There’s lots of talk these days at UP and all over about the importance of internships. Completing an internship in a field you might want to pursue as a career after graduation provides a great way to learn more about this field (do you really know what “branding” or “social media” companies do?), not to mention the vital on-the-job experience that may convince a future employer to hire you. Internships can be especially useful for humanities majors, since graduates in English don’t necessarily fall right into a job after college (as those in business or engineering might). So: how to find one? What to do once you’ve found one? Read on.
UP’s College of Arts and Sciences now employs an Internship Coordinator—Amanda Wheaton—who assists both students looking for internships and faculty advising those students. You can reach out to her directly for help with figuring out what sort of internship you might want, with crafting your resume and application letter, etc. Next week—Wednesday, September 25—is the Fall Internship Fair, where you can speak directly with possible employers (note that English alum Evan Gabriel found his internship, which he wrote about last year, at one of these fairs!). Whether you make it to the fall fair or not, you can always check the UP Career Center’s job and internship listings for recent offerings. Also, whenever we faculty hear about internship opportunities, we post them right here on the blog.
Once you’ve connected with the organization and secured the internship position, you should meet with me—Dr. Hiro, the internship coordinator—to begin the academic process. Some internships are paid, but most aren’t, so you receive academic credit instead. When we meet, I’ll walk you through the process of signing up for English 497, filling out the online learning agreement, and getting started on the assignments (journals, reflection papers, informational interviews, etc.). Even if you haven’t yet nailed down an intern position, you’re welcome to meet with me as a way of getting started.
Finally, in coming months we’ll feature stories by current and past English major interns, so you can learn a thing or two through their experiences as well. Stay posted!