Most 19-year-olds spend the summer looking for something to put on a resume. Vincent Iser spent his managing 12 employees, closing roughly 25 clients, and generating over $140,000 in sales. A sophomore at the University of Tulsa, Iser joined the College Works Student Professional Program after deciding he wanted more than a conventional internship could offer. He went through a competitive application process, trained for about a month in Wichita, Kansas, and then took over as branch manager for the Tulsa area. As of early June, he is ranked 3rd out of approximately 400 students in the College Works Great Plains region, with a projected $300,000 in total revenue before summer ends.
What the College Works internship actually looks like on the ground.
Before his first client, Iser completed intensive training covering crew management, hiring, client relations, and job site quality control. Then he put all of it to work. This summer he manages a team of roughly 12 people, including fellow college students and local workers. He coordinates scheduling, handles client communication, and oversees quality on every project.
Iser says building a reliable team has been one of the biggest reasons for his results, and that the culture he sets matters as much as anything technical. Creating a positive work environment, he says, is not a side benefit. It is the work. That is what running a branch requires, and it is what the Student Professional Program is built to teach: real responsibility, not busy work.
Pushing through 20 rejections while carrying 18 credit hours.
The path was not smooth. Iser carried 18 credit hours last semester while working 30 to 40 hours a week on his branch. Early on, he went 20 consecutive estimates without landing a single job, and he had to lean on family and mentors to keep his momentum.
“There were times I wanted to quit. I wanted to give up,” he said. “But seeing the bigger picture and reminding myself of where I truly want to be in life is what really motivates me to keep going.” That pressure, academic load on one side and business ownership on the other, is exactly the kind of test the program puts in front of its interns before they ever graduate.
The numbers behind a $140,000 summer.
Iser put his own results in perspective: most small businesses do not reach $100,000 in revenue until their third year. He crossed it in three months.
| Metric | Result so far |
|---|---|
| Sales generated | Over $140,000 |
| Clients served | Roughly 25 to 26 |
| Team managed | About 12 employees |
| Regional ranking | 3rd of approximately 400 students (Great Plains) |
| Projected season revenue | $300,000 |
His long-term goal is to become a CEO, and he is treating this summer as the first chapter. “We know we could fail, but let’s fail now,” he said. “If we shoot for the stars and we fail, hey, now we’re 25. Might as well give it a shot.”
Why the College Works model produces results like this.
College Works is built on a simple idea: the fastest way to develop a leader is to hand them a real business and real accountability. Interns run their own branch end to end, managing crews, budgets, clients, and outcomes, with mentorship from people who have done it before. Painting is the vehicle. Leadership is the point.
Vincent did not shadow anyone. He ran the show.
Ready to run your own branch this summer?
If Vincent’s story sounds like something you want for yourself, applications for the College Works Student Professional Program are open now. Apply here.
Frequently asked questions about the College Works internship.
What is the College Works internship?
Called the Student Professional Program (SPP), the College Works internship is a unique program that blends hands-on business skills development with high-quality house painting services. Unlike traditional internships, with the SPP you aren’t relegated to making coffee for or “shadowing” the people who do the work. Instead, you launch and run your own residential painting business, get comprehensive front-line and back-office training, and receive personalized mentorship from seasoned businesspeople that are passionate about raising up the next generation of leaders. Unlimited earning potential, transferable skills, invaluable personal development, and a competitive advantage in the post-graduation job market are just some of the other major benefits of this program.
Do interns paint homes?
No, interns hire and manage crews of workers that paint homes.
How much do SPP interns earn?
We have a minimum compensation guarantee of $6,000 for participants who work consistently through the entire program. However, students who bring their A-game earn much more. We don’t cap intern commissions, which means after a summer of disciplined work, you could earn enough to pay for tuition, make a sizable down payment, or have investment capital for your next venture.
What are the minimum application requirements?
To apply for the Student Professional Program internship, you must be a full-time undergraduate student with access to a car, have a GPA of 3.0 or higher at time of application, and be able to commit to the minimum required work hours: 20 hours per week during the spring semester and full-time work in the summer.
How will the SPP help me in the post-graduation job market?
Alumni regularly tell us that they can trace their career, leadership, and, indeed, financial success directly back to the skills they acquired through our internship program. In fact, market research firm Career Analytics conducted an independent study of our program showing that our alumni find jobs faster after graduation, earn more than their peers within five years of graduating from college, and reach upper management faster than their peers. Letters from major corporations eager to interview our interns demonstrate how well regarded the SPP is by hiring managers.
Vincent’s story was originally featured by News On 6.