Internships provide an opportunity for students to familiarize themselves with a career field that matches both academic and personal interests. These occasions also help students gain skills from practical experiences, making them valuable as an employee. To assist students on their career journey, Holy Cross College through the Career Development Office requires all students complete an internship to graduate.
“I see it as a vital component of our students’ discernment process. Students are expected to gain experience in an organization, position, and/or industry that is related to their career aspirations or that will help them make some better-informed decisions about career options and the journey to reach their goals,” notes Internship Coordinator Katy Cressy.
Requirements and details
The internship program provides an opportunity for students to enhance their academic work through practical, experiential learning.
“The course includes the primary component of the internship, as well as, several other assignments meant to help students reflect upon the impact their work experience has on them. I also work with students on other career-related strategies such as building a strong resume, preparing for interviews, networking, job search, etc. as needed. The process includes one-on-one meetings with me to help students gain a greater understanding of their identity, which will help them gain self-confidence, which helps them seek good work experiences, which in turn will help them gain transferrable skills to move closer to reaching career-related goals,” said Cressy.
Interns participate in the work and interactions of various departments, operations, levels of people, and business settings within the organization. Businesses and supervisors provide career-related and progressive tasks encouraging growth in critical thinking, written and oral communication, human and spiritual growth, technology and information management, and quantitative reasoning. Duties assigned to student interns are at a level that challenges their knowledge, skills, and abilities. Intern contributions are measurable and provide results that benefit organizations.
Site supervisors provide a performance evaluation at the midterm and conclusion of the internship. All student interns need to work a minimum of 120 hours, with the schedule negotiated between the student and sponsoring organization.
Impact on students
Edgar R. Ramos Estrada ’22 did a summer internship with enFocus. The South Bend, Indiana, native stayed local and learned how hard COVID impacted the need for reliable internet access in the home for families.
“This opportunity has made me more comfortable working with large and complex teams. I plan to work in research lab settings and now feel more comfortable knowing what I can contribute to my team,” said Ramos Estrada about the impact working on the Citywide Classroom project made on him.
Laura Compton ’22 spent her summer at Community Health Care – Pediatrics in Massillon, Ohio, where she was able to take patients’ vitals and perform intake procedures. The opportunity helped her gain direct patient contact experience, getting her closer to the dream of being a physician associate.
“Through this internship, I have learned the importance of working together as a team in healthcare to complete the task at hand. When everyone works efficiently, they are able to be proactive in helping meet patients’ needs,” said Compton.
To learn more about the internship program at Holy Cross College or participate as an internship site, contact Katy Cressy at [email protected].
