On Wednesday, October 9, I had the opportunity to attend the VSB Rise to the Top Workshop Basics Session. The event shared valuable information about what freshmen and sophomores can do to obtain internships, externships, and CO-OPs.
The leader of the workshop highlighted that it is particularly hard for a freshman to obtain internships but encouraged us to pursue one.
An externship is when a student spends a day or two at a company. It is similar to an internship in that it gives students experience in the workplace, but differs in that students typically do not actually work for the company but rather spend the day touring the business, attending workshops, networking, and gaining insights into corporate life. There are many resources available to Villanova students in regards to externships such as Handshake. Students can also use this website: https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/business/undergraduate/careerdevelopmentresources/internships/leadership-programs.html to view externships specifically applicable to Villanova students. I look forward to using these resources in the future.
The workshop leader also shared information about traveling abroad. When students travel abroad, they might be able to earn academic credit. This program provides students with valuable work experience in other countries. Don’t think this means you can’t get credit for a domestic internship. Students can get credits by applying before the start of their internship and writing a ten-page report at the end of the internship. There are a few other administrative requirements that students need to check before starting the program.
There are a lot of resources available to us Villanova students in regards to careers and I hope that all of us will use them to our advantage. I encourage all of my fellow Villanovans to consider studying abroad and getting internships during their time at Villanova, I know I will be pursuing both.
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