Advising — Should I Take An Internship Course

Posted November 10, 2016 by Elizabeth James

One thing I was extremely surprised to note when I started my program online at Simmons was just how approachable the professors were–they responded quickly to any of my requests to speak with them, and were very open to talking on the phone with me about any questions I might have. Recently, I was required to turn in my tentative planning statement for my program of study, but I wanted to talk with adviser to make sure that the schedule I was picking was feasible given the planned courses for the next year and a half, and would be a viable match for my future career interests. She happily set up a time to talk later in the week, and I had a really productive conversation with her about required courses, and whether an internship would be beneficial to me.

Because I have a lot of library experience, it never occurred to me that an internship for course credit was not something I should do while I am in school. I already volunteer at several library and local historical organizations, so why should I take a class to facilitate these already existing relationships? This was when I realized that a formal internship would allow me to develop a portfolio of my work, and create a more official partnership with these organizations, emphasizing completing a finished product instead of assisting them in their usual work. While the latter is also valuable, being able to say that I gave the institution a final product which they can use is an immensely important learning experience that benefits me and the institution I am assisting. Since I am not based out of a large city, this provides especially crucial professional documents and assistance to local organizations who may be unable to pay for such consultation normally. Thanks to a conversation with my adviser, I was able to totally change my view. Now, I’m excited and brainstorming potential projects that can benefit me, and help local organizations as well!