What do you think about student internships? Good idea or a waste of time?
Student: Shannon Kelsall, '05, Political Science, ERC

Alum: Malinda Marshall '00 UCSD Major: Sociology, Marshall College Current job title: Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Definitely a good, if not GREAT idea!  Internships allow you to explore different careers without the commitment of a full-time job. Unlike your classes, which are very theoretical, internships offer hands-on experience that you can't learn from books or lectures.

I had an internship at a small public relations agency during my last two quarters at UCSD. You'll find as graduation approaches, so do questions of "what are you going to do when you get out of school?" You'd better have a good answer!  I really didn't know what I wanted to do, so I spoke with the advisors at the Academic Intership Office (Warren Literature Building) who worked with me to determine my interests and strengths.  Through my internship, I found that I thoroughly enjoyed PR, marketing and communications.

Trust me. When you're out of school looking for a job, an internship will set you apart from the thousands of other new graduates.  Good luck!