Open to different strengths
Contributions may involve business analysis, marketing or operations context, data and AI exploration, process automation, prototyping, communication, or project coordination.
For students
Curiosity is the starting point.
You do not need a specific academic or professional background. If you are interested in using information technology to help organizations solve real problems, we encourage you to apply.
Participation
Interest matters more than a job title.
Students contribute in different ways according to project needs, their interests, and the mix of the team.
Course or volunteer path
Students may participate through a registered, faculty-guided course or as volunteers. The appropriate path is discussed during onboarding.
Matching is required
Submitting an application does not guarantee placement. Participation depends on project fit, availability, selection, and team composition.
Family business
Does your family run a business?
Many students grow up close to a family business, such as a restaurant, a shop, a trading company, a clinic, or a small manufacturer. If your family’s business has a question it has not had time to explore, we encourage you to bring it to us. Family businesses of any size are welcome.
Start the conversation
Talk with your family about a workflow, a customer question, or data they wish they understood better. A short, non-confidential description is enough to begin.
Submit an inquiry
You or a family member can submit the organization inquiry. Tell us you are a student connected to the business so we can follow up with both of you.
Agree on roles together
An owner or manager of the business serves as the project contact. Whether you join that project team or another one is discussed openly during matching.
What to expect
A semester of meaningful work.
Participation may continue for a second semester when the student remains interested and the project benefits from more time.
Students should plan for consistent project work between team meetings.
Meetings and collaboration use a hybrid format, based on the needs of the project.
Projects may conclude with a final presentation and agreed deliverables for the partner organization.
Career value
Build work you can discuss with confidence.
Project experience can strengthen your portfolio and support future job searches. You may describe your role and approved contributions, but confidential information and company-owned materials may be shared only with the organization’s permission.
Your application is an expression of interest, not a commitment or guarantee of placement.
Ready to be considered?
What happens next?
We generally provide an initial response within three business days. If there may be a fit, we will contact you to discuss matching and next steps.
yuming.he@suffolk.edu