Rev1 Connects College Interns and Startups to Achieve Real-world Results
Inspiring. Exciting. Thriving. Those are just a few accolades that students and startups use to describe Rev1’s Innovation Internship Program. Now in its third calendar year, the Innovation Internship Program has placed more than 210 students in more than 340 roles in 52 startups in Central Ohio.
Our region sits at the ideal intersection of innovation and talent. Our thriving entrepreneurial community is ranked as a national leader in the density of high-growth startups. With more than 50 colleges and universities, our active student population numbers more than 130,000 graduate and undergraduate students. (Applications for the Fall Cohort are due August 29. Apply here.)
“We found a unique opportunity here at Rev1 ,” said Larissa Wess, Rev1 Manager of Intern and Fellow Programs. “Startup companies have projects where they need assistance. We have this community of college students who, until now, may not have been aware of the career opportunity that startups in our ecosystem offer. We connect student interns to these Ohio startups and entrepreneurial teams, and the students become great contributors to these companies as they grow and scale these new businesses.”
The perfect storm of talent and innovation.
Most of the interns are in their junior and senior years. Their majors are as diverse as their cultures, ethnicity, gender, and race—from engineering to communications, from business to biology. We are thrilled to report that the internships are leading to full-time jobs. Employers can submit role descriptions here.
Gone are the days of the intern copying and getting coffee. In a startup, there is so much real work to be done. (Hear here.)
“Interns come with knowledge, and they are not afraid. Their fearlessness is amazing,” Wess said. “These students will jump in and go for every opportunity. They gain confidence in their capabilities by using their knowledge and talents on real projects and problems.”
This year, Rev1 is expanding a mentoring component to help students with personal development and networking. Mentoring is available year-round to interns. The goal is to understand the students, their unique capabilities better, and the results they are seeking to achieve with their internships.
And, to be sure, they are seeking to achieve results.
Central Ohio is a great place to work.
Because the students are digital natives, interns become pioneers in the subject matter they are working on at these startups.
“One of our interns, at 20 years old, is the most experienced person in the company where she is interning when it comes to social media,” said Wess. “She is excited to be the person with the knowledge, but she also has questions and wasn’t sure where to go for answers. As her mentor, I encouraged her and connected her with Rev1 marketing and communications team members. They bolstered her knowledge and added tips. We have extensive resources to connect these interns to.”
“Innovation internships are structured to boldly encourage students to choose careers in entrepreneurship and innovation, and we want those careers to be anchored right here in our own backyard,” Wess said. “These students are striving to be great. We are creating a path for them to seek careers they might never have thought possible.”
More information for interns here.
More information for employers here.
Questions, contact Larissa Wess.
