English Majors Find Career Interests with Internships

The Damien Center, just one institution where our English majors are placed for internships.

Thirteen English majors are working on internships this semester. The internship course, or English 494, is a requirement for graduation, and the sheer variety of what is available allows the skills of the individual student to shine.

Saint Rose English majors are currently doing their internships at the following places:

Juliet Barney: We Who Are About to Die (literary/cultural blog)
Melissa Dominguez:  Neil Hellman Library
Kelsie Forte: Sous Rature (literary magazine)
Jaylin Frese: Historic Albany Foundation
Michael Higgins:  New Netherland Museum
Victoria Hill:  SUNY Press
Jessica Jordan: College Archives, Neil Hellman Library
Kelly Laniewski: Foit-Albert & Associates
Emily Massa: The American Red Cross, Northeast New York Chapter
Taylor Miller: The Damien Center
Matthew Shoop:   The Classic Theater Guild
Sarah Wood: The Word Works (small poetry publisher)

And here is a list of those from the Fall 2010 semester:

Nicole Alsdorf: The Pink Orange (design firm)
Briana Brinson: NYS Office of the Attorney General
Teresa Farrell, We Who Are About to Die (literary/cultural blog)
Emily Gagola, Upstate Artists Guild (not-for-profit organization)
Marisa Graham: Law Office of Ken McGuire, Jr.
Kelley Imbody, Schenectady High School
Jordan Miller, SUNY Press (publishing company)
Justin Singer, “The Team” ESPN Radio (media organization)

“It’s been exciting and challenging, and worth all of the time and effort. I feel like I’m one step closer to finding my dream career,” says Victoria Hill, who hopes to continue in the publishing field after graduation. Her enthusiasm certainly appears to be the norm across the group of interns no matter what field they are in.

“It really helps if the internship follows a possible career path that they wish to explore,” says Jessica Jordan, whose internship at the College library has sparked an interest. “I decided I wanted to work in the archives, or at least in a library setting, because I am planning on continuing with my education so I can one day possibly work in this field.”

An internship provides an opportunity to delve into the working world outside of academia, but a consensus among the interns certainly says that preparation is required.

“The only advice I would offer undergrads,” Taylor Miller says, “would be to plan for and even start applying to internships before halfway through the semester prior to the course.”

Some internship listings can be found at the College Career Center‘s eCareer site. The Center offers resume critique as well as personal search help with appointment. They can be reached by phone at 518-454-5141 or by email at career@strose.edu.