Hack Your Summer

2026-06-28 · Source: Simon Willison's Weblog · Field: Technology & Digital — Software Development & Engineering · Depth: Novice, quick

Summary

Hack Your Summer is a 4-week, high-velocity production sprint designed for undergraduate students, graduate students, and recent graduates to build tangible, public-facing projects. This initiative, highlighted by DJ Patil, aims to equip participants with skills to identify projects, make steady progress, and secure support from mentors and peers, ultimately creating work they can showcase to future employers. It serves as a direct response to the current internship crisis facing US college students, where a significant reduction in available internships has left many without opportunities. A second, free cohort is scheduled to begin on July 13th, with an application deadline for students set for July 8th. The program is also actively seeking volunteers to serve as mentors.

Key takeaway

For undergraduate students, graduate students, or recent graduates facing limited internship opportunities, consider applying to the free Hack Your Summer cohort starting July 13th. This program offers a structured path to develop a tangible, public-facing project for your portfolio, directly addressing the current internship crisis. If you are an experienced professional, you should volunteer as a mentor to support these students in building their skills and careers.

Key insights

The "Hack Your Summer" initiative provides a structured alternative for students to build projects amid an internship shortage.

Principles

• Project-based learning builds portfolios.
• Mentorship and peer support are crucial.
• Tangible output aids career prospects.

Method

The program involves a 4-week sprint to identify a project, make steady progress, receive mentor/peer support, and create public-facing work.

In practice

• Apply for the free July 13th cohort.
• Volunteer as a mentor for students.

Topics

• Hack Your Summer
• Student Internships
• Project-Based Learning
• Career Development
• Mentorship

Best for: Software Engineer, Entrepreneur, Consultant

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Simon Willison's Weblog.