Internships help open doors

Nearly 70 percent of employers nationwide overlook students for interviews who haven't completed an internship in their field of study, said Jerry Lee Westbrook, assistant dean of students and director of Career Services at Southeast Missouri State University.

That's why the Career Services department, along with the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce and Chamber University Relations Committee, sponsors an internship appreciation dinner annually. The dinner is held in conjunction with the university's annual internship and career fair.

More than 130 faculty, students and employers attended the dinner Wednesday evening for a presentation on the Kaufman Entrepreneur Internship Award.

Jack Sterrett, chair of the marketing department at Southeast, said the award is a federal grant, given to schools for internship programs.

He said the university uses the money to assist in the financial placement of students and negotiating high rates of pay for the students.

"To date we have received $134,000 and placed 103 students in 45 different entrepreneur firms," he said.

One of the interns who was placed was senior Josh Hanlon of Chaffee, Mo. He began an internship with Northwestern Mutual Financial Network in June and since then has become the company's seventh best seller of more than 1,000 interns nationwide.

Internship helpful

He said the internship has been very helpful to show him what the real world in the field of marketing is like.

"It's a lot harder work than I thought it would be," Hanlon said. "The hours are longer and a lot different than I expected. It's not a paved road."

Earlier in the day, 144 students spent time speaking with employers about internship opportunities at the University Center.

Among the 24 employers present were the Missouri Lottery, American Cancer Society and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri.

About 80 percent of the students at Southeast Missouri State University are required to do an internship before they can graduate.

"The university is striving to reach a goal where every student will have a significant learning experience opportunity before they graduate," Westbrook said. "Internships give the students an opportunity to assess whether they have the appropriate skills and interest in their field of study."

The career fair will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at the University Center Ballroom. Employers from Missouri, Kansas and Illinois are among the 46 employers registered for the fair. The full list can be viewed on the Career Services Web site at www4.semo.edu/ careerservices.

hkronmueller@semissourian.com

335-6611 extension 128