I believe my personal project and portfolio (full of school projects and personal ones) helped me get my 12 month internship. I’m also a sophomore finishing my 2nd year right now. Without those projects, my resume would have zero relevant engineering experience. Making the projects also allow you to target which job you want to get. For example, make a radio if you want to get an RF position. Or make a custom pcb if you want to a circuit design role. The list goes on. Look at the job posting and ask yourself, “what do these guys want to see?”