Remote volunteer internships offer high school and college students hands-on experience building production AI systems
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MascotGO today announced the launch of its Student-in-Residence (SIR) program, a remote, volunteer internship that gives high school and college students nationwide practical experience at an AI-native venture. Participants will work directly with the MascotGO product and engineering teams on front-end, back-end, and data/AI projects that support student discovery, profile building, and matchmaking for higher education.
"Today's students are entering a world in which AI is reshaping careers and classrooms," said Helen Thomas, Founder & CEO of MascotGO. "Our Student-in-Residence program is designed to move beyond theory, empowering students to gain meaningful, project-based experience, helping to build tools and create content for MascotGO's college AI concierge as we build in public together."
The program addresses a growing gap in traditional education: while AI tools proliferate across industries, few students gain practical experience building AI-powered products before entering the workforce or applying to competitive universities. Recent studies show that hands-on technical experience increasingly differentiates candidates in both college admissions and early-career hiring, yet such opportunities remain scarce for students still in school.
Owning Your AI-Native Future
For participants, the SIR program offers more than technical skills—it provides tangible proof of initiative and real-world capability. Students will graduate with portfolio projects demonstrating production-level work, professional references from experienced engineers, and insights into product development that few peers can match. These assets prove invaluable when competing for admission to selective universities or landing first jobs in an increasingly competitive market. "The students who thrive in tomorrow's economy won't just understand AI—they'll have built with it," Thomas added. "We're creating pathways for curious, self-directed students to gain the kind of experience that opens doors, whether that's admission to their dream school, their first job offer, or the confidence to launch their own venture."
Beyond individual advancement, participants join a network of young builders and gain relationships that often prove as valuable as the technical experience itself. In an era when professional connections increasingly determine career trajectories, early access to a community of innovators and experienced practitioners gives SIR participants a significant advantage. By taking initiative now, participants position themselves at the forefront of the AI-native generation—equipped not just with theoretical knowledge, but with the hands-on experience, professional network, and demonstrated capability that define tomorrow's leaders.
Learn more and apply at: https://www.mascotgo.com/student-in-residence
About MascotGO
MascotGO's College AI Concierge is an AI-powered platform that helps students and families discover colleges, build robust candidacies through multimodal journal entries and personal networks, and match with best-fit institutions based on career outcome, academic rigor, and campus life preferences. The platform is free for students and families and is designed to keep users engaged and on track through their entire college admissions journey.
Media Contact:
Helen Thomas
(415)-866-0883
[email protected]
SOURCE MascotGO
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