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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 14, 2026 |
PORTLAND, ME — Across Maine, summer interns discovering that career experience isn’t just about skill-building, it’s also about contributing to the communities they’ll one day serve. Three Maine organizations intentionally have an Intern Service Day to show university students that meaningful careers include supporting the community around you.
As Service Days gain momentum statewide, Maine businesses are weaving volunteerism into their corporate culture, demonstrating what collaboration in action truly looks like. Interns from Maine Turnpike Authority, HNTB Corporation, and Greater Portland Council of Governments took part in a day that blended networking with hands-on service, giving students a clear view of how Maine workplaces integrate community impact into professional development.
This year’s Intern Service Day was hosted in partnership with Daniel Bishop of Portland Trails, whose work centers on leading volunteer groups in community improvement projects. With interns studying everything from engineering and business to finance, government, and communications, choosing a project that required collaboration and problem‑solving made perfect sense.
The group traveled to the Jewel Falls–Rowe Trailhead in Westbrook to dismantle and rebuild a walking bridge in a neighborhood where families and children frequently spend time outdoors. By restoring a structure that helps residents stay connected to nature, the interns contributed to a project with an immediate, visible benefit to the community. The hands‑on work gave these students—each from different disciplines—an opportunity to apply their strengths, learn from one another, and experience how Maine organizations bring people together around a shared goal.
Despite coming from different majors and campuses, the interns worked together with the kind of focus real projects demand—building teamwork skills, learning how to navigate new personalities, and strengthening connections with people they might never have met without this experience.
Each intern brought something unique to the team, creating a space for growth and appreciation. This allowed each intern the ability to successfully work as a team.
Erin Sullivan, Chief Administrative Officer at MTA, stated that “This experience offered the interns a meaningful opportunity to connect, learn, and contribute. The collaboration and enthusiasm they demonstrated exemplified the spirit of public service. I’m proud of the work they accomplished and excited to see how they carry these lessons forward in their careers.”
Northern New England Office Leader Vice President of HNTB, Matthew Hearn also highlighted that “Building bridges, in this case—literally—a trail bridge, and figuratively within this community is incredibly rewarding.”
Because each participating agency serves Maine in a different way, it was important for the interns to understand how local organizations can team up—even when their intention and mission don’t perfectly overlap. The other half of Intern Service Day set the stage for that understanding. Interns were introduced to one another, strengthened early networking skills, and heard motivational remarks from MTA Executive Director Andre Briere. They also learned about each organization’s mission and ongoing community‑focused work, to see how community partnerships form in real‑world work.
The group of interns comes from a wide range of academic backgrounds, some pursuing their doctoral studies and others completing their undergraduate degree, attending Bentley University, Bowdoin College, Lafayette College, Northeastern University, Stonehill College, and the University of Maine.
Intern Service Day not only brought interns together but also provided an opportunity to step outside the office and make a meaningful impact on the community, reflecting each organization’s broader commitment to providing service to Maine. With a measurably successful day, the organizations hope to make this a yearly tradition for interns and employees alike.