Summer Savior: Students Flocking to Weldon Cooper Center’s Clean Energy Initiative

Upon realizing the vast number of students who were suddenly losing summer jobs and internships, the Cooper Center leapt into action. Batten Professor Bill Shobe and his team made the decision to take on as many interns for its Virginia Clean Energy Project as it could possibly handle.

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Neha Awasthi thought she was all set for the summer.

The rising third-year civil and environmental engineering student from Aldie was looking forward to a summer internship at a transportation planning and engineering firm. The 10-week program was set to begin in late May and run through early August.

But when COVID-19 hit, Awasthi’s plans – like those of many students at the University of Virginia and around the world – were dashed.

Enter UVA’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service.


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