On-campus internships connect curriculum to job experience

On-campus internships connect curriculum to job experience

June 23, 2020 LA GRANDE, Ore. – Paid, on-campus job experience is expanding at Eastern Oregon University, which is hiring 15 student interns for roles across the institution. Each internship promises relevant career development, mentoring, independent projects, and hands-on experience in a range of fields. 

The Career Services Center at EOU has been building its repertoire of internships over the last several years, and 2020-21 offers the most opportunities yet. 

“In the past four years of our internship program, 93% of interns have completed their degree programs and another 80% have entered graduate programs or employment tied to their academic majors,” Career Services Director Justin Chin said. “These internships have encouraged students to connect their classroom experiences with the mentorship of EOU staff, faculty and leaders from across the nation.”

Internship positions place students in professional environments and responsibilities in the following areas: Anthropology COVID-19 Ethnography, Athletics Sport Information, Regional Engagement and Vitality Center Outreach, Native American Program Special Projects, Student Diversity and Inclusion Outreach and Program Coordinator, Marketing, Public Relation and Copywriting, Center for Teaching, Learning and Assessment Design, Human Performance Lab, Community Health, TRiO Grant Writing and Research, Outdoor Adventure Program, Admissions Social Media, and Student Wellness. 

All interns are supervised by EOU staff or faculty, and most work for about 12 hours per week. Many interns complete significant projects or presentations that translate to future career applications. 

“Our interns experience authentic assessment with much of their final product and projects reflecting real-world issues, whether that be building a ticketing and communications database for our grounds and facilities department, planning and leading student retention programming, producing the Mountaineer Magazine or serving as the conduit between EOU Veterans and regional employers,” Chin said. “Interns have an opportunity to grow, connect and most importantly reflect upon their successes and areas for improvement.”

Dedicated readers of EOU news releases will have seen an intern’s byline on a range of university event stories. EOU’s 2019-20 Public Relations Intern Briana Rosenkranz hopes to apply her honed writing skills in a marketing agency.

“Not only did I write over 50 press releases for the university, but I also conducted over 50 interviews and participated in multiple presentations on my work. My writing for my classes improved, my understanding of the industry developed further and my experience for my resume grew,” Rosenkranz said. “I learned to hone in on my listening skills, track and analyze media engagement and write in a professional manner. This was a tremendous opportunity and the value I received from this internship is more than I could have ever imagined.”

Internship positions are in the midst of the hiring process, holding interviews and reviewing applications. Most interns are expected to start on July 1. Contact Justin Chin in Career Services for additional information or visit eou.edu/career.