In order to certify a co-op/internship experience, students must successfully navigate all phases of the co-op/internship program:

• Meet eligibility requirements
• Find a Co-op / Internship Experience
• Take a Co-op / Internship CANVAS orientation course
• Navigate the approval process
• Complete program evaluations

Eligibility Requirements

 Student Eligibility Requirements for the NMSU Cooperative Education and Internship Program:

• Be enrolled as a full-time student (12 credits for undergraduate students and 9 for graduate students) in the fall/spring semester prior to first or subsequent work assignments.
• A degree-seeking student with a declared major.
• Minimum GPA of 2.0 for undergraduates; 3.0 for graduate students.
• Minimum of Sophomore classification (NOTE: Students can apply for Cooperative Education/Internship positions as a Freshman, but cannot participate in work assignment related to major until the completion of 28 or more credit hours.)
• Recommendation – students should not complete work assignments during the final semester before graduation (Exceptions can be made on a case-by-case basis).
• Student must be a classified as an NMSU main campus student.

Testimonials

“My experience with NASA was amazing. I was able to attain the benefits I sought, including a brief break from classes, great hands-on engineering experience, a good salary, and fantastic networking opportunities. I had no idea, however, that I would also change so much and learn about myself at the same time. I can't recommend going on co-ops or internships enough, I can't think of another alternative that gives you so much.”

“As a Civil Engineering major, working at the City of Las Cruces in Public Works and obtaining a spot on the coveted NMSU Bridge Inspection Program were two dreams I could never have realized without the Cooperative Education and Internship Program. At both jobs, I have gained valuable experience in my field using some of the latest design software, data management and analysis, and hands-on inspection techniques. All students should seek co-operative educational opportunities to broaden their skill set and apply their academic knowledge.”

“The transition from college to a full-time job in engineering can be difficult, especially if you do not have experience. Employers in the engineering field are looking for experienced individuals who can contribute in a positive way to a company. Internships and Co-op’s help us students develop our working skills and allow us to learn through these experiences how things work in a real world engineering job. I was fortunate to have opportunities of working in various projects and locations that allowed me to have a broad experience. I was an Aerospace and Mechanical Engineer and I started working at the New Mexico State University Physical Science Laboratory in my junior year of college as a Co-op engineering aide, working on important projects that are occurring in the professional engineering world. I learned to work in an individual and in team settings in which I was pushed to think outside of the box in order to accomplish tasks. Through my experiences at PSL, I was able to work at NASA Wallops Flight Facility in a Co-op and then a summer after that, I was awarded an internship at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center as a research associate. My experiences in these Co-ops and internships allowed me to develop as a professional engineer and prepared me for a job after graduation. Thanks to these experiences I was also able to obtain a good job in my field of study before graduation.”

“I have had an awesome time working for ConocoPhillips. The company really knows how to show their appreciation for their employees. Although I am not a Petroleum Engineer, with help from my peers I caught on quickly. I would recommend working with this ConocoPhillips to anyone interested in the oil and gas industry.”

“Adjusting to a new Co-op can be difficult, but by being your hard-working self, Co-op’s can be a rewarding experience. Working at Ethicon Endo-Surgery brought me new experiences and reinforced old skills. This includes material related to my degree interest of electrical engineering, project management, the everyday office environment and tasks, and much more. Being able to experience this Co-op was simple thanks to the Co-op/Internship services at NMSU.”

“The opportunity to intern at NASA provides invaluable experience. The type of internship I had at NASA is known as the OSSI internship with the Office of Education. The technical work is only part of the experience. Yes, you need to be good with technical work, however, you also need to have time management, and be able to coordinate with your co-workers, and work in a team. During my fall 2014 semester here, I had obligations with the Office of Education, my technical lead, my NASA mentor, and my directorate. My obligations for the Office of Education included a brown bag presentation, a project plan submission, and a final report submission. My obligations for my technical lead included software programming, and issues dealing with coordination of time to get on the development environment for testing my code out. My obligations for my directorate included attending various tagups for reporting status of my technical work, to attending all hands meetings held by the Director of the directorate to meetings held by the division chief.”

“As my co-op with City of Las Cruces draws to a close and I reflect back on all I have learned, I realize what an excellent experience this has been. I gathered much knowledge in the classroom, but a hands-on approach has been invaluable. Working with professional engineers and learning from them has served as a beneficial ending to my formal education. In my opinion, the best way to learn is by doing. I am truly grateful for this opportunity.”

“I was hired as a parallel Cooperative Education student with the NMSU Physical Science Laboratory (PSL). By working at PSL and attending school, I have had the opportunity to gain valuable work experience while still pursuing a degree in the mechanical engineering department. As a parallel Co-op student, all the projects I have worked on pertain directly to the classes I have taken, or will take, and ultimately to my degree and my career. The work I have been assigned at PSL has been challenging yet useful. Being involved in the Co-op Program at PSL has given me the opportunity to excel in my classes and has already significantly contributed in getting hired for summer internships and I expect will ultimately aide in employment after college.”

“For the past 6 months, I have a had the pleasure of participating in the Cooperative Education/Internship program at ExxonMobil Research and Engineer in Paulsboro, NJ working as a product technologist on the Mobil 1 team. This opportunity has allowed me to apply my education that I gained as an undergraduate in Chemical Engineer to solve critical real world problems and contribute to innovations in next generation technology. I would highly recommend that everyone pursues an internship or Co-op program before they graduate, to prepare themselves for successful careers”.