INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT SAINT MICHAEL’S COLLEGE
as of September 2009
What is an internship?
An internship is the opportunity to experience a work environment, contribute to the mission of an organization, and gain experience in a particular field. These opportunities can be paid or unpaid positions, academic/credit-bearing or not, and can vary widely in the number of hours spent on site.
Why do an internship?
• Most employers tell us that real world experience in a work environment is one of the major considerations they take into account in hiring college graduates. If a student shows interest in a particular career area, follows up with an experience in that field through an internship, and receives a strong recommendation from the internship site, he/she becomes a more attractive applicant for a position, and is more likely to be hired.
• Adding an internship to your college experience shows initiative, motivation, time management and organizational skills. These are qualities most employers are looking for.
• An internship experience can help you rule out careers you may have thought were perfect for you, or
help you solidify your decision about pursuing a particular career.
• An internship lets you explore a work environment, and determine what organizational culture best
suits your work style.
• You may meet people who will be able to serve as references for you in the future, or could be terrific
networking contacts to help you find full-time employment after you graduate.
What skills will I acquire through an internship?
In most positions, you will develop a wide variety of skills that are transferable to most workplaces. These include skills in:
Teamwork Leadership Time management
Oral and written communication Flexibility and adaptability Initiative
Motivation and enthusiasm Organization and planning Interpersonal interactions
Analysis and problem solving
What types of internships are available at Saint Michael’s College?
Internships are available in 3 areas: non-academic internships, academic internships and opportunities through study abroad.
How do I find out about these programs?
Non-academic Internships: The Office of Career Development coordinates the non-academic internship opportunities. We have a section in our career library devoted to internship listings where you will find a variety of opportunities in many industries. We are happy to meet with you one-on-one to assist you in your search for the internship that best suits your needs. Once you have made a connection with a prospective supervisor, we will gracefully bow out of the process to let you work out the details of your position as to number of hours worked, scheduling, and the work you do. As there will be no supervisor here at the College to monitor your work, we ask that once you decide on a site, you make and honor your commitment for a certain length of time and work out the details with your on-site supervisor. Please come into our office to browse through the listings and materials available (see attached listing). If you cannot find an internship that meets your needs, we encourage you to make an appointment with a career counselor at ext. 2547 to discuss your options.
Once you have chosen a site and have arranged for your non-academic work, please inform our office so that we may pull the posting from our listings.
Academic Internships: Academic internships are coordinated through Joanne LaBrake Muehlberger, the Director of Academic Internships. Her office is located in the Klein Academic Enrichment Center Room 114, and she can be reached at ext. 2314 or by email at jlabrake@smcvt.edu. Academic internships, as the name implies, are for academic credit and require a minimum GPA of 2.7. Exceptions may be made for students with a GPA between 2.5 and 2.7. There is a practicum associated with your experience, and you will be expected to work a defined number of hours at the internship site per week. Sites must be confirmed the semester before you actually do the internship. Be aware that there are deadlines and paperwork to be completed in a timely manner. Watch for mandatory information sessions at the beginning of each semester.
Opportunities through Study Abroad: Some study abroad programs also offer the opportunity to do an internship. Contact Peggy Imai, Director of Study Abroad, Klein Academic Enrichment Center Room 118, at ext. 2222 or pimai@smcvt.edu. Applications for study abroad can be due one or two semesters before you plan to leave campus – check with the Study Abroad Office for application deadline dates.
If you are planning to study abroad and want to do an academic internship the semester you return to campus, you MUST begin the process BEFORE you leave the country. Please make an appointment with Joanne LaBrake Muehlberger in the Academic Internship Office at least one month before your departure.
Are there any other opportunities for “internships” or experience in certain areas?
At SMC, you can take a Practicum or Internship Class for a particular major, such as Journalism, Business Administration, or Education (1 semester), or Psychology (requires a commitment of 2 semesters). You may also be able to do an independent study project with a faculty member. Check with your academic advisor to see if this is possible. In addition, projects coordinated through the MOVE office will give you experience in some social and human services areas.
An internship is a wonderful opportunity to enhance your classroom learning with “on the job” experience. We encourage you to take advantage of an internship, if at all possible, during your education at Saint Michael’s.
INTERNSHIP RESOURCES in the Career Library as of September 2009
SMC Office of Career Development Resources:
• In-state and out-of-state internship postings
• Check out the bulletin board in the Office of Career Development hallway for additional internship positions
• Internships USA (Career Education Institutes) http://www.internships-usa.com and click on the link that says “The
Internship Series on Line”. At the password prompt, enter the following: User name: work Password: credit
List of Office of Career Development Library Books:
America's Top Internships, 2000 Edition, Princeton Review Publishing (1999)
The Back Door Guide to Short-Term Job Adventures, 4th Edition, Michael Landes (2005)
The Congressional Internship Book 2009-2010, Career Education Institutes (2009)
Directory of International Internships: A World of Opportunities, Charles A. Gliozzo & Vernicka K. Tyson (1998)
For the Common Good: Internships with Community and Social Service Agencies 2006, Career Education Institutes (2006)
The History Internship Book 2007, Career Education Institutes (2006)
The Human Rights Internship Book 2007, Career Education Institutes (2006)
The Insider’s Guide to Political Internships, edited by Grant Reeher & Mack Mariani (2002)
International Internships 2004, Carlyle Corporation (2004)
The Internship Advantage; Get Real-World Job Experience to Launch Your Career, Dario Bravo and Carol Whiteley (2005)
The Internship Bible; The Princeton Review, 2002 Edition, Mark Oldman and Samer Hamadeh (2001)
The Internship Series; The Big Green Internship Book; Internships and Summer Jobs for the Environment 2009, Career Education Institutes Winston-Salem, NC (2009)
The Internship Series; Internships with America’s Advertising Agencies, Career Education Institutes Winston-Salem, NC (2007)
The Internship Series; The Resort Internship and Seasonal Employment Guide, Career Education Institutes Winston-Salem, NC (2008)
The Internship Series; Washington Internships in Law and Policy, Career Education Institutes Winston-Salem, NC (2007)
Internships 2004, 24th Edition, Peterson’s (2003)
Internships in International Affairs 2010, Career Education Institutes (2009)
Internships with America’s Advertising Agencies 2005, Career Education Institutes (2005)
The Media Internship Book 2006, Career Education Institutes (2006)
National Directory of Arts Internships 2001/2002, 8th Edition, Edited by Warren Christensen & Ron Clawges (2000)
2003-2004 National Directory of Scholarships, Internships, and Fellowships for Latino Students, Congressional Hispanic
Caucus Institute
The Resort Internship and Seasonal Employment Guide 2005, Career Education Institutes (2004)
Saint Michael's College Washington Semester Program Internship Database (Fall 2007), Dr. William Grover & Peggy Imai
Vault Guide to Top Internships, 2005 Edition, Samer Hamadeh, Mark Oldman & Marcy Lerner (2004)
Washington Internships in Law and Policy 2004, Career Education Institutes (2004)
The Women's Rights Internship Book 2006, Career Education Institutes (2005)
THESE FIRST TWO SITES HAVE PAID INTERNSHIPS IN VERMONT:
Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility
www.vbsr.org
Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce
www.workinvermont.org
Internships USA
http://www.internships-usa.com user name: work password: credit
College Internships/Interns Wanted
http://www.campusinternships.com
Internships for College Students
http://www.campuscareercenter.com
Careerbuilder
http://www.careerbuildercollege.com
Coolworks
http://coolworks.com/internships.htm
College Grad Job Hunter Internship Search:
http://www.collegegrad.com/internships
Federal Government internship opportunities:
http://careers.state.gov/student/
Gateway to the U.S. Government for students:
http://www.students.gov
Environmental Internships:
http://www.ecojobs.com/
Idealist.org
http://www.idealist.org
Inroads – college internships for minorities
http://www.inroads.org/
InternshipPrograms.com
http://www.internshipprograms.com/
Intern Abroad
http://www.internabroad.com
Internweb.com
http://www.internweb.com/
Internship and Volunteer Opportunities in Developing Countries:
http://www.globalservicecorps.org
Internships @ MTV Networks
https://jobhuntweb.viacom.com/jobhunt/main/internships.asp
JobWeb
Basic information about internships and co-ops. No listings. Click on “students”, then scroll down to “career and job search information” http://www.jobweb.com
Journalism Internships
http://www.journalism.berkeley.edu/jobs choose internships
Monster Campus Internships
http://campus.monster.com/
National Endowment for the Humanities – summer fellows program
http://www.neh.gov/
Quintessential Careers – Internship listings
http://www.quintcareers.com/grad_internships.html
PreserveNet:
http://www.preservenet.cornell.edu/employ.html
Resort Intern Connections
http://resortinternconnection.com
Rising Star Internships
http://www.rsinternships.com/rshome.htm
Smithsonian Institute Internship Opportunities:
http://www.si.edu/ofg/internopp.htm
Student Conservation Association:
http://www.thesca.org
Television Internships – networks and stations:
http://www.tvjobs.com/intern.htm
United States Department of State Internships
http://www.state.gov/www/careers/rinterncontents.html
Walt Disney World Internships:
http://www.wdwcollegeprogram.com
Washington Center for internships in Washington, DC:
http://www.twc.edu
Whitehouse
http://whitehouse.gov/government/wh-intern.html
Volunteer International
http://www.volunteerinternational.org
Disclaimer for Internship Sites
Saint Michael’s College Office of Career Development provides this listing of Web sites to our students as a free service. This list does not imply an endorsement of these sites or organizations by Saint Michael’s College. The Office of Career Development is unable to research each organization, and provide assurance as to the safety, wages, working conditions or other aspects of these internship opportunities. We encourage you to verify the specific information pertaining to each opening by using the Career Library Resources, reading organizational literature, searching the Internet or by meeting with a career counselor.