Introduction

Participating in an internship at Seattle University provides students with an on-the-job opportunity to work in an environment or organization which complements the student’s academic course of study. The educational goals of a successful student internship are to:

• Encourage the student to gain a broader perspective of their discipline;
• Allow the student to explore the “world of work” in a vocational or professional field of interest related to the student’s academic major;
• Provide the student with an active role in a workplace organization during “real-time”;
• Engage the student in a planned and organized program or project within the organization;
• Assist the student in developing specific job skills and work experiences which better position the student to more effectively obtain future employment or further their field following graduation;
• Develop the student’s work ethic and mature responsibility;
• Foster connections with organizational employees and leaders within the student’s internship experience to provide guidance and mentoring;
• Allow the student to explore the “fit” of an occupation or career prior to graduation in order to allow the student to “course correct”;
• Increase the student’s likelihood of satisfaction

Testimonial

"I spent the summer of 2006 as an intern at Jeffrey Richards Associates, a theatrical production and press office in New York City. I found this internship in the careers section of www.playbill.com (a good resource). My internship responsibilities included clerical duties such as answering phones, returning calls, making copies, typing, organizing outgoing mail, filing, and other tasks as assigned. I also hand-delivered mail to theatrical offices all over New York so I certainly learned my way around the city! The most important part of my internship, however, was that I was able to assist in providing research for future Broadway productions. For example, I spent the last three weeks of my internship researching potential candidates to receive press packets for a Broadway show that would open in the spring. I assisted in compiling research about playwrights and directors for possible future productions. My internship was so valuable because it offered me a glimpse of how the professional theatre world operates. I had the experience of observing the process of a current Broadway show, Spring Awakening, prepare to open in the fall. The internship experience definitely contributed to my education because I was able to observe people in the working world who share interests similar to mine. These people have taken their interests and made a successful career out of them. As a result of working as an intern, I confirmed my career goals. I applied for the internship on the recommendation of a professor who thought I might be interested in the world of producing. I would recommend this internship to any student who is interested in spending time in the New York City area and who is interested in theatrical producing and publicity." - Katie Manteca, Alumni, Drama Major