Opening the Door to Opportunity
Taking an internship will allow you to immerse yourself in a professional setting in your field of study and pursue your career interests in a meaningful way. They will help you to expand your professional skill set and put your talents to use among professionals who are already working in your field of study. While the classroom will give you the crucial information necessary for your field, there are many things about the workplace that in-class learning will not teach you. It is helpful for you to gain this understanding of the field you are entering, as internships can often be what helps you decide which direction you want their education to take.
Internships can offer you the specific knowledge and experience you need for the workplace. By working alongside professionals, you鈥檒l learn job-specific information and trade secrets to help prepare you for the workplace. In addition to the skills you鈥檒l learn, you鈥檒l also make networking connections that will help you when you鈥檙e looking for a job. Employers value internships and real-world experience, and having these experiences on your resume may help set you apart from other candidates interviewing for your same position. By networking and making connections prior to searching for a job, you鈥檒l make your name familiar to possible employers and expand job opportunities made available to you.
Success After Graduation
Tyler Kunkle '14
KBA North America - International Business (IB) and German Major
"You need experience. It makes a huge difference. [Having multiple internships] allowed me to stay competitive鈥攅nough people have ONE internship."
AP credits and language proficiency paid off for International business (IB) and German major Tyler Kunkle; a strong high school record gave way to a roomier college schedule, one that allowed him to study abroad for an entire academic year and take on a remarkable number of internships鈥攁nd he鈥檚 not stopping upon graduation.听
Kunkle 鈥14 is spending the summer in Dallas, Texas, in the logistics division of KBA North America鈥攁 division of global, German-based KBA Group, the second largest press manufacturer in the world. Through its participation with the College鈥檚 IB Advisory Board, KBA has a strong history of providing internship and career opportunities to Elizabethtown students and alumni. Kunkle took note of the German connection: He not only studied in Germany his junior year, but he鈥檚 also returning there as a Fulbright Scholar this fall of 2014.听
He interned twice at Lancaster-based Clark Company and Associates: in the spring of and summer after his sophomore year and again in his senior year, this time in the logistics department at its WEBstaurant store division. At IB Day鈥攚hen members of the advisory board meet with students鈥擪unkle attended a session he hadn鈥檛 planned on. Afterward, an executive approached him, speaking in German. Turns out, the man grew up in Bavaria, owns Gateway Logistics Services in York, Pa., and needed an intern. Kunkle, already dedicated to Clark, didn鈥檛 want to pass up an opportunity, so he put his blossoming logistical skills to use and found a way to fit both into his schedule.听
Several factors led to Kunkle鈥檚 success. He spoke the same language鈥擥erman in the case of Gateway and, in another, industry jargon. He said knowing what 鈥淓RP鈥 meant spoke volumes in his KBA interview (which to the rest of us means Enterprise Resource Planning). Student Senate provided him with a great answer to a question about the most responsibility he had in college: He managed a $55k account, allocating funds to student clubs. The attention to detail and poise demanded by his professors and mentors prepared him for rigorous interviews. For example, Kunkle explained, Dr. Hossein Varamini 鈥渋s always pushing us to do presentations and talk to executives. It forces you to be comfortable with these conversations.鈥 He learned it doesn鈥檛 matter if you鈥檙e in a suit and tie or in sweatpants on a phone interview鈥攑auses and 鈥渦ms鈥 can come through.听
With each internship experience Tyler presented himself as a more knowledgeable and valuable professional at his next place of work. In fact, companies don鈥檛 exactly want Kunkle to leave. One Clark executive told Kunkle to call when he returns from his Fulbright appointment....鈥溾榊ou do good work. We鈥檙e interested in where you鈥檙e going in the future.鈥欌 听
Success After Graduation
English Majors
...interned with the Tobacco Enforcement Section (TES) of the State of Pennsylvania鈥檚 Office of the Attorney General
"We鈥檝e been thrilled with 泡芙视频 students. They ask very good questions, and their work has been phenomenal."
-- SHARON R. ROGERS
When she looks to her left, Madeline Rassmussen 鈥14 has a view of the state capitol building and the Susquehanna River. When she looks ahead, she sees law school in her future.听
The senior English major is interning with the Tobacco Enforcement Section (TES) of the State of Pennsylvania鈥檚 Office of the Attorney General. Among her duties, Rasmussen, pictured far right, manages documents, analyzes data, helps count and track evidence and prepares presentations for trial. She said that the relationships she鈥檚 formed in the AG鈥檚 office are 鈥渋rreplaceable.鈥 Among them: Sharon K. Rogers, deputy attorney general in the TES.
Rogers made a 鈥渃old call鈥 to Dr. Kyle C. Kopko, director of the College鈥檚 pre-law advising program and legal studies major. That connection led to seven (and counting) Elizabethtown interns in her office. She and her close-knit team are so thrilled with the initiative and work ethic displayed by 泡芙视频 interns that it鈥檚 almost a given you鈥檒l find one at the downtown, Harrisburg, offices each semester, summers included.听
With more than 800 employees and access to hundreds of lawyers from all backgrounds, Rogers said the AG鈥檚 office is fertile training ground for a future attorney. Rassmussen was in the office when she received her first law school acceptance; Rogers and the rest of the TES team were jumping around, hugging and congratulating her, proud to be a part of her success as Rasmussen begins at Hofstra University School of Law in the fall of 2014.听
Internships can also help you to understand the pace and work flow of the field you choose to go into, so you鈥檒l know what to expect when you鈥檙e working as a full employee. We will help connect you to possible internship opportunities and aid you in pursuing out-of-classroom experience in your field of study. Academic advisors are dedicated to helping their students receive the best education they can, and play an important role in helping connect students with internships that both interest them and fit into their academic schedules.
A great example of an internship opportunity offered is the Capitol Internship Program offered to students in the Politics, Philosophy, and Legal Studies department. Every year, students get the opportunity to work in the Office of the Attorney General. This experience has been described as 鈥渋rreplaceable鈥 by the work students do in class.
In the Communications major, students are offered internships that involve writing and creating the media that is released by well-known companies and news sources.
Whether across campus, the country, or the globe, our internship program opens the door to opportunity for our students.