As the fall semester comes to a close, students have internships on their minds for the spring and summer. The Center for Career and Professional Development is here to help.
The Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD), located on the second floor of the Widener Center, is dedicated to helping students prepare for their futures by advising and informing students of opportunities.
Kareem Calliste, assistant director of the CCPD, is the go-to person if students need help with finding internships.
According to Calliste, Cabrini students can start taking internships for credit as early as their sophomore year. Freshmen can also take internships but they will not receive credit unless there is a special circumstance and they get approval.
“The earlier the better,” Calliste said.
Some requirements for taking an internship include a 2.0 GPA or higher and 45 college credits, 15 of which must be from Cabrini. Students must also submit an application and resume.
To take an internship, students must fill out a blue sheet available in the CCPD, have their adviser sign it and return it to the CCPD. The student and employer will receive more paperwork to fill out. Once everything is approved the internship will be put into the student’s schedule as a class. Students can take internships for as little as two credits, about 10 hours per week, to up to six credits, about 30 to 40 hours per week.
The information science and technology (IST) major requires students to take at least one internship. Richard Meneses, a junior IST major with a minor in business, has not yet taken an internship but is looking at the resources available at Cabrini.
Meneses sees the benefit to taking an internship because students gain experience and it shows employers that they are preparing for the workforce.
“It shows companies that you’re invested in your major,” Meneses said.
Meneses, like many students, receives most information about internships through professors and advisers.
Danielle Perez, a sophomore marketing and accounting major, has had two internships during her time at Cabrini. Perez is required to take one internship before she graduates and this semester she is interning at a life insurance company. She is searching for careers that combine her love for creativity and numbers.
Perez has benefitted from the CCPD to find her internships.
“The internship I have this semester was because of the career fair that they hosted,” Perez said adding that her adviser and professors also push internships.
Samantha Cimarelli, a senior psychology and criminology major with a minor in sociology, interned over the summer at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility as a social worker.
“It’s always better for everybody no matter what your major to get an internship. It always looks a lot better on your resume,” Cimarelli said, adding that she is looking to get a psychology internship even though it is not required.
Some students find that they are not receiving many emails about internships if it is not required for their major. Cimarelli said that, unlike criminology, psychology does not require students to take an internship. She noticed that she gets more information about opportunities from her professors in person.
Though the CCPD works hard to keep students informed about upcoming opportunities, Calliste added that the responsibility falls onto the individuals.
“Students, in all honesty, are required to find their own internships,” Calliste said, adding that they help as best they can by using sources such as JobSource and CareerShift and sending information to faculty members to pass along to students.
On top of internships, there are other ways students can improve their resumes including certifications, volunteering and staying updated on technology.
“I’ve read many articles and read a lot of tips that said that it’s good for any major just to stay on top of all the digital happenings,” Perez said.
Employers are also looking for students who are active on campus and get involved such as in clubs, honors programs, and sports.
“You can have a 4.0 GPA but what are you actually doing on campus? How are you staying involved?” Calliste said.
When looking for an internship students tend to keep scrolling if they see that the position is unpaid. If the student is in a financial situation that allows for an unpaid internship they should not turn it down. The experience and knowledge internships bring is worth it.
“Think about the experience over the money,” Calliste said.
