Working for College Credit and More

 

Staff Writer

    The University of Arkansas at Monticello offers a variety of outlets for students to hone their skills for their futures. Internships serve as one option for students.

   Internships provide students with college credit, knowledge, work experience and in some cases monetary payment. Allowing students to work as interns helps provide them with the necessary knowledge and understanding of what their job will be like to see if they want to continue down their current paths.

    Regarding internships, the Dean of Computer Information Systems Brian Hairston said, “It gives a taste of what the career will be like” and that it is an “extremely valuable” experience.

    Most departments at UAM offer internships. Students in divisions that do not explicitly provide a listing in the course catalog for internships can still participate in one if the student desires. They simply need to talk to their advisers to work out the details.

    Students that desire to intern must meet certain criteria such as reliability, junior or senior standing and required grade point average. Students can also receive permission by either their professor or dean if they do not meet requirements.

    In the school of Computer Information Systems, students receive work experience in data entry, hardware, software, networking and web design during internships. This department deals with companies such as Monticello Economic Development Council, Clearwater Paper, Hermitage School District and RABB construction.

    Hairston said internships provide a chance for students to develop responsibility, maturity and work ethic, and it may be their first real job. The CIS department had four to five interns this semester including Kyle Knight and Curtis Crum. They normally have at least two a semester.

    Internships arise by either the companies contacting teachers or deans letting them know that they need an intern, or students approach their teacher or dean with a job opportunity which revolves around their respective field of study. Regardless of how it gets started, duties, salaries and other stipulations get worked out between the company, teacher and student prior to beginning.

    Professor of Art Tom Richard said internships provide an “opportunity for students to get some practical, hands-on experience.” He also mentioned the valuable job experience, resume material and references outside of the university.

    In the art program, businesses such as Historical Arkansas Museum out of Little Rock provide students with the opportunity to work in cataloging and other tasks to give them a well-rounded outlook of an art museum. Students can also receive a chance to work with artists such as Alice Guffey Miller where they work on specific art projects. This gives them the chance to work alongside other professionals in their field.

    Work-study jobs in the art program act somewhat as internships, as they require students to learn and experience unpacking and handling artwork, organizing an exhibit, hanging artwork and other tasks utilized in the field. Internships in the art program relate to a student’s specific focus.

    Dean of the school of Math and Natural Sciences Bramlett Morris said, “The ones that do a summer internship with a graduate program are far more likely to attend graduate school than those that don’t.”

    Internships consist of some universal characteristics depending on the agreement between the businesses, teachers and students. Some internships provide monetary compensation and others may not. They all provide work experience, assistance in deciding if the job could become a career and hands-on experience in their field. Grading takes place through weekly reports or check-ins with the teacher, a final paper describing what the student learned and in some cases an oral presentation of their experience.

   The ability to find and get involved in an internship strictly lies in the student's desire to go down that road. Certain majors such as Psychology offer practicum courses to students as well. The Schools of Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Nursing, Arts and Humanities and Agriculture all offer types of internships. 

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