Caitlin Dorsch ~ Co-Editor in Chief
If you need an internship, go to the Career and Professionalism Center at the University of Lynchburg.
Career and Internship Counselor, Kara Douglas, said, “One benefit of doing an internship is getting experience, and this experience could set you ahead of [and] apart from other students who may be applying for that same employment opportunity post-graduation. An employer sees your internship and understands that you have had experience in a work-place environment in general and you have had practice using specific skill sets for your career path. It is a good glimpse of your career path.”
Even students who are unsure about their career path or possible employment opportunities in their respective majors can find help with an internship at the Career and Professionalism Center. Douglas insisted, “An internship also allows a student to be able to choose whether he or she is taking the correct career path for him or her. Going in and just trying something as an intern will allow you to just try it. To see how you like it is very important while still in college to find that niche or area of expertise one would like to pursue in the future.”
Many students have already found help using the Career and Professionalism Center, including fourth-year Criminology major Christian Lohiser, who was looking for an internship to increase her level of experience in law enforcement before her graduation this May.
She said, “After I figured out I wanted to do my internship with the Blue Ridge Regional Jail Authority, specifically at the Lynchburg Adult Detention Center, I spoke with Professor Keith Smith of the University’s Department of Criminology. He encouraged me to pursue a possible internship with the Center, and he told me to check in […] to see what paperwork was needed. They worked with me to figure out how much time each day I would need to dedicate to my internship, as well as to complete the necessary paperwork to get the internship started.”
Lohiser contended that ease of the internship process because of the help from the Career and Professionalism Center. She said, “The process was surprisingly easy and well laid out by the staff members [of the Center], and I had all the paperwork completed within about a week. The Criminology Department has had a number of students intern at the jail, and though I am only a week in, I have learned a lot about how the jails work and am gaining a lot of experience.”
“There are only two main important documents for the internship: a contract, which registers the person for the internship, and learning objectives sheet. We are expected to fill out different forms throughout our internship including a midterm and final evaluation, and site supervisor evaluations halfway through the internship as well as at its end,” added Lohiser.
Douglas wanted to make note that the contract for internships being used for course credit this spring is Fri., Feb. 7. “This paperwork is very important in order to get course credit from the Registar’s Office,” said Douglas.
Throughout the semester, the Career and Professionalism Center, located on the third floor of Schewel Hall, will be hosting multiple events. Douglas highlighted the “Internship Workshop” being held on Wed., Jan. 29, at 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. in Schewel Hall Room 232 for students who are looking for one for both this current semester and future ones. The “Career Premiere Job and Internship Fair” will be held on Wed., Feb. 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Green Ridge Center in Roanoke, Va. for students interested in both employment and internship opportunities.
In addition to the numerous internship opportunities created by the Career and Professionalism Center, there are many staff members who specialize in resume-building and conducting mock-interviews. For more information about events hosted by or other great post-graduate opportunities from the Career and Professionalism Center, please email careers@lynchburg.edu.