In addition to the standard tools provided by your career services department, we recommend a direct-approach strategy. That is, if you find a cybersecurity company that deeply interests you, directly approach them and ask about opportunities. Many startups and smaller companies are too busy to run formal externship programs. They’ll be delighted to hear from you if you explain your interest and if it is well matched to the company.
Now, where to start? Crunchbase lists over 450 Bay Area cybersecurity companies. You can also start with a resource like Momentum Partner’s Cyberscape to understand the ecosystem of companies.
The I School also offers an internship grant for MIMS students who pursue internships with non-profit organizations.
Here are other starting points for research:
- Aspen Institute Tech Fellowship
- Center for Democracy & Technology
- Coding it Forward
- Electronic Frontier Foundation
- Princeton’s Center for Information Technology Policy Summer Fellowship
- TechCongress
- Technology and National Security Fellowship