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Depending on the semester and the clients, students who participate in the ATLAS Internship Program have the opportunity to learn and apply a wide variety of skills, while also helping organizations reach their goals. Below are just a few examples of projects and skills that our interns have gained.
Data Analytics for Digital Communication – Student Money Management Center
An intern worked with the Student Money Management Center (SMMC) as a Data Analyst, focusing on the evaluation and optimization of the center’s digital communication strategies. The intern was responsible for collecting and appending X (formerly Twitter) and email campaign data to master datasets, creating data visualizations to support marketing insights, and analyzing communication effectiveness across multiple platforms—including newsletters and University Bursar email campaigns.
This project demonstrated how an intern could contribute meaningful insights to help an organization better understand and improve its outreach. Through this work, the intern developed technical skills in Tableau, learned to code and analyze data using R, and gained practical experience working with real-world datasets. In addition to technical growth, the internship helped strengthen professional communication and collaboration skills through team-based analysis and regular reporting.
The project offered a strong foundation in applied data analytics, combining business insight with technical know-how—ideal for organizations looking to evaluate audience engagement or optimize their digital outreach strategies.
Interactive Game Design & Experiential Branding – Marching Illini Beat Saber Mod
In a creative partnership between the ATLAS Internship Program and the Marching Illini, interns developed custom Beat Saber levels for Oculus Quest 2, using songs traditionally performed by the Marching Illini. The project also included modding the game’s environment to feature the University of Illinois Main Quad, allowing users to experience a fully immersive, Illini-themed gameplay experience.
This project showcased how interns could combine technical innovation with school spirit to enhance digital engagement in a unique and interactive format. Interns applied skills in game design, audio synchronization, 3D asset integration, and platform-specific modding. They also learned how to translate brand identity into interactive media, manage version control, and communicate technical instructions clearly for end-users.
Through this experience, interns developed a deeper understanding of user experience design, learned to work across interdisciplinary teams, and practiced adapting emerging technology for audience-focused storytelling. It’s a prime example of how interns can contribute to immersive digital projects that engage communities and promote institutional identity in fun, forward-thinking ways.
Website Development & Content Management – Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies
An intern supported the Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies as an IT Website Intern, helping maintain and enhance the center’s online presence. Responsibilities included updating the events calendar, revising grant and fellowship application pages, and refreshing the people page with new biographies and photos. The intern also organized digital files and helped format outreach materials.
This project showcased how an intern could streamline digital workflows and support effective web communications for an academic or research unit. Through this experience, the intern gained valuable technical skills in graphic design and the university’s in-house WebTools platform, along with transferable professional skills in time management, communication, and independent problem-solving. The experience also helped build confidence in navigating new digital tools and working within an academic setting.
Machine Learning & Course Recommendation Tool – ML/AI Development Team
An intern contributed to the ATLAS Machine Learning & AI Team on a project focused on improving course discovery through intelligent recommendations. The work involved analyzing text similarity between course descriptions using the RoBERTa language model, building a user interface to suggest related courses, and using large language models to extract and compare key topics across academic content.
This project demonstrated how an intern could meaningfully contribute to advanced technical development in data science and AI-driven applications. The intern developed technical expertise in Python programming, natural language processing, and data manipulation with tools like Pandas. Just as importantly, the project strengthened soft skills such as professionalism, project organization, and collaborative communication in a simulated workplace environment. The experience offered insight into real-world ML workflows and prepared the intern for future roles in data science and technology.
Social Media Strategy & Brand Engagement – Aeline Salon
An intern served as a Social Media Specialist for Aeline Salon, leading efforts to grow the salon’s digital presence and connect more deeply with its client base. The intern created weekly content calendars, designed visuals, produced video reels, and used analytics to fine-tune strategy and maximize engagement across platforms like Instagram.
This project illustrated how an intern could bring immediate value to a small business by driving brand visibility and enhancing customer engagement through digital marketing. Along the way, the intern built technical skills in tools such as Canva and Instagram’s scheduling and analytics features, while also developing strategic thinking, creative storytelling, and project management capabilities. The fast-paced nature of social media marketing taught the intern the importance of adaptability, audience awareness, and maintaining a consistent brand voice—all of which are critical in today’s digital communications landscape.
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