On May 4th, members of AWC-SB joined students of the Communication Association at UCSB for a mixer to explore the mutual benefits of internships in the business world. Held on the University’s campus and entitled Honoring the Mentorship Model, the event included a panel hosted by Co-Presidents Amy Weitz and Megan Clark on the importance of creating opportunities through internships. The panel consisted of employers from different fields of communication, including Jina Carvalho from The Glendon Association, who was accompanied by her student intern Shantal, and Deborah Hutchinson of Gutsy Gals Inspire Me!, who has experience working in the film and media industry. The panelists answered questions about the process of interning and other aspects of communications.
“AWC-SB and the Communication Association at UCSB are natural complements,” commented Dr. Ana Laura Jansma, the faculty member who heads up the university group. “AWC members often seek the skills sets our students offer, and the students crave the expertise and guidance of AWC-SB’s professionals.”
Exploring both sides of the relationship, attendees discussed a range of topics, such as the daily work loads of professionals with an intern, a day in the life of an intern, qualities professionals look for in an intern, and the type of relationships professionals maintain with their interns.
As the discussion progressed, the panelists and other attending professionals stressed the importance of interns being willing to go above and beyond what is asked of them. They also commented on the value interns bring to the workplace regarding knowledge of new technologies. From the students’ viewpoint, the event reaffirmed that networking and prior experience play a role in acquiring internships and having them be successful. Professionals who attended got a chance to hear about practices, success stories, and concerns in dealing with internships and also the chance for networking with possible intern applicants. Attendees and hosts enjoyed a sense of camaraderie and a new understanding of the advantage of internships and rewards possible through such a relationship.
AWC-SB wishes to thank Dr. Ana Laura Jansma for bringing the two groups together. “I’d love to see this become an annual event,” Dr. Jansma said, and AWC-SB agrees!