The prevalent 595 internship class seems to loom over many students’ heads in the giant form of a question mark. Diving into the internship world can be intimidating, especially for students who don’t have some sort of already established connection with a company.
Never fear, there are simple tactics to adopt to land the perfect internship, and to know what to do after achieving this feat.
Senior Annelise Fasnacht, a Business Administration major, landed a dream internship this past summer. Fasnacht had taken professor and business guru Zarik Boghossian’s Venture Initiation class, where she gained recognition for developing a mock business plan. Boghossian referred her to a startup company that he works with called Rock Square. The company focuses on the exchanging of music memorabilia.
Fasnacht credits the acquisition of her internship to the fact that she worked hard to prove herself to Boghossian.
“Your skills get your foot in the door. For me, it was proving myself to my professor,” she explained. “I didn’t get my internship because I had taken his class, but because I proved myself in his class.”
She also stressed the importance of utilizing the professors.
“Talk to your professors,” she advised. “Pepperdine professors are very knowledgeable and can really help out. Many work with companies outside of Pepperdine or have information on companies looking for interns.”
Senior Chris Bishop has great insight in the internship area after participating in the London Internship Program in June 2011. Bishop, an Integrated Marketing and Communication major, interned at a company called The Wriglesworth Consultancy.
Bishop was later assigned to write press releases that would be used in official company releases.
“This internship was extremely writing intensive,” he noted. “I worked for the Graphic during my junior year, which is why Pepperdine thought I would fit this internship.”
Senior Broadcast Journalism major Courtney Bryant attained one of the most enviable internships during the summer of 2011. She worked with the Israel Broadcasting Authority, an Israeli media conglomerate with both television and radio divisions. Her position was in the English news department at the company’s Jerusalem studios.
Bryant was admitted through the internship program of the Glazer Institute for Jewish Studies at Pepperdine.
Bryant, who quickly gained respect and influence within the company, gained some headway after reporting on a story about an LGBT festival held in Jerusalem. Her boss liked it and immediately began assigning news stories for her to cover nearly every day she worked. Clearly, Bryant has earned the right to boast of her achievements at this demanding internship.
“I was blessed with the opportunity to report on the Turkish elections, Syrian uprising and the Gaza Flotilla — a story I followed through its completion, to earn the title around the office as ‘flotilla reporter in-residence,’” she said.
Bryant attributes much of her success to her steadfastness and willingness to give her all to every job she undertakes.
“I like to pretend that I was hired for what would be my dream job within the organization for which I am interning,” she said. “It puts me in the right mindset to complete every task with excellence.”
It’s never too early to start looking to secure an internship for next semester. Although finding an internship can be overwhelming, the importance of acquiring an internship is immeasurable. Employers look for graduates who have already had a few professional experiences, and students who have had internships have an extra edge over those who have not. Many students are required to have internship credit in order to graduate. In order to gain valuable information on developing a resume and obtaining an internship, visit the Internship Office in the Tyler Campus Center.
