The Value of Internships
According to a landmark study out of UCLA, 85% of first-year college students in 2015 considered getting a “better job” as “very important” to their choice of where to go to college (Eagan et. al. 2016). This was, by far, the most important factor when choosing a college since 1965, the first year the survey data was collected.
Research consistently shows that experiential learning (EL) in college is key to preparing students for a career. College students who complete EL programs are more likely to achieve high GPAs during their undergraduate studies (Astin et al, 2000), find full-time employment after graduation (Gault et al, 2010; Bradberry & De Maio, 2019), and attend graduate or law school (Bradberry & De Maio, 2019). Furthermore, participating in service experiences was found to improve students’ racial understanding, leadership abilities, interpersonal skills, and commitment to activism (Astin et al, 2000).
In my experience as an internship program director, I have also found internships to be a great way for students to identify or clarify their academic and career interests. I’ve seen great internship experiences encourage students to declare a new major, to think more seriously about graduate school, to take more classes in a particular subject area, to seek out other internships, and so on. I’ve also seen value in miserable internships; these experiences often help students find the courage to make the change (say, to their major or minor) after years of mulling it over. This was what exactly happened to me in my junior year of college; a summer internship helped me realize I was in the wrong major. After the experience, I changed majors to political science and would not be where I am today without that internship!
The lesson here is simple: experiential learning through internships in college is key to students’ success during and after college.
So go find an internship!! Talk to your program’s internship coordinator or office of career services. There are also simple tricks to finding one on your own. Oh, and be sure to ask if you can receive class credit for the experience.
If you need advice on finding an internship, feel free to contact me!
Good luck!!