#United States #Chicago #Yello #Internship Programs #National Intern Day

Yello Unveils 2025's Top 100 Internship Programs

On July 31, 2025, Yello, a prominent player in early talent acquisition software, celebrated National Intern Day by announcing its prestigious ninth annual Top 100 Internship Programs List. This list aims to honor organizations that excel in fostering meaningful intern experiences through development, engagement, and mentorship. Past honorees include notable companies like Synchrony Financial (2024), Northrop Grumman (2023), and Boeing (2022).

National Intern Day was established in 2017 by WayUp and has since been maintained by Yello, which acquired WayUp in 2021. The day signifies a nationwide acknowledgment of the invaluable contributions interns make toward organizations and highlights the critical importance of developing robust and equitable internship programs.

For this year's selection, Yello amassed 115,000 public votes alongside evaluations from a panel of industry experts who scrutinized anonymized nominations from numerous employers. Each program was assessed based on key criteria tailored to determine the effectiveness and impact of their internship initiatives. Dan Bartfield, Co-Founder and CEO of Yello, conveyed the notable competitive spirit this year, emphasizing how the commitment to enhancing intern experience has risen significantly.

Claiming the prestigious top spot for 2025 is Kimley-Horn, recognized for its exceptional intern experience that blends hands-on client work with a supportive culture rooted in mentorship and growth. Key components include:

• - Development Integrated at Every Level: Interns immerse themselves in impactful deliverables, participating in weekly check-ins and receiving multi-source feedback from leaders and colleagues.
• - Empowering Culture of Connection: With organized Intern Days, buddy pairings, and direct access to leaders, interns receive robust support, enhancing their professional and personal growth.
• - Future-First Initiatives: The program's comprehensive benefits showcase Kimley-Horn's commitment to a people-centric culture, reflected in outstanding conversion rates—over 20% of full-time employees began as interns, including the President who started in 1994.

Yello also acknowledged outstanding employers in four specific categories:

• - Public Service Award: _American Heart Association_ - Their interns significantly contribute to public health, launching initiatives, creating CPR education content, and making a tangible impact in communities.
• - Intern Growth Award: _Fulcrum Global Technologies_ - This program uniquely balances autonomy with support, allowing interns to co-found companies within a startup incubator framework, thus fostering real-world business skills.
• - Innovation Award: _General Dynamics_ - Their program merges specific professional development with immersive real-world challenges, boasting a high conversion rate of interns into full-time roles.
• - Small but Mighty Award: _Valmark Financial Group_ - With a year-round structure, this program enables deeper learning and growth opportunities, ensuring 70% of interns transition to full-time positions with many progressing into leadership roles.

About Yello, the company supports a multitude of leading brands in managing their campus recruitment processes to attract and engage promising early-career candidates. As an innovative tool specifically crafted for sourcing early talent, Yello encompasses the entire recruitment spectrum—from planning and operational execution to candidate engagement.

In this way, Yello not only recognizes exceptional employers but also sets new benchmarks for creating rewarding internship experiences that prepare future professionals to thrive in their careers.