By: Adam King, a first-year student at Manchester College majoring in English with a concentration in writing and seeking internship experiences in filmmaking
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Manchester students Andrea Numbers and Brogan McMullen both received real-world job experience thanks to their internships. |
Manchester College is an independent, liberal arts college located in North Manchester that offers more than 55 areas of study to 1,056 students from 27 states and 26 countries. Ranked as a “Great School at a Great Price” and among the “Best in the Midwest” by U.S. News and World Reports, Manchester College is also no stranger to producing successful student interns. Andrea Numbers and Brogan McMullen are two such students with their own stories to share about their internship experiences and how they helped impact their future plans for life after college.
In the summer of 2006, Numbers earned an Imagination Grant through Manchester College’s Office of Career Services. She used her grant to partake in a research fellowship program through the Indiana University School of Medicine and Midwest Alliance for Health Education out of Illinois State University. During her tenure, she worked with Dr. Michael Mirro conducting clinical research in cardiology and electrophysiology. More specifically, she researched and completed studies on “a surgical procedure used to correct heart arrhythmia.” Numbers’ findings during her internship were later published in a medical journal.
Upon graduating from Manchester, Numbers plans to attend graduate school to obtain her degree in osteopathy, which involves close interaction between patient and physician. “I like that they spend more time with their patients and get to the root of the problem,” she comments. She also adds that osteopathy not only attempts to treat the ailment, but also its cause. Numbers plans to graduate from Manchester College in May with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology-Chemistry.
As a General Business major, McMullen could literally do just about anything, which is what he discovered during his search for a career upon graduation. He was looking for an internship that would put him on the right track for the career path that would suit him best while gaining on-the-job experience. Pearson Education, the international forerunner in educational publishing, provided just that. As an intern in the summer of 2006, McMullen acted as an assistant supervisor in Pearson’s receiving department where he learned the department’s daily operations. Utilizing his valuable leadership skills, he managed efforts and improved efficiency for the organization.
McMullen credited his fellow employees with making the summer a successful one. He notes that “they let me work on my own to figure things out and learn, but were always there to help if I needed it.”
Nick Lahrman, human resources generalist at Pearson, praised McMullen’s contributions and leadership. “He was an asset to the department in that he easily related with both management and the employees working on the dock,” he recalls. “He was not afraid to ‘get his hands dirty,’ and his employees respected that.”
Through this experience, not only did McMullen confirm his career plans in management, he observed the kind of management practices that he hopes to model in his future career. McMullen will graduate from Manchester College with a Bachelor’s degree in General Business this May.
So, what can internships really do for students? They can proffer basic professional experience to underclassmen who just want to get their feet wet, or they can provide upperclassmen the opportunity to show off their skills to employers who may be hiring when they graduate. They can open the door to new and exciting possibilities students never knew existed. Internships often provide students with the information they need to either pursue a career to its highest possible level or to take their skills elsewhere and apply them to an occupation that best fits their passions.
Internships not only aid the students who acquire them, but they also benefit the employers who work with interns. Businesses may use interns to initiate or complete extra projects that would otherwise be unattainable due to shortages of time and personnel. Small businesses, in particular, may utilize student expertise for a one-time project that requires specialized knowledge, such as creating a company web site. Additionally, internships provide an inexpensive and effective way to recruit and screen potential full-time hires. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, internship programs are rated as the most effective recruiting method an employer uses for hiring new graduates. Finally, a successful internship program will promote a positive image of the business or organization among college students.
College students all across Indiana should not be asking themselves if they should seek an internship, but rather should be asking which internship fits them the best. The advantages of this kind of experience are endless and college students should take it very seriously. Obtaining an internship is just the first step to discovering the great career that may well await all students after they walk across the stage as graduates.
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