2026 Summer InTERPShip Academy
Now in its 11th year, the Maryland Made InTERPShip Academy welcomes 41 Maryland student-athletes into its 2026 cohort.
By Brady Ruth, Staff Writer
6/9/2026
The InTERPship Academy will celebrate its 11-year anniversary of supporting University of Maryland student-athletes in their career readiness journey by welcoming 41 student-athletes across 15 sports into the 2026 summer cohort.
“Through the InTERPship program, I’ve learnt the importance of building relationships and being open to new experiences,” women’s track and field athlete Lucy Scothern said. “My internship last year was more catered toward my Journalism degree, but this year I have the opportunity to explore the world of PR which has been an interest of mine for a while. My goal this summer is to better understand what types of work I enjoy and where I can make the biggest impact in my professional career! Most importantly, I’ve gained great connections through InTERPship. Last year, my internship lead Kelsey Nicole Nelson became my Maryland Made mentor and someone I can always email for help and guidance if needed.”
The academy was created to aid student-athletes in obtaining work experience in their desired industries. Students will work for 15-20 hours per week at their respective organizations. Prior to the summer, they partook in various professional development sessions to gain valuable skills. They learned about branding and storytelling, as well as conflict resolution.
“Having this inTERPship not only exposes me to the legal field, but helps me solidify my pursuit of law,” women’s track and field’s Ogechi Uzoukwu said. “As someone who made the somewhat disparate transition from medicine and public health to law, having Maryland Made’s support in navigating this career is very helpful and encouraging. In my internship, I am able to get first-hand exposure to legal processes and real-world experience that many college students do not have the opportunity to access. The inTERPship program gives me a head-start and allows me to build a strong foundation for my future legal career while also providing opportunities to network with professionals, develop practical skills, and learn within an environment where I can envision myself working in the future.”
The inTERPship program gives me a head-start and allows me to build a strong foundation for my future legal career while also providing opportunities to network with professionals, develop practical skills, and learn within an environment where I can envision myself working in the future.Ogechi Uzoukwu
Up next, they will also participate in additional sessions — leadership development, work vs lifestyle, Next Steps in Your Career, and resume-building workshops — before concluding with a final capstone project presentation.
“What excites me most this summer is the opportunity to enter the commercial world and gain real-world experience in commercial real estate,” football’s Aaron Folivi said. “As a student majoring in Real Estate and the Built Environment within the School of Architecture, I have spent time learning about how buildings, communities, and development projects are planned and designed. This summer allows me to see how those ideas connect to the business side of real estate and how commercial properties create value for owners, tenants, and the surrounding community.”
The process — along with Maryland Made’s year-long efforts to prepare student-athletes for life outside of sports — set the Terps up for success. Maryland wrestler Nathan Perry will be spending his summer with Aerothreads, a specialized provider of Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI) blanket products and critical support services to the aerospace industry. Maryland Made worked with Perry to prepare him for the interview, eventually leading to his InTERPship.
“The interview process with Aerothreads has been my most daunting interview process ever due to the depth of technical knowledge I need to showcase,” Perry said. “Maryland Made helped me take this task, compartmentalize it, and create a preparation process to make sure I was ready for anything thrown my way. They had a member sit down with me and tailored a technical mock interview which gave me plenty of confidence for my interview with Aerothreads. The process was successful and I got the job.”
Golfer Manato Nakatani will be spending the summer with BioBuzz, a biotech company in Baltimore. Using new tools, Nakatani will be able to jump right into the everchanging landscape of modern technology.
“This internship with BioBuzz will help me progress towards my goal of becoming a software engineer,” Nakatani said. “I will get to work on real-world projects using data analysis and AI to solve meaningful problems. I am especially excited to contribute to AI- powered workforce applications and gain experience in collaborating with real development teams.”
Maryland Made helped me take this task, compartmentalize it, and create a preparation process to make sure I was ready for anything thrown my way.Nathan Perry
InTERPship Academy alums have gained professional experience and redefined their unique skill sets as they figured out what life after college looked like for them. The Maryland Made team is dedicated to ensuring that student-athletes are thinking about their career readiness journey before they depart from the University of Maryland.
“This is one of my favorite programs to lead and facilitate,” Alaeze-Garbo said. “Building meaningful relationships with external partners who invest in the growth and development of our student-athletes beyond their sport is incredibly rewarding.
“Each year, we continue to expand the program, and it's exciting to see students become more intentional and specific about the experiences they want to pursue professionally. That level of self-awareness and career exploration is exactly what this program is designed to foster.
“The program works, and I am grateful for every employer who opens their doors, shares their expertise, and creates opportunities for our students. Because of these partnerships, our student-athletes are building confidence, developing new skills, and discovering what's possible beyond competition. I can't wait to see what this year's cohort accomplishes this summer.”
