How to Maximize Your Summer Internship: Advice from CCI Fellow Joaquin Chica ’27

Summer internships are exciting, nerve-wracking, and full of possibility (all at the same time). Whether you’re heading into an office, logging in from your bedroom, or doing a mix of both, here is one question we hear from students: How do I make the most of the experience?

CCI Outreach and Engagement Fellow Joaquin Chica ’27 shared practical advice to help you stay intentional, build confidence, and walk away from the summer with career growth.

Start With Clear Goals

Before your first week fills up with meetings and assignments, pause and decide what you want from the summer. Maybe you want to strengthen your writing, feel more confident speaking in meetings, understand an industry, or build stronger professional relationships. Your goals don’t need to be formal, just specific enough that by August you can look back and see how you grew. 

Having a few guiding goals keeps you from drifting through the experience and helps you stay focused on progress.

Treat Curiosity Like a Strength

Many students worry that asking questions will make them seem unprepared. In reality, thoughtful questions signal engagement and motivation. Try to do a little thinking first, then ask questions that move your work forward and show you want to understand the bigger picture.

Do the Small Things Really Well

Not every task will feel exciting. Often, the interns who stand out are the ones who consistently do everyday things well:

• Show up on time
• Meet deadlines
• Reply professionally
• Take notes
• Follow through

Reliability builds trust, and trust leads to more meaningful work.

Take Initiative (Without Pretending to Know Everything)

Look for ways to be helpful. If you finish a task, ask what else you can support. If you notice a better system, suggest it respectfully. If there’s a meeting you can sit in on, express interest. The strongest interns balance initiative with humility. Being proactive and being honest about what you’re still learning can go hand in hand.

Build Relationships, Not Just a Résumé

One of the most valuable parts of an internship is the people you meet. Networking doesn’t have to feel awkward. Just be genuinely curious. Ask colleagues how they got where they are, what they enjoy about their work, and what skills matter in their field. These conversations can turn into mentorship, references, and long-term connections.

Seek Feedback Early

Don’t wait until your final week to find out how you’re doing. Ask for feedback while there’s still time to use it.

A simple question works: “Is there anything I could be doing more effectively?”

It shows maturity and a real desire to grow.

Keep Track of Your Work

Start a running note of projects, skills, and accomplishments. By the end of the summer, you’ll be grateful you did. This makes updating your résumé, writing cover letters, and talking about your experience in interviews much easier, and helps you see your own progress more clearly.

Be Extra Intentional in Remote or Hybrid Roles

When you’re not physically in the office, visibility doesn’t happen automatically. Respond promptly, share updates with your supervisor, and make time for informal connection, not just task completion. Clear communication and relationship-building matter even more in remote settings.

Remember: Learning Is the Point

Your internship doesn’t need to answer every career question. Sometimes you learn what you love. Sometimes you learn what you don’t. Both are valuable. If you leave the summer with stronger skills, more confidence, and a clearer sense of what fits you, that’s progress.

Give Yourself Permission to Be New

No one expects you to know everything. Internships are where you practice being a professional. Be prepared, curious, respectful, and open to growth. And yes… enjoy your summer, too!

Bonus: Make the Summer Count Beyond the Internship

Your internship may be the centerpiece of your summer, but it doesn’t have to be the whole story. New routines, friendships, independence, and experiences outside of work can shape your growth just as much. Be intentional about the full experience.

Mid-Summer Check-In Questions

Ask yourself:

• What have I learned so far?
• What skills am I improving?
• What do I want to do more of before the internship ends?

No internship will be perfect but every internship can be meaningful if you stay curious, intentional, and open to growth.

Download the handout here.