Students Prepare for Summer Internships

by: Erin Piasecki

It's that time of year again! February and March are important months in the lives of many college students, as they prepare to take their first steps out of the cozy realm of the undergraduate and into the professional world. I am speaking, of course, of the infamous search for a summer internship. Internships, as many working professionals today can attest, represent an invaluable opportunity to not only gain experience and exposure in a chosen field, but to explore and pinpoint new areas of interest in a dynamic, yet supportive environment that facilitates individual growth and learning.

This will be the third summer that internships have been fostered through the Shimer College Internship & Mentorship program or SIM. Funded by the JS Kemper Foundation, the program provides students who qualify with a $3000 stipend to offset costs of living incurred through the duration of their paid or unpaid internship. A few qualifications of the program include establishing a mentor relationship with a professional at the organization of choice, submitting a written statement of purpose, and, of course, being in good academic and social standing at Shimer College. Recent beneficiaries of the Kemper program include last summer's Jesus Avina, Meg Nelson, and Justin Lockwood. Jesus wrote for a small music magazine in Chile and lived and worked in a hostel during his stay. Meg volunteered at the Harold Washington writing lab in Chicago and Justin Lockwood interned at a law firm in his hometown on Long Island. You can read more about their internships in the fall issue of the Symposium. Though some walked away from thier experience knowing they had found their chosen field, and others not so sure, all agreed that they ended their summers with knowledge and worthwhile experiences that would serve them well, regardless.

For many college students, the most difficult part of the internship process is just finding available opportunities. But the good news is, that this is where a dedicated network of alums can be the most helpful! If you know of an organization, or work for one, that is looking for summer interns in a capacity that would suit a Shimer student, let us know as soon as possible. Many deadlines for this summer's internship programs are fast approaching, and the spots go quickly.