Odyssey Career Resource Center

Source: https://careeradvancement.uchicago.edu/career-toolkit/personalized-support/odyssey-career-resource-center/ Parent: https://careeradvancement.uchicago.edu/

Welcome to the Odyssey Career Resource Center! As an Odyssey Scholar, you have access to a unique set of resources that will help you explore your career interests and develop a strong foundation for your professional development.

Career Resources for Odyssey Scholars

Odyssey Scholars can take advantage of many special resources, including:

• Personalized one-on-one advising with a career adviser.
• Frequent updates from Career Advancement about opportunities aligned with your interests.
• Funding available for unpaid or partially paid internships or research opportunities.
• Access to the Jeff Metcalf Internship Program, which provides 4,500+, substantive internship opportunities each year with a wide range of organizations. The stipend for a full-time Metcalf internship is $5,000 for both first-year Odyssey Scholars and Odyssey upperclassmen students.
• Mentorship and community with fellow Odyssey Scholars.
• Workshops designed to maximize your career potential.
• An opportunity to gain technical skills and apply to positions at nonprofit endowments/investment offices through the Rogers Scholars Program in Finance.

First-year Odyssey Scholars looking for information on the First-Year Odyssey Career Program, please visit the First-Year Odyssey Career Program page!

"The opportunity to conduct research at University Hospitals Case Medical Center was an invaluable experience that I truly believe advanced my aspirations of pursuing a career in medicine."

Andrew H.

During his internship at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Andrew researched several different variables that influence how well hypertension patients control their blood pressure.

Career Resources for Self-Secured Unpaid Opportunities for Odyssey Scholars

“Self-secured internships” refer to high-quality internships that students secure by independently contacting professors or employers to find a position, or by applying to internships posted outside of the Metcalf Program. Odyssey Scholars who self-secure a summer opportunity that is unpaid or partially paid can apply to the Jeff Metcalf Fellowship Grant to support their living expenses.

Pursuing a self-secured internship is an excellent option if you are seeking an opportunity that might not be available in a traditional job database (e.g., highly specialized industry, specific geographic area, etc.). Self-securing an internship is also an effective strategy for students interested in conducting research with a faculty member. Students interested in self-securing an opportunity are encouraged to reach out to faculty or employers whose work aligns with their interests early on in the academic year. For additional guidance on how to self-secure an internship, including support in setting up an outreach timeline and crafting an email to employers, please schedule an appointment with your career adviser.

Please speak with your career adviser if you would like support in crafting an outreach e-mail to send to potential organizations you’re interested in working for over the summer, the earlier you send your inquires, the more success you are likely to have. Additionally, career advisers can help you in to setting up a timeline for your self-secured outreach!

QuestBridge MBA Scholarship Opportunity

The QuestBridge Graduate School Match gives QuestBridge alumni the opportunity to apply for admission and full-tuition scholarships for Chicago Booth's MBA program. This opportunity is for students who apply through the traditional Full-Time MBA admissions process - students in the Chicago Booth Scholars or Accelerated MBA track do not qualify. Visit the QuestBridge website to learn more and apply!

"More than the skills I have acquired, this job has given me a renewed sense of purpose and a belief in my own capability to change."

Jessica C.

Jessica’s internship with About Face Theatre allowed her to plan and organize several original events and expand the scale of its outreach to multiple new communities.

Funding Eligibility Criteria for Self-Secured Opportunities

To be eligible for consideration of Odyssey funding, your self-secured opportunity must:

• Provide substantive projects and responsibilities (i.e., limited or no clerical tasks such as filing, fetching coffee, or doing heavily administrative work)
• Provide you with an immediate supervisor who can serve as a professional mentor

Academic Year Internship Funding for Odyssey Students

As part of the University’s financial aid support of Odyssey Scholars, limited funding is available for academic year, unpaid internships.

• Funding is limited to $500 per quarter (maximum of $1,500 for the academic year) and not guaranteed.
• Off-campus, in-person experiences are prioritized.
• Priority will be given to students who have never received an academic year grant.
• No late applications will be accepted or considered.
• Students who have been selected for the 2025-26 Academic Year Quad Undergraduate Research Scholars Grant are not eligible to receive Metcalf funding or additional opportunities during the academic quarters.

Please note: This grant only funds academic-year experiences. Applications for the winter quarter are now live. Apply via UChicago Handshake here (job ID# 10536915).

Second, Third, and Fourth-Year Odyssey Scholars seeking funding for summer positions should apply for the Metcalf Summer Experience Grant. First-Year Odyssey Scholars should request their Odyssey Metcalf Funding.

2025-2026 Academic Year Internship Grant Application Timeline