Saint Anselm College students spent their summer break developing skills and learning about their fields through a wide range of internship positions. Internships are a great way to gain first-hand experience outside of the classroom. With internships ranging from remote work with a cable news channel to finance to local politics, students of all majors expanded their knowledge with these summer opportunities.
For his internship, politics major Kenneth Tran ‘23 worked with the team behind MSNBC’s All in with Chris Hayes. Tran’s responsibilities included compiling soundbites, images, and footage for the segment producers. He also performed research, and fact-checked scripts before the show aired.
“I got to work with fantastic, experienced journalists who were so helpful to helping me grow and also providing advice for my own career path,” said Tran of his internship.
One of his most notable events was speaking with physician and MSNBC contributor, Dr. Kavita Patel.
A major part of any internship role is gaining experience in a field. For Tran, this meant learning about the “behind the scenes” aspects of cable news, especially at a major network like MSNBC.
Another key takeaway from an internship is a glimpse into the type of career one may want to pursue after graduation. Now that he has completed this internship in cable news, Tran has a better idea about the type of media work he is interested in.
“I am completely open to more editorial jobs now thanks to the people behind All In,” he said.
Economics, and marketing major Ryan Heath ‘22 worked with The Long Group, a financial analysis firm based in Merrimack, N.H., for his summer internship. In this role, Heath analyzed data, prepared presentations for clients, and created marketing materials.
Among other tasks, Heath also created emails for mailing lists and assisted with data tracking for clients’ web pages.
“Everyone wears a lot of hats [at The Long Group], which has let me have a fairly comprehensive range of experiences and projects to work on,” he noted.
Heath credits his classes at Saint Anselm for preparing him to excel in his new role.
“All the economic research I’ve done this summer was definitely something I was capable of because of the coursework in my economics major. I also see parallels between a lot of the theory covered in my marketing classes and the actual analysis the firm does,” he said.
Heath’s summer experience taught him about presenting data and using it to tell a story. He also gained valuable experience in Microsoft Excel.
Politics and criminal justice major Maeve McAllister ’23 worked as the operations assistant for the Mayor of Melrose, Mass., for her summer internship.
McAllister’s day-to-day tasks included scheduling meetings, answering calls and emails, and coordinating use of City Hall spaces.
Along with her regular responsibilities, the role allowed McAllister to meet several local government officials.
“They were all so great to get advice from and hear about their experiences,” she said.
McAllister is also a member of the Kevin B. Harrington Ambassador Program at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics (NHIOP).
“I am learning so many skills and tools that I will bring to the Kevin B. Harrington program next year," she said.
“A summer internship experience is incredibly valuable for the student ambassadors. For starters, they get to supplement their classroom education with real world experience,” said NHIOP Program Assistant Thomas Case.
In McAllister’s case, this supplementary education included a new perspective on politics and local government that she had not yet come across in her classwork.
“This all translates into an increased likelihood for a job after graduation; employers like seeing internship experience on a resume,” said Case.
The college’s Career Development Center (CDC) assists students in their pursuit of internships as well as other positions, across all majors and industries. Through their career management system, Handshake, the CDC connects Saint Anselm students to a variety of employer partners, both in the New England area and beyond. In addition, the CDC offers both individual and group information sessions for students of all majors to explore their next steps.
“These one-on-one meetings give students and advisors the time to talk more about students’ interests and goals, and then work to support them as they search for internships that meet those criteria,” said Assistant Director of Internships and Career Advising Emily Kobrock.
The CDC also assists in the internship process by reviewing résumés and application materials, providing interview tips, and offering helpful insights related to search tactics.
“The most important thing for students who are interested in an internship in any semester, is to schedule an appointment with a career advisor,” said Kobrock. “We are here to help them start thinking about opportunities that will fit with your professional and academic goals, as well as assist you as you search for and apply for opportunities.”
In addition to the CDC, the NHIOP’s ambassador program assists its students in acquiring internships. This includes support during the application and interview process, as well as connections to alumni and other resources.
Internship postings for summer 2022 as well as for fall 2021 and spring 2022, are already available in Handshake, and interested students are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities.