Students take first step in career development at Internship Networking Breakfast
(February 17, 2020) - Career Services hosted an Internship Networking Breakfast on Feb. 12 in an effort to create university-wide awareness related to experiential learning as part of Spring 2020 internship week.
The internship networking breakfast affords students the opportunity to discuss career paths and internship opportunities over breakfast with employers and alumni.
“While we initially wanted to create the breakfast for freshmen students to connect with alumni and employers about their career goals, we found that students from all classification levels wanted to be a part of this valuable networking experience, so we expanded our reach to any student interested in participating,” said Bridgette McDonald, director of Career Services.
Students were encouraged not only to speak to an employer in their desired industry, but to speak to an employer in other industries to enforce the importance of networking.
University videographer Brian Roberts shared that he acquired an internship through his connections and encouraged students to keep an open mind during their search for an intern experience.
Freshman film production major Alexandria Moore landed an internship with the City of Atlanta as a result of the Internship Networking Breakfast this past fall semester.
Moore shared that the internship breakfast helped her feel more prepared for her journey from a student into a full-time career.
“I feel more passionate about what it is that I want to do and a lot more prepared to do anything I put my mind to,” she said.
Other students also have expressed that the breakfast increased their confidence when speaking to employers and discussing their career goals. McDonald said internships play a fundamental role in helping students land their first full-time career after graduation.
Employers believed that breakfast was valuable because it gave students an opportunity to discuss their career paths and learn about specific industries in a learning environment.