What is Intern for a Day?
The University Career Center's popular Intern for a Day program connects undergraduate UMD students with professionals (including alumni, parents/family members, and other off-campus partners) for in-person job shadowing or virtual informational interviewing experiences to explore potential career fields of interest. After participating in a mandatory orientation and completing an application, University Career Center staff match you with an professional of interest for a half- or full-day job shadowing experience or a virtual informational interview.
Please note: Intern for a Day is currently only available to UMD undergraduate students.
Intern for a Day Fall 2026
Questions can be directed to ifad@umd.edu.
Mandatory Orientation
Participating in an orientation for Intern for a Day is mandatory in order to participate in Intern for a Day. There are two ways for you to participate in orientation: attend an in-person session or enroll in the asynchronous orientation module (please note: you only have to complete one of the two orientation options listed below and not both). More details below and most questions about the program will be addressed in the mandatory orientation. Other questions can be directed to ifad@umd.edu.
In-Person Orientation Options:
Take place in the University Career Center (3100 Hornbake Library, South Wing)
Asynchronous Orientation Link Will be Available by Monday, Sept 14.
Fall 2026 Host List
The Fall 2026 Intern for a Day host list will be visible on ifad.umd.edu
Intern for a Day Fall 2026 Timeline for Students
Step 1: Complete Mandatory Orientation by Sunday, October 4, 2026
RSVP for an In-Person Orientation OR a Virtual Orientation.
In-Person Orientations:
All in-person orientations are held in the University Career Center, 3100 Hornbake Library, South Wing. If you want to complete your mandatory orientation in person, you only have to register for one of the two in-person orientation sessions in Handshake/listed below.
The Asynchronous Orientation link will be shared by September 14, 2026.
Please be sure to complete the mandatory orientation by Sunday, October 4, 2026. Students can choose to attend either the in-person orientation OR complete the virtual orientation.
Step 2: Receive the Intern for a Day Application and Complete it by Friday, October 16, 2026
Intern for a Day applications will be released to your student dashboard on Monday, October 5 by the end of the day if you claim your student profile at IFAD.UMD.EDU AND complete the mandatory orientation requirement by 11:59 pm on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
- If you completed the orientation and do not have the application sent/released to you by Monday, October 5, please email IFAD@umd.edu and we can help you.
- If you have a special circumstance that caused you to miss the deadline to complete orientation, please email us at ifad@umd.edu as soon as possible.
- Intern for a Day applications are due by SUNDAY, October 4, 2026. We will not be able to accept late applications because we will begin reviewing matching applicants immediately.
- On your application, please only preference hosts that you have an intention of meeting with. Make sure to review your host selections carefully before submitting.
Step 3: The University Career Center Matches You with a Host by late Oct - Early Nov
University Career Center staff will begin the process of matching applicants with hosts on Monday, October 19.
- We will do our best to match as many of you with your top preferred hosts as possible.
- Due to the reality that many hosts are only able to connect with a small amount of students (1-3 people), we will unfortunately not be able to match everyone with their top preferences. This is why we ask you to provide your top 8 host preferences.
You will be contacted by email, connecting you with your host OR notifying you that we were unable to match you this semester, in late October.
- We will connect you directly to the host you were matched with over email. It is up to you to connect with your host directly to schedule your in-person shadowing or virtual informational interviewing experience.
- If we are unable to match you with a host (due to the # of student applicants exceeding the amount of host spaces available), we will make sure to follow up with you.
Step 4: Engage in Job Shadowing or Informational Interviewing with Your Host by Jan 2027
Complete your in-person shadowing or virtual informational interviewing experience by the end of Winter Break (January 2026), if possible.
We will also release a feedback form for you to tell us about your experience with Intern for a Day closer to the end of the semester.
For Professionals Interested in Hosting Intern for a Day Students
Host registration for Intern for a Day in FALL 2026 will open Monday, August 10, 2026 through Monday, September 21, 2026.
CLICK TO REGISTER for the FALL 2026 Program.
Click here for the Intern for a Day Host Guide, which is regularly updated and features information about the purpose of the program as well as information that can support you as you plan to host UMD students for job shadowing and informational interviewing opportunities!
NOTE: Participation in this program indicates your agreement to uphold the standards outlined in our University of Maryland External Participant Code of Conduct.
Questions? Reach out to ifad@umd.edu.
Intern for a Day General Timelines
Here’s what the typical timeline looks like for Intern for a Day in the Fall and Spring semesters in case you'd like to plan for future semesters. We will always list the current semester's IFAD dates for students and hosts in the sections above.
Fall Intern for a Day General Timeline
- July-Sept: Host registration is open
- Early/Mid-Oct: Students complete a mandatory orientation on workplace etiquette, program logistics, and more
- Mid/Late Oct: Students apply and rank order their top hosts of interest
- Late Oct/Early Nov: University Career Center staff match students with hosts & notify both parties
- Nov-Jan: Intern for a Day experience takes place! Students and hosts determine the day that works best with their schedules for the shadowing or virtual informational interviewing experience.
Spring Intern for a Day General Timeline
- Dec/Jan-Feb: Host registration is open
- Mid/Late Feb: Students complete a mandatory orientation on workplace etiquette, program logistics, and more
- Early Mar: Students apply and rank order their top hosts of interest
- Early/Mid-Mar: University Career Center staff match students with hosts & notify both parties
- Mar-May: Intern for a Day experience takes place! Students and hosts determine the day that works best with their schedules for the shadowing or virtual informational interviewing experience.