STEM Career Awards

Intern of the Year Award

• Recognizes an outstanding student that has completed at least one semester of internship experience during Fall 2024, Spring 2025, or Summer 2025.
• Nominated student must have registered the internship with STEM Careers, Internships & Co-ops.
• This award may not be given if an insufficient number of students apply.

Co-op of the Year Award

• Recognizes an outstanding student that has completed at least one semester of co-op experience during the Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Summer 2025.
• Nominated student must have registered the co-op with STEM Careers, Internships & Co-ops.
• This award may not be given if an insufficient number of students apply.

A student must have registered the internship or co-op to be eligible for this award. The following information and supporting documents are required for a complete application for the Intern of the Year or Co-op of the Year Award. 
 

Resume

The judges will not be rating the resume, rather using it as a guide to gain a better understanding of the student and make potential suggestions for making the application stronger for potential submission to other awards!

Student Statement

The judges will be reviewing each nomination to see how well the student integrated the experiential learning experience into his/her academic and career pursuits.

• 1000 word maximum
• Emphasis on reflection and application vs. nature of work or industry where you participated
• Examples and descriptions of insights you gleaned into company, industry and/or occupation/profession you would not have had without this specific experience
• How did you grow from this experience?
• Did the experience confirm or shift your intended career plans?
• Any awards, achievements, and honors received during the experience

Employer Statement

The judges will be reviewing each nomination for details/examples of how the student’s work-related duties as well as both the quantity and quality of their work positively impacted the company/organization.

• 1000 word maximum
• Specific examples demonstrating the student’s initiative and creativity in approaching their assigned work tasks/projects
• Commentary on student’s drive, professionalism or attitude
• A detailed description of what makes this student outstanding
• Any awards or recognition or extended offer to continue employment (internship/co-op/full-time) with company or organization

Application Deadline: October 10, 2025

A Selection Committee of 3 YSU College of STEM faculty and staff from various departments review all student award nomination packets for both awards. Each judge reviews each nomination and completes a standardized judging rubric*, adopted from CEIA, to determine his/her/their preferred candidate to be Award winner for each award. The results from the judging rubric of each judge are compiled to determine the winner for each award.

After each award winner has been selected, the Committee will review the two winners and will select his/her/their preferred candidate for nomination to the national CEIA Student Achievement Award.

• You will be notified during mid-October 2025 whether your application was selected by the awards selection committee.
• Both award recipients will receive a spotlight in the STEM newsletter and on the STEM webpage, and will receive their physical award at the Spring 2025 STEM Awards Diiner.
• One award recipient, determined by the Selection Committee, will be nominated for the national CEIA Student Achievement Award.