Summer On The Cuyahoga

Summer on the Cuyahoga (SOTC) recruits talented college students for summer internships and a unique immersion into the community with the ultimate goal of having graduates build networks and permanently locate in Greater Cleveland. Participating schools include CWRU, Colgate, Cornell, Denison, Ohio Wesleyan, Smith, University of Chicago and Yale. Summer on the Cuyahoga is an economic development initiative designed to attract talented young people to settle permanently in Cleveland, thereby realizing a “brain gain” for the region. We work with alumni from each participaating university to bring 40-90 talented undergraduates to Cleveland every summer for a program with four principal components: (1) challenging paid internships; (2) group living on the campus of Cleveland State University; (3) an intensive program of community introductions, career explorations and cultural and social events; and (4) connection with a local alumni mentor. SOTC provides an opportunity for the region to showcase its professional, civic, and personal offerings to a select group of undergraduate students. The summer program is followed by fall and spring recruitment initiatives to market the region’s full-time employment opportunities on participating campuses. Summer on the Cuyahoga is unique in its comprehensive approach, focusing on attracting graduates to Ohio from a national talent pool representing all regions of the country.