Help give students the Owl Edge.
Shape the Future: Host an Owl Edge Externship
Owl Edge Externships are an essential experience for all students at Rice, made possible by alumni volunteers and friends of the university. These externship opportunities connect classroom learning to real-world problems and prepare students for their future careers. They also expand interactions between students and professionals, offering early career insights and mentorship.
Owl Edge Externship hosts can select from these three tracks: Explore, Engage, and Experience
- EXPLORE (1/2 Day or Less): Designed for hosts with limited time. This track focuses on brief sessions for informational interviews, career advice, and high-level introductions. Suggested activities include virtual Q&As, "day-in-the-life" briefings, or short networking sessions with you or your team.
- ENGAGE (1 Day): Host a student or small group for a single day of job shadowing and structured immersion. This format provides a tangible look at a profession and supports career readiness. Suggested activities include workplace tours, department overviews, client meeting observations, or small learning projects.
- EXPERIENCE (2+ Days): Provides multi-day experiences with sustained shadowing or project participation. This track allows students to gain an insider's view of a profession and build professional networks. Suggested activities include hands-on research assistance, mock project collaboration, and broad networking across departments.
Important Dates to Know
We suggest hosts set their externship dates during the ideal dates below, as they align with student breaks. If you would like to meet with your student extern(s) on another date, please indicate that in your registration and with your students after you have matched.
| Phase | Winter Break Cycle | Spring Break Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Externship registration deadline | September 28, 2026 | January 5, 2027 |
| Externship match notifications | Mid November | Mid February |
| Ideal dates to host externship | Dec. 16 - Jan. 10, 2027 | March 13 - March 21, 2027 |
Structuring your Externship
Externship activities and schedules are entirely at your discretion. Anything that gives students a tangible, realistic idea of a day in your career is considered an externship. Please review our sample externship formats, and if you have additional questions, please contact externships@rice.edu. For a recording of our latest webinar, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How are students selected for an externship?
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CCD staff review every application for fit and quality of application materials. Students apply to externships via our 12twenty career platform with a resume and a paragraph of interest. We notify students of their matches and then introduce externship hosts to the students who matched.
- What are the benefits of being an Owl Edge Externship host?
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This high-impact program is an excellent way to mentor the next generation of Rice students. If you are involved in recruitment or talent management, this is an excellent way to showcase your organization, company culture, and daily activities. Build your talent pipeline and give Rice students the “Owl Edge.”
- How are students prepared for the externship?
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Students complete a mandatory online orientation prior to their externship that focuses on professionalism, communication, informational interviewing, and goal setting.
- Do I need to pay students or provide housing and transportation?
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Paying students is NOT allowed, as this program is purely for learning and networking. If you are able and feel comfortable opening your homes to students, picking them up from transport hubs, or offering to buy them lunch, that is acceptable as long as your externship students agree. Students are responsible for travel expenses, but the CCD provides limited travel funding to help offset those costs.