Picture yourself at your future internship. What do you see? Maybe you see yourself learning the ins and outs of your dream career, or maybe you see yourself fetching coffee and trailing behind a boss who doesn’t even know your name. It may also be the case that you can’t picture anything at all which is okay. College is the time to discover who you are and what you like to do, and an internship is an integral part of that journey. Here at the School of Business, we know the process of finding an internship can be extremely daunting, which is why you do not have to do it alone. Lisa Lubrano (MS), the School of Business internship coordinator, is here to help you every step of the way.
Lisa started her job as internship coordinator this past February and has since played an essential role in revamping the School of Business Internship Program. When Lisa graduated from college, she felt no one had provided her with the job readiness skills she needed or even taught her the value of an internship. Because of her experience, she is determined to make sure that no student graduates from the School of Business feeling unprepared for life after college. She helps students with everything they need for success, including interview preparation, mock interviews, resume and cover letter writing, and the actual internship search and application processes themselves. While teaching these skills is essential, so is helping students discover who they are and what they genuinely love to do so that they can have fulfilling lives and careers. It is really Lisa’s dedication and passion for helping students that has had the greatest impact on the internship program itself.
“This is the only time in your life where you will have the time to dedicate to self-exploration and finding out what makes you happy. You cannot let this time slip away without figuring that out.”
“This is the only time in your life where you will have the time to dedicate to self-exploration and finding out what makes you happy. You cannot let this time slip away without figuring that out,” says Lisa. Many students are unsure of what they want to do after graduation, and Lisa knows that internships consistently help students discover their true passions and realize their full potential. She wants all of her students to have happy and fulfilling lives and knows that it is important to take the time to get to know them and learn their interests so she can better help them with their internship search. Lisa cares so deeply about her students’ happiness and success that it is indisputably clear on her face every time she talks about them. One of her favorite parts of her job is when her students come back to talk to her about their internship experience and what they learned.
A student came to Lisa for help with finding an internship and confided in her that he did not know what career path he wanted to follow. Lisa took the time to really get to know him, his interests, and his personality, and after doing so she had a gut feeling. She just knew that he would form an instant connection with an employer we partner with at an insurance company, and she was right. They not only worked well together as colleagues but also became fast friends. The employer even brought the student completely out of his shell. The internship was a perfect match. While learning about the insurance industry, the student also discovered how much he enjoyed it and decided to make it his career path. After the internship ended, he returned to Lisa’s office to tell her how much the experience changed his life. Not only had he learned about himself and his passions, but he said that his newfound interest had even improved his home life by giving him something to bond over with a family member who works in the same industry. He was also offered a full-time job with the company, which he gladly accepted.
While it is common for students to begin their internship search with no specific industry or company in mind, many students are dead set on one internship and one internship only. There are challenges to both: when students are not sure where to begin the options can be overwhelming, but when students know exactly what they want and don’t get it right away it can be disheartening. One student had his sights set on a specific company and had been trying to get an internship with them since 2018. He had written three separate cover letters and never received a call back, so he went to Lisa for help. Upon reading his previous cover letters, Lisa realized they were not demonstrating his work ethic or creativity. Lisa explained the importance of making a cover letter personal so that it sets you apart from other applicants. Together, they sat down and started from scratch, writing a cover letter about a calculated risk he took and the success that came from it. With Lisa’s help, this new cover letter conveyed to the company how much of an asset this student would be, and they offered him a paid internship.
It is also essential to understand that not every internship experience will turn out perfectly but will still teach critically important lessons. One student came to Lisa with his dream internship already picked out and clearly pictured in his head. He was determined to work in a specific industry at a specific company, which he told Lisa all about. Together they worked through the entire application process, and both were ecstatic when they found out he was selected for the internship; however, the internship was not what he had always dreamed of. In fact, the student realized he hated it. This was a hard reality for him to accept, so his internship employer created an assignment designed for self-discovery and helped the student understand why this industry was not for him. It was a hard lesson to learn, but this internship experience ultimately taught him something about himself he may not have learned without his employer's help. When he told Lisa about this experience, she did not see it as a failure but as a success because he was able to change his path and discover his true passion and dream career.
Internships are designed to teach things you simply cannot learn in the classroom, and they show students the reality of the workplace. Lisa teaches that an internship is more than just a job; it is a valuable employment experience where students are able to explore and learn not just about a specific industry but about themselves. Lisa’s ultimate goal for the School of Business Internship Program is for it to help students truly find themselves and discover their passions. She looks for employers who are willing to go above and beyond to assist with this goal and sometimes even teach hard lessons in self-discovery. Students who participate in the School of Business Internship program will not only find success but will also find that having the opportunity to work alongside Lisa is invaluable. Lisa has experience helping students in all stages of the internship journey and encourages them to reach out no matter what part of the process they need help with. You can find more information about The School of Business Internship Program and how to contact Lisa on our website.
