Internships Help Students Bolster Their Resumes
By Melyssa Allen
In a tight job market, internships that help students to gain the work experience employers want are more important than ever, according to Meredith’s Academic & Career Planning (ACP) office. Meredith students who took this advice to heart have completed internships in a variety of fields.
“Internships offer students the chance to be in the workplace and participate in day-to-day tasks while investigating their career options,” said Dana Sumner, Meredith associate director of employer relations. “Internships can confirm whether or not a career field or industry is a realistic possibility for the student.”
Gaining experience in her chosen field is what attracted senior Kimberly Jennings to an internship with the American Diabetes Association’s Raleigh office. Jennings is interested in event planning, and her internship allowed her to help with the organization’s Tour de Cure fundraiser.
“This internship really helped me learn how to communicate professionally and gave me a taste of what event planning is really like,” said Jennings.
Senior Amanda Eubanks’ internship brought her to London, where she worked for a law center, which is a non-profit provider of legal advice. Her work, which focused on immigration, included drafting letters for clients seeking asylum in the United Kingdom, lodging cases and researching immigration law.
Eubanks, who wants to attend law school and focus on international law, said the internship was rewarding.
“I felt I was giving back by using my educational experience for the betterment of another individual’s life,” Eubanks said.
Anna Lamb, ’10, and Courtney Allen, ’10, both interned in the communications office of the North Carolina Governor’s Office this summer, where they responded to citizens who sent requests and concerns to the governor’s office. Allen and Lamb cited attending gubernatorial press conferences as a highlight.
“This internship was an opportunity of a lifetime, and has allowed me to learn so much about myself and my field of study,” said Lamb.
Music performance major Chelsea Stith, ’11, was the first intern to be hired by the Classical Voice of North Carolina (CVNC.org). Stith wrote reviews of performances in the Triangle area and her work was published on the organization’s web site.
“It is absolutely essential for a musician to develop not only her critical thinking skills but also her ability to verbalize her impressions in a balanced and informative way,” Stith said. “This opportunity challenged me to grow in my ability to listen, evaluate and write, while learning to trust my own judgment.”
In addition to experience, internships also provide students with a way to build a network of professional contacts. Sumner said these connections are one of the most valuable benefits.
“According to the Job Outlook 2009 from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, an organization’s internship program ranks as the number two method used to hire full-time employees.”
Harriett Kinney, who did a summer internship in the Washington, D.C. office of Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), hopes the contacts she made while working in constituent relations will help her in her career.
“I had wonderful opportunities to network … including meeting with Senator Graham,” Kinney said. “The internship was a wonderful experience and I am looking forward to returning to D.C. after graduation.”
To list an internship oportunity, visit the Academic & Career Planning web site at www.meredith.edu/acp/alumnae.
