Honoring the Legacy of Harold "Jeff" Metcalf
The Jeff Metcalf Internship Program gets its name from Harold “Jeff” Metcalf, AM’53, former dean of students at the Chicago Booth School of Business from 1956-1975 and University athletic director from 1975-1981. Metcalf was a friend and mentor to students in both of these roles. He would frequently advise students on their career paths and introduce them to potential employers.
After Metcalf passed away in 1994, one of his former students Byron D. Trott (AB’81, MBA’82, University Trustee) was inspired to carry on Metcalf's legacy and establish a new internship program in his honor. Trott was one of several lead donors whose vision and investment created the Jeff Metcalf Internship Program, which continues Metcalf's efforts to help UChicago students find meaningful career experiences. The Metcalf Program has scaled up to a level where thousands of undergraduates benefit from the program each year thanks to the generations of UChicago alumni, parents, and friends who have hired students, shared internship leads with Career Advancement, and supported the program philanthropically.
The program's founders had the foresight to launch a University internship program at a time when internships were often considered an optional, "nice to have" experience. Today, internships are widely recognized as critical for both students and employers. Thanks to the UChicago community's early investment in the Metcalf Program, it's in a strong position to provide these win-win experiences that prepare students for their future career and help employers identify strong job candidates at a time when competition for top talent is very high.
