For some college students, the word "intern" conjures up thoughts of making copies, sending faxes and fetching cups of coffee for little or no pay.

Such stereotypes are mostly outdated, though, according to current students and employers.

Employers are realizing that interns can be a valuable asset to their company, according to Laura Kestner, director of Marquette's Career Services Center, and in some industries, cutbacks have caused employers to rely more heavily on their interns.

"A lot of employers have had to rely on interns to pick up work that they don't have full-time workers doing," she said.

Internships can also become full-time jobs.

In 2004, employers converted 35.6 percent of their interns to full-time employees on average, according to the 2005 Experiential Education Survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, Bethlehem, Pa. The association tracks job market data and provides resources to college career counselors and human resource professionals.

'Real life' experience

The benefits of having an internship are twofold, Kestner said.

An internship "gives an employer the chance to see a student's work ethic and ability," Kestner said. "Internships for students are so invaluable because a lot of students think they know what they want to do, and once they're in the field maybe it's completely different from what they thought."

College of Communication junior Mark Treichel said he hopes his internship with Hoffman York in Milwaukee will create a resume entry that catches prospective employers' eyes.

Treichel began working at the marketing, public relations, advertising and media firm in May and was given the opportunity to stay on through at least the fall semester. His duties include doing research, developing media lists, writing press releases and working with some of the firm's regular clients.

"It's something I'd actually be doing in the workforce," he said.

Kim Zikowski, an assistant account executive and intern coordinator in the firm's public relations department, said giving interns actual work is mutually beneficial.

"We want to try and let them know how it would be if they were actually in that field," she said.

Kyle Gisbrecht, a junior in the College of Communication, is currently a financial representative intern for the Grogan Group, a member of Northwestern Mutual Financial Network.

Gisbrecht started interning with the Milwaukee-based life insurance company in May and is able to continue working for as long as he chooses.

"It's definitely not a typical internship at all," Gisbrecht said. "There's no running errands or filing or doing all that. It's meeting with clients and helping develop risk management solutions."

Interns are a valuable resource for the company, said Kurt Schummer, college unit director with the Grogan Group and 2000 College of Business Administration alumnus.

"Some of our best full-time representatives are prior college representatives," Schummer said.

Other perks

Other internship benefits include the opportunity to receive course credit and in some cases get paid.

Both Treichel and Gisbrecht received course credit for their internships during the summer, and both are getting paid.

Kestner said receiving credit is beneficial because it shows the internship has learning objectives, but noted that students also have to pay tuition to receive credit because it is equivalent to taking a course.

Typically employers seek interns who have completed relevant courses and have completed their sophomore year, Kestner said. However, she said it is never too early to begin looking.

The Career Services Center Web site, www.mu.edu/csc, contains tips for how to find and prepare for an internship. MU CareerTrak, an online database contained on the Career Services Center site that allows students to post their resume for employers to search, is another resource for students.

Another option for students who want to gain career experience is cooperative education. In the College of Engineering, students who enroll in the co-op program work full time for three non-consecutive semesters for the same employer and receive pay.

Susan Michaelson, director of cooperative education and assistant dean for the college, compared the co-op program to a year-long interview.

Engineering students graduate in five years instead of four.

This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 27, 2005.