Research, Internship, Applied Learning, and Employment Opportunities

Applied learning experiences engage students in real world situations requiring them to put into action the knowledge and skills they are developing through academic coursework. These experiences help students connect academic learning to the real world, enabling them to obtain and enhance the knowledge and skills required for employment, further education, and active participation in the local community.

Applied learning experiences at The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo can include:

Internships and practical experience with local businesses and agencies
Involvement in faculty research
Artistic and creative endeavors
Student employment

Resources for programs, departments and agencies providing applied learning experiences can be found below:

UH Hilo Campus Applied Learning Programs

Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science (PIPES)
Marine Option Program (MOP)
Space Grant Hawaiʻi Consortium
Kealoha STEM Program

Internship Opportunities

UH Hilo Internship Database
College Central : Browse local and national internship and job postings.
Internship Courses: UH Hilo offers numerous internship credit courses. Course descriptions can be found in the UH Hilo Catalog. For more information on an internship course, please contact the Department Chair or College Deans Office. The current schedule of courses offered can be found on the Class Schedules page.

Student Employment Opportunities

University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is proud to offer programs and opportunities for undergraduate students to become involved in research and training activities.

Islands of Opportunity Alliance - LSAMP. The Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) initiative is a consortium of 19 universities and colleges from Hawaiʻi and the Pacific island nations. The "Islands of Opportunity Alliance" addresses obstacles to underrepresented and underserved populations in pursuing STEM fields, and provides opportunities to encourage student success. The goal of the program, funded by the National Science Foundation, is to double the number of minority professionals in STEM careers.
Keaholoa STEM Program. The goal of the Keaholoa STEM Scholars Program (KSP) is to increase enrollment, support, and graduation rates of native Hawaiians and other underrepresented minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics disciplines. Throughout its years of existence, Keaholoa has become a program where minority students can engage in scientifically rigorous research that is grounded in indigenous or native cultural practices and knowledge. Funded by the National Science Foundation Tribal Colleges and Universities Program.
Marine Options Program (MOP). This is a University of Hawaiʻi system-wide certificate program, offered on all UH campuses, providing educational opportunities for students from all disciplines who are interested in the ocean. Among other activities, UH Hilo MOP students are trained in wildlife management techniques in an on-going sea turtle research program carried out in cooperation with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service.
Pacific Internship Programs for Exploring Science (PIPES). PIPES is a university level project-based internship program housed within the UH Hilo Office of Research. PIPES is committed to increasing the recruitment and retention of local students, especially those of Native Hawaiian ancestry, into fields of study, and ultimately careers, related to the natural resources of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific region. PIPES operates as an umbrella program for three internship opportunities and works to coordinate a collaborative program for all participants in the three internship programs each summer.