Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) is committed to giving students the best educational opportunities. Hands-on experiences are vital to personal and academic growth, so many academic programs require students to complete an internship during their time at SMWC.
SMWC faculty and staff strive to assist students when in search of an internship. Many programs require students to complete an internship for academic credit. Throughout the Wabash Valley, many businesses have supported students in their academic journey and have assisted them in completing internships with much knowledge gained.
“The National Association of Colleges and Employers produced a 2020 survey that showed students who had internships were 20 percent more likely to receive full-time job offers than those without an internship. Having an internship also resulted in receiving significantly higher starting salaries than those students who did not complete an internship experience,” explained Stephanie Jeffers, director of the career center at SMWC.
In 2018, Kinesiology was introduced as a program to SMWC. Since the first class enrolled, students have blossomed within the program. Tricia Pierce, DHSc, ACSM-CEP, assistant professor of exercise science, explained that there are high expectations for students to engage and reflect throughout their internship. This also comes with ensuring they have good instructors at their internships to ensure a beneficial educational experience.
“Kinesiology and exercise science both require a three-credit internship. Students should learn how to talk with people and develop people skills. They should also do a special project. They are also required to do bi-weekly summaries and bi-weekly faculty meetings, so they’re reflecting on their internships,” stated Pierce.
Brittany Huddleston, a kinesiology major, is completing her internship at the Clay County YMCA in Brazil this semester. Along with cleaning workout equipment and some administrative tasks, Huddleston also has opportunities to engage in different activities and is gaining experience working with various age groups.
Pierce said, “YMCA offers a community atmosphere – it’s a welcoming atmosphere. You see a variety of ages, which provides a good opportunity for the community. We really want our interns to interact with a variety of ages with different levels of fitness.”
Huddleston explained that not only is her internship helping her learn about the field she is studying, but it’s also helping her learn more about herself. “I really enjoy learning and observing the class instructors’ teaching styles. It helps me learn more about my own teaching style and way of doing things.”
One unique benefit of SMWC programs is that the faculty and staff work one-on-one with students to help them find the perfect internship for them. Along with academic experience, faculty and staff understand that the location of internships must be taken into consideration as well.
Evan Crowe, a kinesiology major with a minor in pedagogy, is completing his internship at All American Karate Academy, a locally owned facility in Greencastle.
“I usually help the Sanseis, who are my internship advisors, create workouts. I’ll observe their classes but will conduct their warmup and/or cool down. I also help set up equipment for kickboxing and make sure that students are doing the right posture,” said Crowe, a Greencastle native.
“Evan has really lucked out in his choice that he’s picked. We want to make sure that students will be able to learn and participate in the activities and he’s been able to do that,” Pierce stated.
Crowe also shared that he feels he’s had a unique experience interning at a private locally owned business in comparison to a larger company. “I feel trusted at this internship as I’m able to do more than what a student might think when doing an internship at a bigger company or facility.” He hopes to become a physical education and health teacher while offering personal training during the summer.
Internships are incredible opportunities to apply academic training in a real-world setting, gain industry insight and advice from working professionals and transition from student to professional. Not only can internships assist in building a student’s expertise, but they can also assist in building connections that they can keep as their career journey continues.
Jeffers concluded, “The Career Center provides students an opportunity to have a resume reviewed in preparation for applying to an internship and we are connected with many alumni and employers who are looking for student interns. We are happy to make connections between students and alumni/employers or provide one-on-one internship searches to assist students in finding an internship. Students can make an appointment through Handshake or contact the Career Center at career@smwc.edu.”