11 Summer Internships for High School Students in Mississippi
Summer offers an extended period for academic exploration through internships and other experiential learning opportunities. These experiences allow you to explore your field of interest, work on meaningful projects, and identify areas that align with your career goals. Additionally, they help you develop essential skills such as problem-solving, communication, and teamwork. High school summer internships also serve as valuable additions to your resume, enhancing your future employability prospects and strengthening college applications.
Why participate in a summer internship in Mississippi?
Mississippi is home to many universities and organizations that offer internship opportunities for high school students across a variety of fields, including marine science, advocacy, engineering, medicine, health sciences, and other related fields. These internships provide valuable experience and skill development, allowing you to collaborate with industry experts and leading professionals. Additionally, they offer an excellent opportunity to begin building your professional network at an early stage.
With that, here are 11 summer internships for high school students in Mississippi that you should check out.
11 Summer Internships for High School Students in Mississippi
1. Blue Economy Summer Internship
Location: Various locations in Mississippi
Stipend: $1,000 (4 weeks); $1,500 (6 weeks)
Cohort Size: Approximately 25-30 candidates per term
Dates: 4-6 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: January 6 – 21
Eligibility: High school students (16+); U.S. citizenship required for Stennis site
GenSea offers the Blue Economy Summer Internship program for high school students interested in exploring marine science, aquaculture, ocean engineering, and more. As a participant, you’ll gain research experience working alongside professionals in Mississippi’s coastal counties. Areas you can intern in include coastal research, environmental education, marine education, fisheries ecology, hydrography, ocean modeling, coastal geology, and more. You will be matched with a mentor who specializes in your area of interest and will assist you with lab research, data analysis, and sample collection during fieldwork. Furthermore, you’ll present your research work at the end of the internship in a poster symposium.
2. Ladder Internship Program
Location: Remote
Cost: Varies; Financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Around 10%; 70-100 students
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort
Eligibility: High school students who can work for 8-12 weeks
Ladder Internships is a selective start-up internship program for high school students interested in gaining experience with fast-growing start-ups. The start-ups offering internships span various fields, including finance, tech/deep tech, AI/ML, health tech, marketing, journalism, consulting, and more. Ladder’s start-ups are high-growth companies backed by Y Combinator and have raised over a million dollars on average. The program includes one-on-one training in communication and time management, as well as group learning sessions with other interns. Startups in the program are led by founders with experience at organizations like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft.
3. STEM Engagement at NASA’s Stennis Space Center
Location: Stennis Space Center, Hancock County, MS
Stipend: Paid (stipend varies by internship session and academic level)
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: Summer and fall sessions (exact dates not specified)
Application Deadline: February 27
Eligibility: High school students
The Stennis Space Center offers NASA’s STEM Engagement program, which includes internship opportunities through its pathways program. As a participant, you can intern in engineering areas, including aerospace, civil, computer, electrical, mechanical, materials, and more. There are also internship opportunities in business, including areas such as human resources, statistics, administration, accounting, and public relations. During the internship, you’ll work under the mentorship of NASA faculty, gain practical experience in the area of your choice, and explore various career opportunities. Mentors work with you to create individualized plans, where they weigh in on your goals to tailor your internship by defining assignments, learning opportunities, and training events.
4. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program
Location: Multiple Department of the Navy laboratories across the U.S., including Mississippi
Stipend: $4,000 for new participants; $4,500 for returning participants
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: 8 weeks in the summer (dates vary by lab)
Application Deadline: August 1 – November 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors (16+); U.S. citizens (some labs may allow exceptions to citizenship criteria)
The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program offers you the opportunity to engage in Naval Research at various Department of the Navy laboratories. During the eight-week program, you’ll learn about naval research and technology, explore pathways in the field, and receive mentorship from scientists and engineers working in the field. You can choose to apply to labs based on your area of interest, such as oceanography, intelligence, meteorology, and much more. Selection is competitive and based on recommendations, personal essays, academic achievements, and research interests.
5. University of South Mississippi: Project SEED
Location: University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS
Stipend: $2,500 fellowship (Summer I); $3,000 fellowship (Summer II)
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: June – August (8-10 weeks)
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: High school students who are economically disadvantaged with academic potential in chemistry
The University of Southern Mississippi and the American Chemical Society offer Project SEED as a chance to gain research experience in a laboratory setting. The experience takes place over eight to ten weeks, where you will spend the summer working under the guidance of professional scientists, conducting your own research, and gaining exposure to career pathways in scientific research. You will work on a project in chemistry or a related field under the supervision of a scientist mentor and receive a fellowship award. If you complete this program, you are eligible to apply to a summer II program, where you will engage in additional scientific research and gain more experience in the field.
6. The Advanced Composites Institute Internships
Location: Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: Various cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students
Mississippi State University’s Advanced Composites Institute offers internships to high school students in two tracks: engineering and workforce. As an engineering intern, you’ll gain experience by working on projects in areas such as composites and advanced manufacturing. You’ll be assigned projects by your advisor and will have to report your progress over the summer. The workforce track, on the other hand, will provide you with exposure to various fields and help you develop essential project management skills. You’ll work in multiple areas, including social media management, tracking social data, designing promotional materials, photographing events, and more.
7. UPSTART Summer Research Program
Location: University of Mississippi – School of Dentistry, Jackson, MS
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Highly selective
Dates: Research period takes place over the summer (exact dates not specified)
Application Deadline: February 21 – March 19
Eligibility: High school students in good academic standing
The Undergraduate and Professional Student Training in Advanced Research Techniques (UPSTART) is a research program for college and high school students interested in exploring dentistry. As a participant, you’ll work on a research project, receive mentorship from faculty members, and learn in-depth about research methodology through weekly seminars. You will have the opportunity to explore dentistry in greater detail if you choose to pursue the field in college, gain research experience, and connect with dental students and faculty members. At the end of the program, you will present your research work at a symposium.
8. ARISE Summer Program
Location: University of Mississippi, University, MS
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: Summer research experience generally in June – July
Application Deadline: April 1
Eligibility: High school students; More info here
ARISE is a research-based program for high school students interested in gaining practical research experience and exploring STEM. During the program, you’ll engage in scientific research under the mentorship of a professional researcher, learn how to conduct research, and explore various pathways in STEM. You’ll be assigned to a research lab where you’ll participate in an ongoing research project of your choice, beyond which you will have discussions with faculty members, learn about how to pursue the STEM field further, and develop scientific communication skills.
9. Mississippi for a Just World Youth Internship
Location: Mississippi for a Just World, Jackson, MS
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Selective
Dates: 8 weeks from June to July (exact dates not specified)
Application Deadline: Application opens in spring (deadline not specified)
Eligibility: High school and early college students between the ages of 16 and 20
Mississippi for a Just World offers internship opportunities for students looking to gain practical experience in advocacy, political education, and movement building. You’ll explore areas such as social justice, human rights, and international policy. You’ll work alongside professionals in the field, including activists and organizers, and learn about advocacy, direct action, and community organizing through weekly workshops. The capstone project requires you to identify an issue within your community and design and implement a campaign in action to address it.
10. Mississippi Aquarium Tidal Teen Volunteers
Location: Mississippi Aquarium, Gulfport, MS
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Moderately selective
Dates: Various cohorts in a year
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students between the ages of 14 and 18
Mississippi Aquarium offers a Tidal Teen Volunteers program for students interested in exploring marine life, science education, and tourism. Although not a traditional internship, you’ll develop skills in leadership, public education, and communication by interacting with visitors and shadowing aquarium staff. The program includes career week, when you’ll learn about various pathways in marine biology and animal care, including supporting careers such as marketing, administration, and education.
11. Mississippi Governor’s School Student Scholar Program
Location: Mississippi Governor’s School, Mississippi University for Women, Columbus, MS
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance Rate: Competitive
Dates: May 31 – June 13
Application Deadline: October 1 – November 9
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors from Mississippi with exceptional academic ability and achievement
The Mississippi Governor's School offers an honors program for high-achieving students to engage in a creative and academic experience. The program takes place over two weeks, during which you will live on the University of Mississippi campus and participate in interdisciplinary courses, engage in team-building activities, and receive mentorship. Although not an internship, this program is designed to help you explore various career pathways, engage in experiential learning through creative activities, and enhance professional skills such as communication, collaboration, and leadership. Selection is competitive and requires meeting at least one of the state qualification criteria, a resume, a teacher recommendation letter, and a community member recommendation.
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