Hosting a student intern can add value to any organization. You gain a staff member who can be assigned to specific tasks or projects and produce tangible results at a very
affordable cost. In return, the intern is exposed to a real-life work environment and gains hands-on experience working in a specific industry.
SUNY Fredonia’s campus-wide internship program has grown steadily as new host organizations participate year after year. Site supervisors have reported finding Fredonia interns to be highly capable, extremely motivated and hard working, as well as adept in the latest skills, including various forms of technology. Interns add productivity by enabling organizations to focus on higher value-added tasks. They also bring energy and fresh ideas along with their analytical, writing and language skills. Projects that were on the back burner get started, while others get additional assistance and resources. Hosting interns is also an excellent way to develop an organization’s recruiting pipeline and build loyalty with future employees.
Internships are critical to college students today. Obtaining a full-time, entry-level job without some practical experience can be very difficult.
Alumni Involvement
We encourage you, as alumni, to take the time to establish an internship program. Not only will you be making a meaningful difference in a student’s life – you’ll also be surprised at the impact our students wind up having on your organization. Whatever your area of work, if you can define a distinct set of projects or job responsibilities that will allow an intern to gain insight into your organization – doing real work related to a student’s major or career goal in a supervised environment – then we would love to hear from you.
Internships may be full- or part-time, paid or unpaid, for credit or non-credit. They vary in length from a summer to a semester, or even an academic year. Students wishing to receive academic credit for their internship are assigned a site supervisor and have oversight from a faculty sponsor. Opportunities for students are accepted on a rolling basis and advertised to students throughout the year. You determine the responsibilities and set the parameters for selecting students.
Getting Started
If you are interested in hosting an intern or would like further information, contact the Career Development Office (CDO) at 716-673-3327 or email careers@fredonia.edu to post your internship (and job) opportunities free of charge. You can also complete our online Internship Position Description form available at www.fredonia.edu/cdo or post positions by creating an employer account in Quest, the CDO’s web-based system.
As an alum who knows what it takes to succeed on campus and beyond, you have many valuable insights to offer current students. By creating an internship program with SUNY Fredonia, you can give back to your alma mater by providing today’s students with a significant learning experience outside the classroom, while also staying connected to the place that helped you become the success you are today.
