Parents; Consider Talking With Your Student About Internships

Internships as part of the college experience are quickly becoming an invaluable asset for students for a variety of reasons.  They offer a way of learning not available in the classroom--giving interns hands-on experience, teaching them new skills, and offering the opportunity to explore a profession while applying and testing theories learned in the classroom.  A recent study even shows that employers tend to offer higher salaries to new hires that have an internship or co-op experience on their resume versus those that don't.

For all those reasons, we encourage parents to talk with their students about looking into an internship as part of their CSB/SJU experience.  During their first year, students will be working with their academic advisors to develop a four-year plan and this is a great time to begin the discussion of including an internship in the plan.

Where to start

Students who need help finding a focus for their interests or deciding what kinds of careers are available to them should visit the Career Services Office.  Career Services sponsors job shadowing and informational sessions as well as offers helps with interviewing skills and assessment tools.

Once a student decides on the type of internship he or she is interested in, the search generally takes place the semester before the student plans to intern.  We advise students to start early--September or October for a Spring internship and February or March for a Summer or Fall one.  Searching for an internship is good practice for the job search after graduation.

CSB/SJU Internship Office

The CSB/SJU Internship Office works with employers and other organizations who want to offer internships, maintains a database of internship sites and publicizes information about current opportunities on our Web site and by email.  For students who need help in getting started, an appointment with the Internship Coordinator is a good idea.  We can help acquaint students with the resources available and help them focus their search.

Paid and non-paid internships

While a growing number of internships are paid, those organizations tend to be business-related and in the private sector.  Internships in the non-profit arena can be great learning opportunities that open doors to future paid employment, but non-profit internships are generally not paid.  Students may find it easier to accept an unpaid internship if they take it as in place of a class during the academic year and earn credit for the experience.

Some departments require internships

Students should talk to their academic advisors about whether an internship is a graduation requirement for their major.  currently, Management, Environmental Studies, Peace Studies, Liberal Studies, and pastoral Ministry require either an internship for academic credit or offer an internship as one of the options for the senior Capstone experience.