Finding the right internship isn’t always easy — especially when you’re looking for one that truly aligns with your career goals. For Community-Centered Design student Sam Keller, that search required patience, preparation, and persistence — but the result was worth it.
When Sam began looking for a summer internship, he knew he wanted an experience that connected design, community engagement, and data-driven decision-making to strengthen local economies. After several weeks of outreach and refining his approach, Sam’s persistence paid off — he secured an internship at Hula Lakeside, a collaborative workspace and innovation hub in Burlington’s south end, that supports over 1,300 entrepreneurs, startups, students and professionals.
As an Ecosystem Innovation Integration Intern under Brian Galloway, Hula’s Director of Business Development & Marketing, Sam worked at the intersection of community-building and innovation. His role combined research, communication, and systems design — skills central to Community-Centered Design.
“I hoped to learn new techniques for collecting qualitative data — especially on the impact of coworking facilities on rural economies — and to turn those insights into practical implications,” Sam said.
Over the course of the internship, he conducted a feasibility study on coworking facilities in rural economies, organized gatherings for interns across Hula’s network, and helped design Slack channels to facilitate collaboration. He also improved communication systems using Nexudus, a coworking management platform.
“I’ve learned how thoughtful design and strong community infrastructure can empower people to collaborate in meaningful ways,” said Sam. “Those lessons connect directly to what I’ve studied in CDAE.”
As his summer internship ended, Sam found a way to keep building on that work. After a conversation with Will Jefferies, Vermont Entrepreneurship Coordinator with the Vermont Venture Network, he drafted and pitched a new position to Hula’s leadership — a part-time role he called Community Systems Specialist. To his excitement, the proposal was accepted.
Now continuing at Hula as a Community Systems Specialist, Sam is leading two major projects: Transitioning Hula’s CRM, and developing “Interns of Hula,” a cross-company internship program designed to connect and support interns across Hula’s network of businesses.
The CDAE Internship Program supports students in pursuing meaningful, career-related experiences locally, nationally, and internationally. This fall, CDAE Internship Coordinator Kerry Daigle is also partnering with the UVM Career Center to host a series of Career Readiness Workshops in Morrill Hall to help students prepare for opportunities that align with their skills and values.
“Our goal is to help students find opportunities that fit both their career interests and their values,” said Daigle. “Internships are not just about checking a box — they’re about discovering what motivates you and learning how to make an impact.”
Sam’s journey is a reminder that getting your foot in the door takes more than just sending applications — it takes persistence, purpose, and a willingness to keep trying until the right opportunity happens.