By Brystol Beatley, Staff Writer
On Oct. 30, Wheaton College’s Center for Vocation and Career (CVC) hosted its annual Internship Exploration Night, where 26 students shared their internship experiences — from podcast production to coding online games for children. At this open-house-style event, about 143 participants walked through the entire CVC office, holding a map that indicated the location of each presenting student, clustered by industry.
Cassidy Keenan, a career coach and data and communications manager at the CVC, explained that the program’s goal is to promote a more inviting opportunity for students to explore possible career avenues with their peers, thereby eliminating the pressure that can often permeate a career fair or networking session.
Keenan said the search for internships is more important now than ever, as the job market becomes increasingly competitive. She noted that conversations around job opportunities include many fears that there is no way to attain desirable positions.
“That’s not true,” Keenan said. “You still can find opportunities, but being intentional about things like internships definitely gives a leg up.”
The event encouraged students to adopt a strategic approach to internships by exploring opportunities broadly and considering how their skills and talents could be applied in a variety of fields. The training helped Morgan Reeves, a senior media communications major, with a passion for videography, photography and creative design that she hopes to use in marketing or advertising. Given her broad interests, she said she was encouraged to see that “there were a good amount of people that I talked to from very different majors.”
After last week’s event, Reeves is looking into a wide range of potential opportunities, like meeting a podcast team and taking an informal office tour at a ministry.
Student presenters also benefited from the experience by honing their networking skills. Abby Simmons, a sophomore English literature and classical languages major, plans to pursue a master’s degree in education. At the Exploration Night, Simmons presented on her time with Great Hearts Academies, a charter school network.
Simmons appreciated the conversational practice in a more relaxed setting, but also the opportunity to offer inspiration through her story.
“I think getting the experience of being the one to offer something, rather than the one who’s asking for help and information, was a good experience,” Simmons said.
The CVC is planning more opportunities for students to dip their feet into the career world, including “Networking Night” with Wheaton’s alumni on Nov. 18.
No matter the event, Keenan highlighted how the CVC hopes for students to walk away with both connections and encouragement.
“There’s only so much that you can get from a job description sometimes, and so it is good wisdom to hear from somebody else who’s done what you’re thinking about maybe doing yourself,” she said.
