Program Summary | University of Portland

Program Summary

Students from the participating universities are matched to 2 six-month internships with companies in their field of study. Each internship lasts six months to allow for meaningful project work and significant experience at the company.

The program’s objective is to provide students with the real-world experience they would not typically acquire inside the classroom. Also, students are required to intern at two separate member companies, which allows both universities and students to experience today’s diverse engineering and business opportunities. The MECOP/CECOP process ensures that students who finish both internships will be more prepared for careers after graduation.

While on the internship, each student is assigned a mentor with the internship company. The mentor guides the student through their internship experience. Every year, prior to when internships begin, MECOP provides training for these mentors and also provides an evaluation process at the mid-point and at the end of the internship. 

Students on MECOP/CECOP internships make at least 70% of the starting salary of an entry level engineer. Traditionally, more than 90% of MECOP graduates have worked for companies in Oregon and 70% work for MECOP member companies. 

Find out more about the program by visiting the MECOP website.

MECOP and CECOP programs >

Student Profiles

Abbey Hill

Abbey Hill - Class of 2020
Civil Engineering

"This internship program piqued my interest because it seemed like a great way to gain extended experience and learn more about the industry"

Learn more about Abbey Hill

Elias Paraiso

Elias Paraiso - Class of 2019
Computer Science

"This internship allowed me to observe and experience what the life of a full-time employee is like at a large corporation. "

Learn more about Elias Paraiso