Elisabeth Niebuhr | Staff Writer
This January, Buena Vista University saw a substantial increase in student involvement in internships.
For three to six weeks, 98 students -sophomores to seniors – traveled from California to Florida and eight states in between, along with one other country, to gain experience in their possible future career fields.
According to the Assistant Director of Career and Personal Development Lori Berglund, this is a significant increase from last year’s participation. This January, BVU saw in increase of 38%.
The increase was due in-part by a few factors, according to Berglund. Many professors are talking with their students about internship possibilities sooner and use J-term internships to try out possible career opportunities.
J-term allows individuals to spend a short amount of time fully immersed in what could be their future job and work place. Some students find the perfect fit, and others decide that it’s not quite right for them.
Berglund believes that because Director of Career Services Jeff Stocco and she co-teach Freshman Seminar, they are able to connect with students sooner.
Students from multiple disciplines worked with 90 businesses and organizations in total. The internships that student took part of included: working with the juvenile court system, CAASA, the Department of Natural Resources, Omaha’s, Henry Doorly Zoo, seven students traveled to Tanzania to work with physical therapy and medicine, and many others.
Berglund says that there are many ways for students to find internship possibilities. Students can:
• Consult their advisors, or teachers who teach classes in their field of interest
• Meet with Lori to look at past opportunities
• Search for internships on online resources such as College Central Network (which can link you to internship opportunities in places close to home and all over the country), Career Services’ Facebook page, and Facebook pages that departments on campus have started
• Create a network, whether that be teachers, family, clubs, etc.
• Do some digging on your own. Many students have found their internships through Instagram, Facebook, etc.
• Ask to get in touch with the university’s network of alums
When pursuing internship possibilities, Berglund has a few tips to help you be successful:
• Always use professional communication
• Apply to multiple internship cites
• Have a cover letter and resume reviewed by a professor or career services. (Some employers may ask for them)
• Don’t give and keep trying. You may not hear back from some of the places you applied. This is okay.
If students are looking for internship possibilities, they can reach out to a number of people, or get in contact with Lori Berglund, Assistant Director of Career & Personal Development, at [email protected], or 712-749-2444.
