When most of us learn about internships or fellowships in our first year of college, we see them as opportunities to refine our interests and skills before entering the workforce and starting our respective careers. It is crucial for undergraduates to clarify our goals as we chart out our futures and internships can be a helpful way to gain hands on experience in a field before committing to it. We choose internships in fields that relate the most to our favorite classes and require skills that we are proficient in to try and maximize our success, gauging our aptitudes before we graduate. What many people do not take advantage of, however, is an internship’s ability to start your career, not just discover what it will be.
The value placed on internships as a tool to weed out potential career paths fitting for you is well-deserved, but it creates a gap between students trying to figure out their goals and students who have already decided what career they are shooting for. Students with a clear idea of what they want to do after graduation may potentially see internships as an opportunity, but one that they do not need. This could not be further from the truth. While internships do help sort out what your strengths and limitations are, they can also be the point where you transition from working a job to having a career.
Speaking on the Senate Floor
When I applied to the SUNY Washington Internship Program, I found myself as one of the students who had a straightforward vision about what I wanted to do after graduation. Since I knew I wanted to go to law school, my goal was to intern at a law firm or a non-governmental organization that litigates. After hearing Robert’s suggestions, I decided to apply for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE). NCOSE is a non-profit organization that works to end sexual exploitation through public policy reform, research and education, and litigation. Although their legal department does not hire undergraduate interns, they work closely with the public policy team. I had the opportunity to learn how lawyers can contribute to lobbying and activist efforts and I saw a future for myself in a similar role. As a Public Policy Fellow, my responsibilities included reviewing legislation on the state and federal level, drafting emails and action alerts for legislators and our partner organizations, and attending House and Senate committee meetings relating to our interest areas.
Now many of you who also aspire to enter a specific profession may still be questioning the value of an internship if it is not to find career opportunities which suit you. While it is true that universities may prefer students who have work experience and graduate schools want to see that you understand the field before applying, looking beyond college, internships are also a shortcut to a profession you are passionate about. Applying myself to my internship as if it were my full-time job not only encouraged my supervisors to entrust me with important responsibilities, but it also put me on the radar for future opportunities within NCOSE and the organizations they collaborate with. Robert and Casey will also be with you every step of the way to refine your professional skills and help you out-perform expectations.
As I advanced in my position as a Public Policy Fellow with NCOSE, my supervisors ceded more responsibility to me. As a survivor myself, I have a strong connection to the work that NCOSE does, and I was eager to contribute to it. The moment my position changed from an internship to a career was when I had the opportunity to travel to Rhode Island to testify at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing against a bill that would fully decriminalize indoor prostitution, SB 810. Testifying on behalf of NCOSE stood for the trust that they placed in me to be a representative of their values. Pushing yourself in an internship that you are passionate about can only help you advance.
As you apply to internships and figure out what your goals are, if you have not done so already, remember that you get as much out of any position as you put into it. No matter where you end up, whether it is with an organization you have dreamed of working for or your fifth choice, apply yourself to it fully. But, for those of you who feel certain about their career paths, do the internship anyway! I will forever be grateful for my time at NCOSE for helping me solidify my goals, build connections, and develop invaluable professional skills. An internship can do the same for you!