At the Maine Center, we believe experiential and interdisciplinary learning are critical to student success, employer readiness, and Maine’s long-term economic vitality. The Maine Center Graduate Internship Program provides funding to support graduate students at our core academic partner institutions with paid work experiences at Maine-based organizations, leadership development training, and a peer network designed to prepare them for future career success. Through these experiences, participants build strong professional connections within Maine, gain relevant industry experience, and develop the skills needed to apply diverse perspectives to complex, real-world challenges facing the state.
Since its inception in 2020, the Maine Center Graduate Internship program has supported over 100 graduate students working with more than 70 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.”
