About the TSI program
The Thrive Scholar Internship program, housed under University Housing & Dining Services, is a professional development opportunity offered to 14 students within the Educational Opportunities Program at Oregon State University. The TSI program focuses on empowering students with a background in seasonal agricultural work to reach their full personal and professional potential. Through a combination of leadership development and hands-on internship experience, the program aims to provide opportunities to develop valuable skills and insights throughout the academic year.
Compensation
Compensation for the Thrive Scholar position is a standard double residence hall room with roommate. This does not include an overhead fee of $2,100 per academic year, which participants are responsible to cover. Additionally, as a student living on campus, you are responsible for paying for your dining plan.
Program learning outcomes
1. Exploration and development of self
NACE Competencies: Career and Self-Development
- Develop self-awareness and understanding of how one’s interactions with the institution influence engagement and sense of belonging
- Articulate how one’s life shapes one’s academic, personal and career choices
2. Intentional leadership
NACE Competencies: Leadership, Career and Self-Development, Critical Thinking
Gain practice and experience in effectively –
- Identifying individual strengths, challenges and values to inform an understanding of personal leadership style
- Developing and applying a personal work philosophy that incorporates feedback, self-awareness and comprehensive practices
- Reviewing program-related opportunities and reflecting on their personal and career-related impacts and influence
3. Campus community engagement
NACE Competencies: Teamwork, Communication
Gain practice and experience in effectively –
- Engaging with campus and community resources through meaningful relationships to pursue shared goals, offer mutual support, and contribute to collective growth
- Developing effective communication and collaborative skills to build and maintain supportive relationships
4. Professional fluency
NACE Competencies: Professionalism, Communication, Teamwork, Critical Thinking, Technology
Gain practice and experience in effectively –
- Navigating and deconstructing the expectations of professional settings, recognizing interpersonal and structural dynamics
- Exhibiting professionalism by maintaining consistent communication and a present and engaged demeanor in program settings
- Effectively prioritizing and managing academic, professional and personal responsibilities by using organizational strategies and adapting to competing demands and shifting expectations to meet goals and deadlines
- Demonstrating financial literacy by identifying tools and practices that support effective personal financial decision-making
Program components
The program components are the activities and engagement opportunities that are provided and expected of the interns in order to reach the program learning outcomes. The interns are expected to commit approximately 10 hours of work a week to this program, which includes direct internship work as well as meetings and events.
- Weekly professional development classes: 2 hours
- Biweekly meeting with Program Mentor/Capstone mentor: 1 hour
- Journaling: 1 hour
- Internship in designated areas: 6 hours
This is a year-long internship.
- Fall term: weeks 2–9
- Winter term: weeks 1–9
- Spring term: weeks 1– 5
Additionally, interns are required to attend the Peer Education Leadership Conference (offered by the Academic Success Center at OSU) and the TSI Retreat, which take place in the fall and spring terms respectively.
Professional development sessions are held every Monday of the academic year. The goal of these sessions is to enhance students’ awareness, knowledge and skills on a variety of topics which will equip them to navigate both their academic and professional environments while preparing for future career opportunities. Various campus offices participate in these sessions by conducting workshops on a range of valuable topics including personal and professional values, leadership tendencies, work philosophy, setting and achieving goals, networking, financial literacy, resume development, among others.
Each year, seven internship sites are selected from an applicant pool of departments and offices across Student Affairs at Oregon State University. During TSI orientation, students participate in a mixer where they meet site supervisors, ask questions and learn more about each placement opportunity. Following the event, students rank their top three preferred sites, and final placements are determined based on both student preferences and program needs. To enhance the learning experience and minimize feelings of isolation, students are placed in pairs at each internship site.
2025-26 internship sites:
Community Engagement & Leadership
Dreaming Beyond Borders Resource Center
As part of the Thrive Scholar Internship program, students are asked to reflect weekly through guided journaling. This practice isn’t just about writing – it’s about building self-awareness, connecting professional development to personal experiences, and tracking growth over time.
Each week, interns respond to a journal prompt connected to the theme of our professional development classes, experience at internship site, NACE Competency development, or other relevant activities. These prompts are created to support identity development, academic progress, leadership growth and goal setting.
Journaling is also a space to explore transitions, celebrate wins, work through challenges and connect to personal and community values.
All Thrive Scholar Interns benefit from two forms of mentorship: TSI mentorship and Capstone Project mentorship. The TSI mentor – typically a third-year student or above – guides interns through their first-year experience, offering both personal and professional support as they transition to college life and engage in this developmental opportunity.
Capstone mentors, on the other hand, are professional staff from across Student Affairs who voluntarily dedicate their time to help interns develop the written and visual components of their Capstone Project, a culminating requirement of the program.
- Biweekly one-on-one meetings that focus on your academic progress, internship experience and personal development
- A space to ask questions, set goals and receive guidance tailored to your needs
- Support navigating the challenges of college, from time management to community building
- A consistent connection to someone who understands your background and is here to help you thrive
Program Retreat: Centering Social Identity
- Thrive Scholar Interns have participated in this retreat as part of their experience as interns since the program’s inception. The retreat aims to help meet the learning outcome of Exploration and Development of Self where students get to explore aspects of their social identity in relation to their personal history and as a student at a predominantly white institution.
- This is a day-long retreat that often takes place during the first few weeks of spring term.
The Thrive Scholar Internship Capstone Project is a culmination of each intern’s learning experience within the program. It involves both a written reflection and a presentation. The written portion requires interns to reflect on their journey by selecting at least three of the program outcomes and two subgoals, and explaining how these were achieved through their program-related experiences. The presentation is delivered during the capstone presentation date which is updated every year.
Capstone Mentor Program: As part of the Capstone Project, students are provided the opportunity to work closely with a mentor, a professional staff member from various offices through Student Affairs, different from their site supervisors. This mentor helps the student brainstorm, draft, edit, reread, etc. the written reflection of the capstone, as well as be a sounding board when the student is bringing the presentation together and practicing it.
Capstone presentation day: This activity is the culmination of the Thrive Scholar Internship program activities. UHDS leaders, site supervisors and mentors, students’ family and friends are all invited to witness the presentations, leave students a loving message, take photos and enjoy some food in community.
Quotes from program alumni
Arleth (2023-2024)
- Looking back on (the TSI) experience, I can say it was a meaningful and positive opportunity. It opened doors to opportunities that might have been difficult to access otherwise, allowed me to network with new people, and gave me a better understanding of what a professional role within the university looks like.
Pavel (2023-2024)
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My experience in the program has been positive, developmental and appreciated; I have fond memories. The program was informative, well-organized and creative in building a short, close community that helped us adapt to and integrate into school life. It provided us with example job and school experiences while instructing us on academic and life values. I would recommend it to anyone.
Antonio (2023-2024)
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During my time as an intern, we would have weekly meetings with our mentor and all the program interns. On top of that I had weekly meetings with my supervisors on top of the task they had us doing. In the end we had a retreat where it consisted of a weekend.
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One of the big things that I got out of this internship was building connections here on campus with different people and departments.
Brenda (2023-2024)
- What I most value about this program is the retreat. It was incredibly helpful to learn the different strategies for conflict management depending on the situation and how much energy you wanted to spend on the conflict.
- This internship was incredible in helping me transition into college life and understanding professionalism in the workplace. It was a good opportunity to connect with other mentees and have additional resources to rely on.
José (2024-2025)
- I see a lot of value in the TSI program as it really helps introduce students into the world of professional work. I had the chance to network with various offices and organizations around campus, which allowed me to be a better ambassador for the Dreaming Beyond Borders Resource Center. There’s also a lot of room for self-growth and improvement during the professional development meetings.
- To any current or future TSI students reading this, take full advantage of your time with your internship sites. What you put into the program is what you get out, so be open to new opportunities and stepping out of your comfort zone. Also be sure to take lots of pictures and take notes early on what you're doing! It’ll come in handy for the capstone.
Leonardo (2024-2025)
- The value that has been most apparent in my second year was the opportunity to develop a stronger sense of work-life balance. My internship with one of the OSU departments gave me first-hand experience of what it’s like to be a student worker, learning how to manage responsibilities, stay organized and adjust to new challenges. It not only gave me professional experience but also helped me connect with other students who were going through the experience of balancing academics, work and personal life.
- The classes within the program also played a key role in showing me that every student starts somewhere and that there are always resources available to help us grow at our own pace. Even with all the information presented to us, it never felt overwhelming. Our TSI mentor, Analicia, played a huge role in helping us navigate and break down the resources while sharing her own experiences as an OSU alum and former TSI participant.
TSI staff
TSI Mentor
Analicia Candiani
So excited to meet you all! I’ll be here to support you academically, socially, and any way I can as you begin navigating your first year in college!
Program Coordinator
Belén Ojeda Bernal
I’m honored to work in this program! I believe in its vision and goals, and I am excited to help students achieve them. If you have any questions, please email me.