The Career Path Internship (CPI) program at Idaho State University was established in 2010 and celebrates 15 years of internship opportunities for students across ISU’s campus locations. The program itself is one-of-a- kind in the nation, receiving national recognition for innovation and effectiveness.
Since its inception, the CPI program has provided over 11,000 internships with academic departments, offices on all ISU campuses, and over 300 community partners hosting off-campus internships across the state. ISU invests over $2 million annually so students can gain these life-changing internships. Numerous CPI alumni have been offered permanent employment with their host organizations upon graduation or been accepted into highly competitive graduate programs, including medical schools. Other interns have co-authored articles or research that has been featured in academic journals or presented at conferences.
The program connects students to professional, paid internships that provide hands-on, real-world experience in their chosen field of study or that directly align with their career goals. These opportunities enhance the intern’s academic studies, diversify their skill development, advance them toward their career aspirations, and help them build a social and career network in their chosen industry. The program is intended to enrich students’ lives, transform ISU’s campuses, and strengthen communities by developing career-ready individuals and forming meaningful connections.
Studies have shown that students who participate in internships become more valuable employees, have better job placement rates, increased career satisfaction, and earn higher wages than their peers. CPI positions are intended to help prepare students for life after graduation by allowing students to integrate their formal academic study with practical, on-the-job work experience. CPI internships provide an excellent opportunity for students to meld theory and practice with their chosen field of study and allow them to develop essential transferable skills. Kylie Cosgrove is one CPI alumni who embraced the benefits of the CPI program during their time at ISU.
Cosgrove earned a bachelor’s degree in theatre in 2018 and held an internship in the Costume Shop, working with Tara Young, chair of the theatre department. Cosgrove credits her internship for the opportunity to gain experience and build a portfolio that showed her skills as a costume designer.
“As a CPI student, I was actually given management experience that helped build my resume while in college,” she said. “Learning not only how to collaborate with other students, but also to delegate and oversee a variety of projects gave me an edge in this field.”
Like many students, Cosgrove wasn’t fully sure what she wanted to do with her degree, but Young, and the internship experience, were guiding forces in helping her make the decision.
“Before I joined the theatre department, I never even considered a career in costumes or wardrobe. Tara Young saw my potential and offered me a work study, and eventually a CPI position,” Cosgrove said. “Her passion and dedication to teaching really helped mold me into the professional I am today. There are many industries that require experience before you can get a job, and the CPI program is extremely valuable to giving students that experience while they’re in school.”
Cosgrove is now working in costume design and wardrobe with a number of theatre production companies all over the world, traveling with Broadway tours both nationally and internationally.
Alyssa Meldrum, who studied biomedical sciences, was the first intern to hold a position at Alpine Animal Hospital in Pocatello, ID. Through the CPI program, she was able to earn paid hours working with veterinarians at Alpine, which helped her as she applied to veterinary school at Washington State University.
“I got to see all kinds of species of animals and worked to develop my technical skills while interning at Alpine,” Meldrum stated. “I just graduated from WSU in 2025 and will be returning to Alpine Animal Hospital as an associate veterinarian.”
Zac Schepis graduated in May of 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a certificate in cybersecurity. His work as a CPI allowed him to write software programs that will ultimately benefit companies in Pocatello.
After connecting with an ISU alumni who was looking for extra support on development efforts, Schepis contributes to projects involving full-stack development and software engineering aspects. Much of his work is focused on refining web applications, and building them based on minimal input or loose requirements - turning rough ideas into functioning, user-friendly products.
“I really appreciated the opportunities that came up from CPIroles I had held while still a student,” Schepis said. “Now I am responsible for both frontend and backend components, including setting up data retrieval pipelines and ensuring smooth integration across the stack. A key goal in earlier web apps I worked on was improving user experience by making websites more responsive, intuitive, and polished.”
Learn more about CPI Programs