Who Wins with an Internship? (Answer: Everyone!)

It’s not often that you find a win-win-win scenario, but internships are that rare gem that can benefit everyone involved.

For students, internships provide the chance to apply classroom theories to real-world problems and often a path into a desirable full-time career.

Recent research shows college graduates who had a relevant job or internship were more than twice as likely to get a good job immediately after graduation.

For employers, student interns can bring fresh insights and energy, and are a low-risk test run for future hires.

For faculty, internships take their classroom education to the next level and demonstrate how much students have learned and can effectively apply.

This summer, Northwestern is sending out more than 75 student interns across the Twin Cities, the U.S. and around the world to serve and learn. We have students working with close employer partners like ACR Homes and Chick-Fil-A, from global corporations to small businesses, churches and nonprofit organizations. The variety of roles is vast and exciting: we have students job shadowing health professionals in Greece, coordinating volunteer programs for Focus on the Family, and many students working with social media for their organizations, just to name a few. But no matter the size of the organization or its mission, every internship provides a unique opportunity for growth and continued learning.

One student shared: “Internships are VITAL. They help students understand what they actually want to do/not do. They are an excellent ‘test run.’ They are also incredibly important for connections…. The biggest thing I learned is that I am actually capable of doing well and succeeding in a high-pressure environment. I learned that if you come in teachable, with integrity, good interpersonal skills, and a superior work ethic, your employers will desire to help you do your job well and set you up to succeed.”

Northwestern’s Career Development staff is here to help students find good internship opportunities, prepare compelling resumes that highlight their experience and passion, practice interviewing for the role, and evaluating the experience. We’re also available all summer to help students and alumni with job search strategies, resume and cover letter review, LinkedIn profile, personality/skills assessments, and more.

Want to learn more? Employers, churches, parents, and alumni can contact us at [email protected] or call 651-631-5265. We love to make connections!