National Intern Day celebrates future leaders on July 30, 2026, with the announcement of the Top 100 Internship Programs List, recognizing 100 organizations across the country that go above and beyond to create meaningful internship experiences and career-launching opportunities for early talent.
National Intern Day, created by WayUp and observed annually on the last Thursday of July, is dedicated to honoring the contributions of interns and the programs that develop them. The Top 100 Internship Programs List, now in its tenth annual edition, represents the culmination of months of nominations and evaluation by industry experts and the broader public.
The selection process combines rigorous expert judgment with public participation. According to Yello, which publishes the list in partnership with WayUp, hundreds of employers submitted nominations this year, and the final rankings were determined by a panel of industry experts who reviewed each anonymized nomination alongside 115,000 public votes cast by interns and employers.
Expert panelists scored programs based on six key criteria: professional development, intern engagement, company culture, conversion opportunities, compensation, and unique program elements. This multi-faceted evaluation ensures the list reflects programs that prioritize both the immediate intern experience and long-term career outcomes.
The 2025 list offers insight into what top internship programs deliver. Kimley-Horn claimed the number-one spot by setting what Yello described as “the gold standard for what an internship can be.” The engineering and design firm integrates interns directly into client work, pairs them with mentors including former interns who have advanced to executive roles, and provides structured feedback from supervisors, teammates, and firm leaders. The program’s success is reflected in its conversion rate: over 20 percent of Kimley-Horn’s current full-time employees were former interns, including the company’s current president, who began as an intern in 1994.
Beyond the top ranking, the 2025 list recognized specialty award winners in four categories. The American Heart Association won the Public Service Award for designing an internship program where interns directly contribute to nationwide health initiatives and CPR education campaigns. Fulcrum Global Technologies earned the Intern Growth Award for its 13-week startup incubator model, where interdisciplinary teams of interns co-found real companies with legal and operational support. General Dynamics received the Innovation Award for combining professional development with high-impact perks and real-world defense and cybersecurity challenges, achieving a conversion rate exceeding 65 percent. Valmark Financial Group won the Small but Mighty Award, demonstrating that companies with fewer than 1,000 employees can build powerful talent pipelines through full integration, dedicated mentorship, and continuous feedback.
Common themes across top programs reveal what employers are prioritizing. Leading internship programs fully integrate interns into company life—from employee resource groups and wellness benefits to executive Q&As and cross-functional projects. Many programs build community through peer mentorship, returning intern leadership roles, and structured feedback models. Professional development is increasingly layered, with variations of the 70/20/10 model combining hands-on experience, coaching, and formal training. Resume reviews, mock interviews, and development sessions aligned to professional competencies have become standard offerings.
The recognition carries real weight for employers and interns alike. Being named to the Top 100 list signals to early-career talent that an organization is invested in their growth, while providing employers a competitive advantage in attracting top intern candidates. For interns, the list offers a curated guide to programs designed to launch meaningful careers.
Sources
- Yello — 2025 Top 100 Internship Programs list announcement, selection criteria, and award-winning program details
- National Intern Day official website — National Intern Day date, founding by WayUp, and 2026 Top 100 Internship Programs List announcement
- PR Newswire — Yello’s 2025 Top 100 Internship Programs List release, voting totals, and expert panel methodology
- WayUp — Information on National Intern Day founding and the annual Top 100 list publication process
