Though classes began less than two months ago, enterprising students have already begun to direct their attention toward internship opportunities for next summer. Finding a program suited to one's interests may seem like a daunting task, but the University provides numerous resources to help students on the path to acquiring the ideal internship.
Starting this year, UCS will offer a new opportunity for College students to meet with potential employers. Commerce Career Services and UCS will host a business careers intern fair at the end of November, in addition to the traditional UCS internship fair which will take place in late January.
University Career Services does not currently compile statistics about students and their experiences, said Alex Moody, UCScurricular counselor for education development. While UCS collects and compiles data describing where students go to work after graduation, efforts are being made to expand the information UCS makes available to job and internship seekers.
Why Intern?
Though holding a paying job or traveling with friends may sound more appealing than completing an unpaid internship, students can greatly benefit from the experience, Moody said.
An internship can allow students the opportunity to learn more about their overall career goals. Sometimes students reassess their goals after they find that they hate their internship and never again want to work in a particular field. Others grow more enthusiastic about their internship field and gain new insight after finding they love the experience. Internships also present valuable networking opportunities.
Renee Earle, senior Foreign Service officer with the State Department and diplomat in residence at the University, echoed Moody's sentiment. She noted that the information interns learned while interning for the State Department may make students want to work for the department after graduation. Earle noted that even if students decide they would not want to work for her agency in the future, the internship still provides students with a learning experience relating to American foreign policy.
Moody noted that networking is not only valuable for potentially returning to the particular company where one interned, but can provide connections to people in a particular field who might help students find other jobs later in their careers.
UCS Resources
The University Career Services office is one place that students can get assistance in beginning their internship search. Moody said the department offers small group meetings about internship applications twice a week throughout the month of October. Students can also schedule individual appointments or simply visit the UCS office during daily walk-in hours to receive advice about their internship applications.
Moody said the office receives "a good amount of traffic" from students interested in internships, as up to 24 students can attend interactive internship workshops each week. Each counselor also meets with one or two students individually every week in order to help them with the internship search and application process.
Counselors focus on topics such as targeting students' searches, researching organizations, completing self-assessments and utilizing one's network during group and individual counseling sessions, Moody said.
Second-year College student Stephanie Jean-Charles said she benefited from a recent internship workshop, as she gained new ideas about what people and resources can help her find internships.
"Knowing that I have the resources through UCS here is really helpful," Jean-Charles said.
Some students interested in finding internships found UCS' resources inconvenient to access, noting that the office's location in Bryant Hall, attached to Scott Stadium, is not centrally located.
"I'd expect it to be in Newcomb," fourth-year College student Mary Conley said.
First-year College student Danny Bennet said the office's location deterred him from seeking help after he was unable to get help on the phone.
"I tried to call, but I couldn't get through," Bennet said. "I thought I would go down there, but it's really far away, so I kind of gave up."
Students who do not want to travel to the UCS office can still access some of UCS' resources, such as HoosTrak, a subset of MonsterTrak, to search for internships or jobs, Moody noted.
Third-year College student Allison Crowe said she successfully used HoosTrak to find the internship she recently completed with a minor league baseball team.
"The one internship that I would have wanted to get just so happened to pop up on HoosTrak," Crowe said, noting that she was glad to find an internship that was different from more traditional, unpaid government positions.
UCS also recommends students utilize other online resources such as Internships USA, which is accessible using passwords distributed by UCS, Moody added.
When To Apply
Moody said UCS encourages any student who is interested in holding an internship to apply, even those who will be graduating in the spring, as many students network and eventually obtain full-time jobs as a result of the internship experience. First-year students, however, will likely "struggle a bit more" in finding internships, Moody said, because many companies are seeking older interns.
For those first-year students who are interested in applying, HoosTrak could prove useful, Moody noted, as entries in the database sometimes list the qualifications needed to apply. If, despite searching, a young student cannot find an internship suitable to his or her interests, Moody recommends volunteering, as the experience could provide students with knowledge about their future career interests.
Tips for the Search
Moody said UCS recommends most students consider a broad range of possible internships, unless they have a particularly specialized background and focus. With resources ranging from online listings to personal networks, students have the capability to consider many possible options.
"Casting your net and seeing what's out there is the most important part," Moody said.
Earle also noted that students should approach the internship search with an open mind.
"Don't paint yourself into a corner," Earle said. "Leave yourself open to the idea of working in a different section."
Earle added that the State Department also welcomes interns who are studying subjects not traditionally associated with diplomacy. Because the Foreign Service is like a "big corporation," many skills -- such as health science expertise or engineering --- are needed to make it function properly.
By being proactive, students can also widen their possible range of internships, Moody said. All students have easy access to the organizations which list internships in listings such as HoosTrak, but other associations may not prominently promote their internships or may not have considered having an internship program.
"You can contact these organizations," Moody said. "That can produce results and opportunities."
Application Tips
Earle told students that the statement of interest which is part of the State Department application -- and is also a component of many other internship applications -- is a critical portion of the application, as it allows students to relay their experiences and personal information.
Application evaluators will look at internship applications to see what skills a potential intern could bring to the office.
"Don't waste a lot of space talking about world peace and saving the planet," Earle advised, noting that students applying for the Department's internship should instead focus on their accomplishments in school, volunteer work and other activities.
Working Without Pay?
One common complaint about internships is that many are unpaid. According to Moody, UCS offers several grants and scholarships to those students who cannot otherwise afford to participate in an unpaid public service-oriented internship.
Some unpaid internship sponsors may also offer some financial aid for students in need. Earle noted that approximately 30 percent of State Department internships offer some form of payment to those students who demonstrate that they are receiving financial assistance at college.
Getting Academic Credit
Approximately 400 students take advantage of the University Internship Program each year and earn credit while interning.
Karen Farber, director of UIP, said her office offers two types of summer opportunities --- internships in Charlottesville and "to go" internships. Students participating in either form of internship earn four credits for participating in an academic seminar while also completing an internship. Students can still participate in the program from a distance by communicating with their seminar supervisors by phone or e-mail, Farber noted.
"We've had students [intern] from Roanoke to Rome, Italy and the jungles of South America," Farber said.
The seminar offers students a chance to reflect upon their experiences at their internships and to learn the "rules" of a professional work environment.
If a student is interested in earning credit for an internship program, UIP will work with the student and the potential employer to make sure both parties understand and agree to the requirements of the program.
Students may submit applications to the UIP until mid-February, Farber said, noting that applications will likely be available in late December.
Farber noted that her office works to ensure students have educational internship experiences. She noted that if a company wants a student to work eight to 10 hours per day with 40 other interns, the internship may be of questionable value.
"Our first inclination is this isn't a learning experience," Farber said. "These folks are looking for unpaid labor."
UCS is trying to figure out how to deal with employers who require students to earn academic credit for their internships, Moody said. Currently, University students can hold for-credit internships only if they work with a professor on a research internship or participate in the UIP.
Farber noted that many organizations require students to earn credit because of laws which forbid for-profit companies from accepting the services of an unpaid individual.
Even non-profit organizations often prefer to ensure that students are earning credit for their work so they know students have been pre screened by a university and will earn a grade that depends on their performance in the internship.
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