Internships allow students to experience the professional world, apply skills learned in the classroom
By Lacey Bitter
Junior Jacqueline Vo helped plan major non-profit events and researched for the Environmental Education Program in Oregon, all while receiving help in developing her writing and communication skills.
As the Advised Funds and Research Intern for the Oregon Community Foundation, Vo got professional experience outside of the classroom in an internship.
"Whether it is the exact occupation you want or not, you can use your experience to get where your heart takes you," Vo said.
Students will have the opportunity to present themselves to about 50 employers for internships on Wednesday at the third annual Internship Fair sponsored by the Office of Career Services.
"Internships allow students to get applied experience and explore career options," said Amy Cavanaugh, Career Services Director.
The fair is a very successful way for students to get internships, Cavanaugh said. It provides a place for students to begin searching for an internship, with some internships ready to begin immediately and others available for next summer.
Internships offer students a way to explore career options and gain work experience in the field.
"It's a great way to develop contacts and fantastic to put on your resume," Cavanaugh said.
While some internships pay and some do not, it is often possible to receive academic credit for internship work. In the past students were able to get a general College of Arts and Science credit for internships, but now they must work with their academic advisor to receive upper lever course credit within a certain discipline.
"It's up to students to receive credit," Cavanaugh said, mentioning that it is the duty of the student to put forth the effort to receive credit and not depend on the employer or the academic advisor.
About 50 employers will attend the fair, with limited space restricting a greater number. Employers include the National Forest Foundation, Hollywood Theater Project, Enterprise Rent-a-Car, Portland Rose Festival Foundation, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Oregon Health and Science University.
Many of the companies have been at the fair in the past and are returning. "They've been very pleased with the opportunity to meet students," Cavanaugh said.
Career Services also has an online database of job and internship listings that is available year-round.
Senior Jessica Kolkmeyer did an internship at the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oregon for six months during her junior year which she discovered from the Career Services online database.
"As an intern, you get to participate and observe while you are at work," Kolkmeyer said. "It is such a good experience to take what you learned from class and actually do it in the real world."
While interning, Kolkmeyer experienced how non-profit organizations work and learned how to plan major media events.
She thinks that the experience will be valuable to add to her resume. "Now I have a recommendation from a nationally recognized organization," she said.
Cavanaugh mentioned that Career Services can also work individually with students to find internships that are neither at the fair nor on the database.
"We have a lot of contacts in the community with employers. Posted internships aren't the only opportunity," Cavanaugh said. "We'll work with a student if there's a certain company or organization they're interested in."
Internships are very valuable in gaining experience that can be applied toward getting a job upon graduation.
Alumnus Nathaniel Dennehy, who graduated in 2005, interned in the training department of Fred Meyer's corporate headquarters the summer after his junior year at UP, and he credits the internship in strengthening his resume upon graduation.
"It's one of those things that makes you stand out in a field of applicants," Dennehy, who just returned from three years in Japan on the Japan Exchange and Teaching program, said in an e-mail.
"Not all of it was fun work, but everything I did was within the greater context of making my internship a positive learning experience," Dennehy said.
The internship fair is free of charge and takes place Wed. Oct. 1 from 1 to 4 p.m. in Franz Hall.
