Marist Hosts Annual Internship Showcase
Credit: Elizabeth Baumgardner '25
The Center for Career Services hosted its second annual Internship Showcase on April 5, in the Student Center River Rooms.
This event allowed students to network with their peers, learn more about internship workloads and discuss future professional plans.
Stephanie Paquin ‘15, assistant director of the Internship Program, explained that the feedback on the event was overwhelming, with over 100 students in attendance and over 60 interns.
Meticulous planning and coordination were integral to the seamless execution of an event like this. At the beginning of the spring semester, the Center for Career Services emailed all juniors and seniors to gauge interest in presenting at the showcase.
Then, they put together the promotional materials and collaborated with the internship coordinators across all schools to help spread the word.
Interns gathered from a variety of different employers, such as the Better Business Beaurau, Oscar de la Renta, JP Morgan Chase & Co. and others.
“Any time you can talk with somebody one-on-one about a work experience in the field you're studying, that's valuable insight,” said Roger Connor, internship coordinator for the School of Communication and the Arts. “The Internship Showcase gives students the opportunity to learn directly from their classmates working with employers this semester.”
In addition to the networking opportunities, students could also get their LinkedIn headshots taken and participate in a raffle for a chance to win some Marist merchandise.
Jessica Dworkin ‘26 was one of the only sophomores in attendance for those presenting. Dworkin is a writing and editing intern for Sports Girl Club. This multimedia platform works to turn the sports communication industry into a place where women can thrive and become successful.
“It was amazing to be able to give [freshman and sophomores] tips and insight on finding internships and making connections,” said Dworkin. “Talking to other students is a casual yet helpful way to get internship advice. My internship opened many doors for me, and sharing that with other students felt so good.”
“I shared my experience at the showcase because I wanted to show students what an internship in marketing could look like,” said Lola Piccolo ‘24, a marketing and design intern at the New York Post. “When you say the New York Post, everyone automatically assumes news or journalism, but a lot more goes into keeping the paper functioning. I also wanted to share this internship because the work I have been doing has been very rewarding.”
Paquin hinted at future networking events, especially those allowing students to connect personally with their peers.
“I would advise students just to keep applying. Applying to 20+ internships and hearing back from none can be discouraging, but it only takes one response,” said Piccolo. “I would also say apply to a few different types of internships; you never really know what you enjoy until you do it.”
The Center for Career Services urges students to make an internship advising appointment with a career coach on Handshake. They have various resources and connections for students looking to build their network and help them land their dream jobs, regardless of their year or majors.