At the Maine Center, we believe that experiential learning, particularly interdisciplinary learning, is critical for student and employer success. The Maine Center’s Graduate Internship Program provides graduate students in the Maine Center’s focus disciplines with paid work experience, a peer network, and professional development that will prepare them for future career success.
With our sixth cohort in summer 2025, this program has served more than 75 students and over 40 Maine-based businesses and organizations.
The Maine Center Graduate Internship Program is made possible by support from the Harold Alfond Foundation (External Site) and private donors.
The Internship Experience
“As a legal intern with Maine Outdoor Brands, I conduct legal and policy research, analyze best practices from other states, and support advocacy efforts to advance key roadmap initiatives. Through this work, I have learned a lot about the needs of businesses in Maine and the local legislative landscape.”
“As a harm reduction intern, I collected and updated data for GIS maps and conducted an environmental scan of substance use disorder resources to improve community access to services in Portland. My internship has inspired me to pursue a career in community health, as it underscored the crucial need to expand access to preventative services to support the well-being of our communities.”
“My internship with Partners for World Health has helped contextualize public health on the global scale. Through interacting with people and learning about the needs of other countries, I have been able to better understand my role as a public health student within an extremely complex system.“
“Working at the Maine Bureau of Insurance lets me apply my finance and data‑analytics coursework to real regulatory challenges. The experience is sharpening my skills in data visualization and policy analysis—key foundations for my future career at the intersection of finance, research, data analytics, and health‑care policy.”
“As a climate and housing legal intern, I conduct research on rules, regulations, and policies related to infrastructure resilience, land use, and building codes to support climate resilience and housing development. This internship has given me a new perspective on how law can be used in a meaningful way that I will take with me through the rest of my career.”
“During my time with Kennebunk Land Trust, I have had the opportunity to support the development of an accessible trail through research, data collection, and collaboration with the highly knowledgeable Outdoor Inclusion Specialists at Community Geographics. I’m grateful to have contributed to a project that promotes inclusivity in our outdoor spaces, and I hope to continue advancing community health through outdoor accessibility in my future work.”
