The transition from school to adulthood can feel overwhelming.
Finding meaningful work, learning workplace expectations, and building confidence are big milestones for any young person. For students in Spartan Project SEARCH, those lessons happen through something powerful: real-world experience.
This year, interns in Spartan Project SEARCH spent time learning and growing through internship experiences across Michigan State University. Hosted through a partnership between Ingham Intermediate School District and Michigan State University, the program combines classroom instruction with year-long workplace immersion designed to help young adults build employability skills and independence.
Throughout the year, students gained experience in departments including Biomedical Custodial, Chemistry Custodial, Spartan Child Development Center, 1855 Place Maintenance, MSU Library, College of Human Medicine, and Linen Services.
But the experience is about much more than learning job tasks.
It is about showing up, becoming part of a team, learning how workplaces function, navigating challenges, and gaining confidence through practice.
And none of it happens alone.
Across campus, supervisors and staff opened their doors, shared their expertise, and invested time in helping interns learn, grow, and succeed. Their willingness to mentor and support students helped transform everyday workplace experiences into meaningful opportunities for growth.
Spartan Project SEARCH was created to help young adults with disabilities gain the skills and experiences needed for successful employment after school, with a strong focus on workplace immersion and transferable job skills.
For many students, these internships represent more than a school program.
They are a first glimpse into future careers, greater independence, and what becomes possible when someone believes in your potential.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to the supervisors and teams at Michigan State University who helped make this year’s internship experiences meaningful for every student involved.
Because sometimes, success starts with someone simply saying:
“Come learn with us.”
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Spartan Project SEARCH has been recognized with an Excellent Outcomes Award for achieving a 70–90% successful hiring rate among its 2024–25 cohort. The honor reflects the dedication of students, instructors, business partners, and community supporters working together to create meaningful pathways to competitive employment.
