What is National Intern Day?
Founded by WayUp in 2017 and continued by Yello since we acquired WayUp in 2021, National Intern Day is observed each year on the last Thursday of July. It’s a chance for all of us to recognize the impact interns make, and a reminder of the importance of building equitable, high-impact internship experiences that support your company’s future: early talent.
What We Learned From This Year’s Nominations
Every year, the nomination process gives us a unique window into how employers are shaping the future of early talent. Here are some of the most common and compelling themes we saw across this year’s entries:
Intern involvement beyond the day-to-day
Top programs are fully integrating interns into company life. From participating in ERGs and volunteering alongside full-time employees to joining executive Q&As and receiving the same wellness perks and mental health benefits, interns aren’t treated as temporary – they’re included, heard, and supported across the company. Many programs also survey interns throughout the experience, using their feedback to shape programming in real time.
A focus on community, connection, and healthy competition
Programs are finding creative ways to build community among interns – starting even before day one. From LinkedIn Groups and newsletters to Shark Tank-style competitions, cross-functional team challenges, and intern-led social events, connection and collaboration were central themes throughout this year’s nominations.
Layered development and feedback models
Variations of the 70/20/10 development model came up frequently, with many employers providing a structured approach to learning through hands-on experience, coaching, and formal training. More and more programs also included resume reviews, mock interviews, access to LinkedIn Learning, and development sessions aligned to NACE competencies for their interns this year.
Intern leaders and peer mentorship
Several programs empowered returning interns to take on formal leadership roles where they had the opportunity to guide incoming interns, serve as a peer mentor, and help onboard new interns into the company’s culture and workflows.
How the Top 100 Were Selected
Hundreds of employers across a multitude of industries and company sizes submitted nominations for this year’s list. In addition to 115,000 public votes being cast, a panel of industry experts reviewed each anonymized nomination and scored programs based on key criteria including:
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Professional development
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Intern engagement
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Company culture
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Conversion opportunities
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Compensation
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Unique program elements
It’s our pleasure to reveal 2025’s #1 Program Winner: Kimley-Horn!
Kimley-Horn’s program sets the gold standard for what an internship can be. From hands-on client work to a culture rooted in mentorship, growth, and connection, their program delivers a standout intern experience on every level.
Key aspects of Kimley-Horn’s program include:
- Development isn’t just encouraged, it’s built into every layer of the program. Interns aren’t merely observing or supporting; they are actively contributing to the firm’s core business. They apply their skills to high-impact deliverables while receiving weekly check-ins, technical training, and multi-source feedback from supervisors, teammates, and firm leaders. This structured approach, paired with mentorship from former interns turned executives, provides unparalleled experience and a direct pipeline to developing critical professional skills, setting them up for success in future full-time roles.
- A culture of connection empowers interns to explore and grow. Intern exposure isn’t limited to one specific role or team—they collaborate across disciplines and regions to discover where they fit best. From Intern Days and buddy pairings to direct leadership access and cross-functional projects, the multi-faceted approach ensures interns receive support from varying perspectives, fostering both professional and personal growth throughout their journey.
- Integration and pathways set a new standard. A uniquely comprehensive benefits package further underscores Kimley-Horn’s commitment to a people-first culture that invests deeply in its future talent. The program boasts exceptional offer and conversion rates, with many interns accepting full-time roles and staying engaged long after the summer ends. Over 20% of their current full-time employees were former interns – – including the current President who started as an intern in 1994!
We’re also excited to announce this year’s other specialty award winners:
American Heart Association – Public Service Award Winner
The Public Service Award recognizes an internship program that demonstrates exceptional commitment to fostering meaningful intern engagement that significantly benefits the public good.
American Heart Association’s interns save lives! This isn’t just a tagline; it’s the heart of the program. From launching nationwide health initiatives to creating CPR education content and advocacy campaigns, interns make real contributions that directly benefit communities. The intern experience is designed to build both purpose and preparedness, combining strategic project work with leadership coaching, executive exposure, and professional development. With CPR certification for every intern and a strong track record of conversion to full-time roles, the program equips future professionals to serve with impact from day one.
Fulcrum Global Technologies – Intern Growth Award Winner
The Intern Growth Award recognizes an employer that best creates opportunities over the course of the internship program for interns to become more confident and well-prepared early career professionals.
Fulcrum Global Technologies’ program offers a rare blend of autonomy, accountability, and high-touch support—giving interns the tools and confidence to thrive as early career professionals. In a 13-week startup incubator, interdisciplinary teams of UX, Product, Business, and Engineering interns co-found real companies. Supported by Legal, Operations, and Design staff, the interns partner with counsel to register their business and file for patents. Progress is showcased in monthly pitches to Fulcrum GT executives and external investors. To balance this intense work, the program is packed with weekly, high-energy social events. Interns graduate from the program not just prepared to join the full-time workforce, but already leading in it.
General Dynamics – Innovation Award Winner
The Innovation Award recognizes an employer that is pushing the boundaries of a conventional internship program to provide an innovative experience for their interns.
General Dynamics’ internship program redefines what’s possible by combining professional development, high-impact perks, and one-of-a-kind experiences interns won’t find elsewhere. The program immerses students in real-world defense and cybersecurity challenges across land, air, sea, space, and cyber domains. With a conversion rate exceeding 65%, many interns transition into full-time roles, reflecting the program’s success. Notably, several directors and vice presidents began their careers as General Dynamics interns, including an engineering manager who started as a mechanical engineering intern 15 years ago and has since supported key submarine projects worldwide.
Valmark Financial Group – Small but Mighty Award Winner
Small internship programs deserve recognition too! This award is reserved for an organization with fewer than 1,000 employees.
Valmark’s internship program shows that small companies can build powerful talent pipelines. Interns are fully integrated into core business operations, with clear goals, dedicated mentorship, and continuous feedback that fuels their professional growth. The unique year-round structure of the program allows for deeper learning and long-term alignment, helping interns build confidence and clarity in their career paths. With 70% of interns who transitioned to full-time roles and over a third of former interns advancing into leadership roles, the program is designed not just to hire, but to develop the company’s future leaders.
The employers recognized on this year’s Top 100 List are setting new standards for what meaningful, equitable, and impactful internships can look like. Whether you’re just beginning to build a program or looking to refine an established one, we hope these stories and trends inspire you to continue investing in the growth and success of your interns—not just on National Intern Day, but every day.
