The Best Gifts & Swag for Interns to Grow Talent & Brand Trust

Today’s interns are tomorrow’s innovators, leaders, and decision-makers. How you treat them now can shape the future of your business. Intern Appreciation Day is typically observed on the last Thursday in July. Even though interns are usually temporary members of your staff who join the team at lower pay (sometimes unpaid) to gain work experience, the way you recognize your interns can have a lasting impact on your talent pipeline and your company’s reputation.

Internship programs help your business as much as they help the intern who is learning. You should always treat your interns as you would any other employee or customer. National Intern Appreciation Day is a great opportunity to strengthen both your talent pipeline and trust in your brand. 

Intern Appreciation Builds a Stronger Talent Pipeline

Interns who feel appreciated are significantly more likely to stay engaged, go above and beyond, and consider your company for full-time employment. In fact, data from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) (opens in a new window) consistently shows that interns who receive full-time offers are more likely to accept them if they feel a sense of connection and value during their internship.

This connection often comes down to the culture you build around them. When interns are included, acknowledged, and given credit for their work, they begin to see themselves as part of the team, not just temporary help doing the grunt work. That mindset shift has ripple effects, including:

• Higher conversion rates: Recognized interns are more likely to accept return offers.
• Lower onboarding time: Interns who transition to full-time roles already understand your systems, people, and expectations.
• Better employee fit: Interns who choose to stay after graduation do so with full knowledge of your work environment, meaning fewer surprises and greater alignment.
• Stronger long-term loyalty: Positive intern experiences build goodwill that can last well into their careers (opens in a new window), even if they don't return. They’re more likely to choose your products in services in the future over your corporate rivals.

Even if you’re not hiring full-time at the end of the internship, how you treat your interns still matters. Today’s interns are plugged into peer networks, alumni groups, and social media. A positive experience can generate future interest in your company from their peers, professors, and even future clients.

Best Times To Give Intern Appreciation Gifts and Intern Swag

When you show intern appreciation, you strengthen your recruiting funnel and reduce long-term hiring friction. Getting your intern gifts and company swag is a low-cost, high-impact strategy. There’s never a bad time to show intern appreciation, but there are a few times when gifts and company swag make more sense. 

Welcome gifts are popular for onboarding new hires & team members, and they are great for introducing new interns to your brand. National Intern Day 2025 falls on July 31st. This holiday is a great time to give a little something special to a summer intern. The other key moment to give interns gifts is the last day of the internship.

Best Intern Gift Ideas to Show Appreciation

Custom logo gifts for interns are a special way to remind them of the time they had with your organization. Plus, interns talk. They post about their experiences. They share stories with classmates and future colleagues. When they have a positive experience, you don’t just win a fan, you get a brand ambassador.

A practical gift will be appreciated, and signals to others that the intern was proud of their time with your company. The best gifts for interns reflect individual contributions and interests. At 4AllPromos, we used our 21 years in corporate gifting to create our list of gifts for interns.

1. Company Swag

Items that your interns will use daily are beneficial swag gifts for both you and the intern. A coffee mug or tumbler can be a great option to use at home and in the office. T-shirts and hoodies are wearable, make your intern feel like part of the team, and as a bonus, create brand awareness when they’re worn out and about. A water bottle might be a better option over a coffee mug, for a more active intern. Remember, you want to keep their interests in mind.

When you’re going to offer an onboarding package or multi-item thank-you gift, putting them all together in a tote bag with your logo is eco-friendly wrapping and another gift! Don’t forget a sticker for their laptop too! 

2. Technology and Gadgets

Company logo tech gifts, like a charger or power bank, come in handy when phones and tablets are running on empty. Earbuds are a perfect tech gadget gift because everyone can use them during work hours, commutes, and workouts. If your intern is a gamer or you know they work best without distractions, noise-canceling headphones are an even better choice than earbuds. 

3. A Useful Gift For Their New Job

Some of the best custom intern gift ideas are items they will use in their future role. A personalized pen set, classy desk clock, or a sturdy briefcase can make the next step in their career feel more professional. By the end of their internship, they’ll have new skills and the perfect gift for their new career. These gifts help the transition to their full-time role. 

4. A Social Media Shoutout

Not all gifts have to be material in nature. Announce to the world that you’re so excited to bring your intern aboard. It can make them feel welcome, and they can share it to let their friends and family know that they’ve landed at a company that cares. 

When it is time for their departure, a fond farewell can also be posted. Your intern will likely be starting the job hunt, and attention to their LinkedIn account broadens their network. You don’t have to wait for them to leave for an online shout-out either! Whenever they make a noteworthy achievement or go above and beyond in their performance, give them the recognition they deserve for their hard work. 

5. Gift Cards

In most cases, your interns will be students. Students are taking out loans and living on tight budgets to pay for their education. Even if it doesn’t seem very personal, giving a gift card, whether it's for Amazon or a favorite local restaurant, gives your intern a little flexibility to use the gift where and when they need it.

Pairing a gift card with a related promotional item can make the gift a little more meaningful.

6. Letters of Recommendation, References, and Mentoring

Offer to provide a letter of recommendation or serve as a reference when your intern is applying for a new job.  This act is invaluable when they are meeting with hiring managers. Putting in a good word can do more to help your intern than any gift you give. If your endorsement is what lands your intern their dream job, you can rest assured that they will never forget the favor. 

Take the time to answer questions or act as a general mentor to interns, too. Your experience can serve as a valuable resource to a young person who is trying to establish a foothold in your industry. Being available to provide support and advice can be key to an intern's success.

7. A Gift Box or Gift Basket

When you want to treat a hardworking intern to something really special, consider a gift box or gift basket. Send off your interns with delicious snacks, a wellness-themed package of self-care items, or a drinkware gift set. If your company operates in a particular industry or your intern has a niche interest, you can pick a theme and create your own gift box!

8. A Graduation Gift or Christmas Gift

When your intern is around during the holidays or a milestone life achievement, you should consider including them in corporate holiday gifting. It is also a nice gesture to send well wishes for graduation or a birthday, even after they’ve continued on their career path. This can be something as simple as a greeting card. It’s always nice to know that the company you interned with is still thinking of them, even when they're not around.

9. Your Time

One of the most important gifts you can give to your intern is your time. Outside of mentorship and serving as a professional reference, spending some time with your interns off the clock can be very meaningful as well. Offer to treat them to a morning coffee or a restaurant lunch. They may feel more comfortable asking questions and getting to know the industry in a casual setting than in an office.

It also gives you a chance to get to know your intern better and decide if they’re a good fit for permanent employment. Being respectful of privacy, you and your intern may also choose to stay in touch. Sending an email to say hello and asking a former intern how they're doing may brighten their day and remind them of the times they had at the company.

10. Unique Gifts to Leave a Lasting Impression

Unique gifts can leave interns with a smile. Cutting boards or other kitchen goods become a part of their home life. A fun idea is to give them scratch cards, where they have a chance at winning various prizes from your business.

For an intern whose internship is ending, but doesn’t yet know they’re being offered a full-time role at your company, create a set of their own business cards as a surprise. A surprise gift is always memorable. 

Intern Appreciation Day & Intern Gifting FAQ

What do you give an intern on their last day?

On your intern’s last day, consider gathering the office for lunch or having a party so everyone can bid the intern farewell. Most companies will give intern gifts that can help the person in their professional life and be a memento of their time at your company.

What are the benefits of giving gifts to interns?

Besides just a thoughtful gesture from the company, giving intern appreciation gifts means: 

• Interns will keep your company in mind as a potential future employer
• Your interns will know you value their contributions
• Logo-imprinted intern gifts will continue to make impressions for your brand
• Onboarding gifts create a positive and encouraging work environment from day one
• An appreciation gift will foster feelings of connection to and identification with your company
• High-quality and sustainable swag will make a powerful statement about your company's values

Why should I have an intern recognition program or give interns gifts?

A thoughtful intern recognition program not only makes your company a beacon for other interns, but it also demonstrates that you take mentorship seriously. Taking the time to bolster the confidence of the freshest workers shows you care about people, not just output. It also boosts office morale as you create a workplace where employees are seen and valued.

How do I make my intern feel welcome?

You can make your intern feel welcome with verbal encouragement, giving them recognition and guiding them to additional skill sets that will help them grow, and giving them branded swag apparel or office items during onboarding. You want your interns to know they're valued members of the team and that their work is appreciated.

What do you give a student intern?

When giving a student intern gifts, consider where they are in life. Students may value a gift card to feed themselves over a t-shirt with the company logo. Show your appreciation with a personalized gift, that matches the student’s needs and is memorable for your business. A good gift idea, for example, is a high-quality tumbler with your company logo and a bag of gourmet coffee or tea they can use with the tumbler. 

The ROI of Intern Recognition

When interns leave with a positive impression, you earn more than goodwill. Investing in an internship program builds a stronger recruitment funnel (opens in a new window). When interns have a good experience, they stay onboard, they refer peers, and they sing your praises on social media.

A strong respect for interns signals a company with an aptitude for employee appreciation. How you treat new talent reinforces a positive company culture. This also makes clients take notice when a company lives its values, not just markets them. Intern appreciation is both an internal development tool and an external brand builder. You’re creating advocates for your company in every direction.

Intern Appreciation Is a Small Act with Big Impact

You don’t need a giant budget or an elaborate event for Intern Appreciation Day. It is about taking a moment to say, “We see you. We value you. Thank you.” That alone can spark loyalty, motivation, and a ripple effect of brand positivity.

Recognize your interns with the kind of thoughtfulness you’d show any high-potential employee. Consider company-branded gift ideas to make the gesture even more memorable. Remember, interns aren’t just here to help with the busy work, they are your future hires, advocates, and cultural touchpoints. Intern Appreciation Day gives you the chance to turn a short-term experience into long-term value for both your people and your business.

Make this Intern Appreciation Day one that grows your future talent and reinforces the brand you’ve worked hard to build.

Order Custom Gifts For Interns From 4AllPromos

Sources:

1. Gray, K. (2021, June 9). Trends in one-year, five-year intern retention rates. National Association of Colleges and Employers. https://www.naceweb.org/talent-acquisition/trends-and-predictions/trends-in-one-year-five-year-intern-retention-rates/ (opens in a new window)
2. Wawer, M. (2022). Student internships as a tool for assessment of the employer brand. Scientific Papers of Silesian University of Technology: Organization and Management Series, (158), 663–674. https://managementpapers.polsl.pl/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/158-Wawer.pdf (opens in a new window)
    

Education at Work. (2023). The benefits of early talent pipeline development. https://eaw.org/the-benefits-of-early-talent-pipeline-development/ (opens in a new window)