Professional Experiences

!!! Please note that effective 1/5/2023, CFAN 4096 will replace ESPM 4096 and ESPM 4096 will no longer be offered. !!!

FWCB Students should have several professional experiences while in college. Internships help you gain experience, learn about professions, develop skills, and build a network. Many employers and grad schools seek candidates with internship experience.

All students must complete a professional experience and the associated reflection class (.pdf), either CFAN 4096, Professional Experience Program: Internship, or CFAN 3096, Making the Most of Your Internship (see schedule below). These classes are designed to help you to complete pre-and post-reflection components of the experience. Be sure to register for one of these courses prior to beginning a professional experience – retroactive enrollment is not allowed. Here's how to register for CFAN 3096 and CFAN 4096.

If you're doing your professional experience in... You should register for... And things will start in...
Summer CFAN 4096 - Fall Semester May/June with pre-internship orientation and "pre-flection"
Fall CFAN 3096 - Fall Semester Fall (coincident with classes)
Spring CFAN 3096 - Spring Semester Spring (coincident with classes)

*Concurrent registration in CFAN 3096 during Summer Session is possible for extenuating circumstances

Expand all

Finding an Internship

Job & Internship opportunities will be sent directly to undergrads by e-mail. Contact the FWCB office to be added to the Undergrads listserv.

Funding an Internship

CFANS offers multiple Undergraduate Internship Grants, worth up to $1000. These grants offer financial assistance to CFANS students doing an unpaid internship in spring, fall, or summer. This is a competitive grant for which you must apply. Eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and instructions can be found here. Select the CFANS link.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities

The U of M's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) provides a stipend to undergraduates for special research, scholarly, or creative projects done with a faculty member. You must apply and be accepted into the UROP program. To apply, you'll develop your own research proposal, usually in partnership or with the permission of a faculty member. Applications are accepted twice a year. They're judged on the quality of the proposed project, and on the educational benefit to the student. 

More information on UROP and other research opportunities can be found here.

UROP meets the needs under specific conditions: it counts if your UROP advisor agrees to the needs of CFAN 4096 (perform an evaluation, informational interview, etc.) and you list it through the CFAN 4096 handshake process and register for the course.

CFANS Mentor Program

The CFANS mentor program is an excellent opportunity for students to connect with professionals working in their areas of career interest. Through this relationship students can get an inside view of how various companies and organizations work, how professionals balance life and career and learn how to better prepare for the working world. In the past few years, about 6 FWCB students have been mentored by alumni or other natural resource professionals. We'd love to have dozens of students involved in this program each year.

Ready to register?

Registration instructions