Making the Most of Your Internship

Mon, 23 Apr 2018 16:26:39 -0400
blog, careercenter, internship, practicum, success, umbc

The semester is trudging along my friends, and although those final exams and project deadlines are looming, opportunities for professional advancement still abound! There is one week left in Career Month, so see what kind of events you can attend to make connections, explore an industry, and collect pins to enter the raffle for two free plane tickets courtesy of Southwest Airlines! Hopefully some of you have already attended some events, maybe shook some hands, grabbed a few business cards, and perhaps even acquired a summer job, internship, or research experience. CONGRATULATIONS! That’s great! You know how you can take that experience to the next level? By registering for the Intern Success Practicum through the Career Center!

The Intern Success Practicum is a FREE, zero-credit pass/fail course for students participating in an internship, co-op, or research position of 120+ hours per semester. Not only does this practicum add a notation of your professional experience to your transcript , but it also gives you the foundation to reflect on what you are gaining from your experience and optimize your sense of personal and professional development. You can even enroll in PRAC for summer positions, and each academic semester that you hold the position, so register now!

Why you should register for the Intern Success Practicum:

Professional Growth - Students enrolled in PRAC attend special workshops, panels, and discussions so you can get the most out of your experience.

Feedback - Being able to receive performance reviews from your employer can help you find what you excel at and where you need to improve.

Transcript Notation - You can’t get more solid proof that you had a successful experience than with an official notation on your transcript! The best part is that this course has no effect on your GPA, so it can only help you!

Academic Credit - It is possible to gain academic credit for your experience as well, but that is done through your academic department.

Registering is all too easy. Simply log in to UMBCworks and click Intern Success, Work & Service Practicums, under the Shortcuts. Then, click “Add New Experience” and fill in the required fields. You must upload a letter or email verifying that you have been offered the position. After that, your registration will be reviewed within five business days. If you like, you can also register by setting up an appointment at the Career Center so one of our staff can help you through the process and answer any questions you have. If you have already acquired an internship, co-op, or research experience, registering for the Intern Success Practicum shows dedication to being the best intern you can be. So register today!