, and exploring together creates friendships and professional relationships that frequently endure long after the program ends. Participants leave not only with expanded networks in Cleveland, but with a nationwide community of driven peers.
More Than a Summer Experience
Summer on the Cuyahoga is more than an internship program—it is a strategic initiative designed to connect talented students with meaningful work, vibrant community life, and long-term professional opportunity.
By combining paid, substantive internships, cost-free housing, immersive cultural programming, and intentional mentorship, SOTC delivers a comprehensive experience that is professionally transformative and personally enriching.
Students leave with strengthened résumés, deeper civic awareness, expanded professional networks, and friendships that last well beyond the summer. Many also leave with something even more impactful: a genuine connection to a region they may not have previously considered—and the confidence to imagine building their future there.
For Cornell students exploring opportunities through Career Services and the SOTC Handshake collection, this program represents a powerful way to spend a summer—not just gaining experience but building a career and a community.
How to review opportunities and apply?
Visit https://apply.summeronthecuyahoga.com/cornell to learn more and click the “Apply Now” button to register on our portal, review opportunities, and apply by uploading your cover letter and resume! Students may also follow ‘Summer on the Cuyahoga’ on Handshake to learn about new opportunities, but please plan to apply on the SOTC portal.
Questions? Contact Eric McGarvey at emcgarvey@summeronthecuyahoga.com
Guest contribution from Eric McGarvey, Summer on the Cuyahoga Executive Director
