There is no limit to how much value an internship can have in a student’s life. Not only are they beneficial in that Seton Hill University (SHU) requires students to have one, but also because the work experience in an on-the-job atmosphere is likely to be more memorable than sitting in a classroom. Choosing an internship, however, can become problematic when it comes to deciding if it should be on- or off-campus.
“Off-site might be more impressive because the name may be impressive, but not necessarily,” said Frank Klapak, professor of communication. Klapak does not have a preference either way, for he believes any internship that challenges students is a good internship.
By Valerie Masciarelli,
News Editor
Amanda Cochran,
Editor-in-Chief
There is no limit to how much value an internship can have in a student’s life. Not only are they beneficial in that Seton Hill University (SHU) requires students to have one, but also because the work experience in an on-the-job atmosphere is likely to be more memorable than sitting in a classroom. Choosing an internship, however, can become problematic when it comes to deciding if it should be on- or off-campus.
“Off-site might be more impressive because the name may be impressive, but not necessarily,” said Frank Klapak, professor of communication. Klapak does not have a preference either way, for he believes any internship that challenges students is a good internship.
“As long as an internship is rigorous, meets objectives, and offers the student the ability to apply their skills, the site doesn’t matter,” he said.
Cara Daley, a junior, also believes that both on-campus and off-campus internships are helpful. Daley interned last summer at a penitentary, and is currently interning at SHU.
“I think I got a lot more experience and a lot more knowledge working at the prison, because that’s the type of law I want to go into – criminal law,” said Daley. “But working here, I’m doing a lot of networking because it’s mostly working with politicians.”
While she believes that SHU is a professional environment, Rebecca Campbell, director of CareerWorks advises to “get an internship here, but an internship elsewhere, too.”
“Employers are looking for experience,” she added.
Interning can be costly. As of next year, students must pay $615.00 per credit. So, if students are interning during the summer when their schedule permits, an internship can range from $615 to $1,845 for a standard three-credit internship, perhaps in addition to technology or lab fees. Students must pay for their summer internships separately to keep in accordance with SHU’s agreement with PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency), according to Barbara Hinkle, vice president for enrollment services and registrar.
“We have to report any period of time that we can give aid to students. We have to have specific dates sent to PHEAA, and to the federal government stating what those dates are that the loan or grant covers,” she said.
Hinkle said that if students apply for an internship, they must make sure that the actual work is taking place in the specified time. Therefore, if a student wishes to take his or her internship in the fall, if it begins and end at the same time as the fall semester, it can be legitimately included into the fall semester. Summer internships are different only in that they are billed separately, and students pay for them by the credit. Some students, like Daley, can even take internships for no credit, but just for extra experience.
Hinkle says there was a time when advisers tried to “help” their students by splitting up their internships and having them do two credits in the fall and one in the spring, or vice-versa.
“You’re trying to help the student by saving them money, but you’re really not obeying the rules,” she said.
There are other factors that determine when students take their internships, said Hinkle. Some students just have packed workload in their fall or spring semesters, and some students, such as theater majors with performances or athletes with a sport in session, find it easier to take one in the summer, instead of working around their busy schedules during the year.
Just as J-Term is billed in accordance with the fall and spring semesters, why can’t summer internships apply to these rules? Maybe this would aid students in moving out of SHU reliance on internships and into off-site internships that could directly affect their future employment.
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