Why Graduate with an Internship?

by: Hannah Rhoad

          

Here at the University of Central Missouri all public relations students are required to have an internship prior to graduating. This does not sound unreasonable to expect but there are students who do not understand the purpose of internships. I look at it like this; would you want to go to a doctor who had done all of the class work and graduated with his or her doctorate but never did a clinical to experience firsthand how to fix a broken bone? I personally would not want to be the “Guinea pig.” It is not that much different in a business; when looking for a job companies want graduates who know how to apply the basic skills they have learned through course work and have experience working in the field from past internships.

           Last summer I had the opportunity to intern with Warrensburg Main Street Incorporated. Main Street Inc. is a non-profit organization that focuses on the revitalization of downtown areas. This internship was important for me because it was a chance for me to experience how smaller organizations do indeed rely on interns to help them accomplish their day to day activities, as well as the larger events they plan. Working under Julie, who was my supervisor and the executive director, I saw how many hats that one must wear when working in the field of small town non-profit organizations.

           Internships are important in the field of public relations because they give students a chance to learn about different areas. With the wide variety of career choices from health care, to non-profit, to firm work, to entertainment and sports, a student can never be sure where they fit best until they try some options. Internships are not only important to help students decide what area they want to specialize in but also if public relations is the degree they want to pursue. After an internship some students either find the hours overwhelming or fall in love with the atmosphere.

Top 5 things I learned through my internship:

1) How to schedule my time
2) Working from home is not easy
3) Not every job is glamorous
4) Can not make everyone happy
5) Can not rely on technology to always work