Every year at colleges across the country, juniors and seniors begin the process of applying for the internship that will get them one step closer to landing their dream job.

The students at St. John’s University are no exception, with many turning to the Career Center for help.

This year at St. John’s a new internship program, called InSIDE St. John’s, is being introduced with the goal of helping freshmen and sophomores gain the resume-building experience they need. Run by the Career Center, it is the first of many steps students can take on the long road to success.

InSIDE St. John’s, which stands for Internal Student Internship Development Experience, is a uniquely designed program that allows first and second year students to apply for internships within the various administrative departments of the University.

According to Joni O’Hagan, associate director of the Career Center, the program is a “building block to generate a new experience on campus.”

Students who participate in InSIDE St. John’s follow all the usual steps for applying for an internship.

First, they must fill out an application similar to one that an outside corporation would require.

The application requires students to respond to questions that will help the Career Center place them in an internship. Eligible students must be able to commit to five hours a week of work, for a total of ten weeks.

Second, students must sit through two rounds of interviews. The first is conducted through the Career Center; the next is through the department the student wishes to work in. Once the student has passed both of their interviews, he is enrolled in the program and can begin his internship.

Although students do not need to leave the campus for this internship. they are still following the same prodocal as students interning at other institutions.

Since students are working fewer hours than a traditional internship, they are required by the Career Center to complete a project based around the department they are working with. The internships are unpaid, as they are primarily for getting experience in a field of interest.

Jennifer Friary, another associate director at the Career Center, said that the program is “good for undecided majors, who are
caught between two areas.”

Before students declare their major at the end of their sophomore year, there are those who may want to test the waters and find out what their options are.

This program allows them to see what is available to them and possibly help them settle into a major and later a career path.
Students or are undecided, or are unsure about their majors gain experience in a particular field. By doing this, they will have a better idea of a major.

According to Friary, 13 students applied for the Fall 2008 semester, and they are currently going through the interview process.

These students will be working with the Career Center, Donor Relations, Athletic Communications and Student Activities departments, as well others. It is hoped that as the program continues to develop and grow, more departments will join and take on student interns.

Although the program is targeted at freshmen and sophomores, there are currently only sophomores taking part.

Since the first semester is typically a time of adjustment for most first year students, they will be more actively pursued for the spring semester.

Students who participate in the program during the fall semester can also reapply for a position during the spring semester if they are still unsure about which career path to take.
Since InSIDE St. John’s is a new program, it is still in the idea phase.

Both O’Hagan and Friary are dedicated to helping first and second year students with getting the experience required to win an internship in today’s ultra-competitive job market.
They are hoping to expand the program within the departments of the University and give students as much access to internships as possible.

In today’s world, it is important for people to have as much experience as possible when applying for a job.

InSIDE St. John’s is an incredible opportunity for students to prepare themselves and learn what they need to know to face the challenges that are waiting for them in the real world.

Any freshman or sophomore student who wishes to learn more about the InSIDE St. John’s program can contact the Career Center, which is located in the University Commons.

There is also the Career and Internship Fest on October 8 2008, where companies from the area will be set up to provide information about internship programs.