Why Internology

Internology was born from a deep belief: internships can and should be transformational — for both the students who participate and the organizations that host them. But too often, they’re unstructured, inequitable, or treated as an afterthought. That’s where we come in.

Our founder, Christine Barkley, spent a decade working in higher education, specializing in career services and experiential learning. During that time, she saw firsthand how internships that are done well create student ambassadors — and how those that aren’t can create adversaries, leaving students with a negative impression of the organization.

In 2021, she joined Intern Bridge, a small organization based in Texas focused on internship research, training, and consulting. She quickly fell in love with the work: the data, the workshops, and the impact. When Intern Bridge’s president shifted focus solely to consulting, Christine knew the education-centered work couldn’t stop. She purchased the intellectual property and launched Internology — a new kind of organization dedicated to studying internships and those who participate in them, helping others better understand:

• the structure necessary for success,

• the generation of students participating in them, and

• the evolving role internships play in talent development.

The moment of clarity came at the Grad Leaders Conference in early 2025, where educators, employers, agencies, and nonprofit leaders gathered to explore the future of talent. It was clear: internships are the bridge between education and industry — and no one entity fully owns that space. Internology was intentionally designed to fill that gap.

Internology is just getting started. Whether you support students, design programs, or influence policy — we invite you to partner with us to transform the future of internships.