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KEY Internships for Wesleyan students 

Internships are KEY to Wesleyan’s four-year career development plan, From Here to Career, as they allow our students to take the skills they have learned in the classroom and use them in the workforce.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers [NACE], “An internship is a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.”  

WHAT EMPLOYERS WILL GAIN FROM A KEY EXPERIENCE

EMPLOY: Interact with motivated and well-rounded students
ENGAGE: Assist in molding a talented pipeline of potential employees
EXPERIENCE: Build relationships with students

Creating an internship experience for a Wesleyan student is relatively easy. The Center for Career Development will be happy to assist to make sure you have all you need to create a valuable experience for both you and our students.

For more information on Wesleyan’s KEY Internship Program, contact Ivy Word, director of career development, at iword@wesleyancollege.edu or (478) 757-5224.

What constitutes an internship

Internships, whether virtual or in-person, should create and deliver a well-balanced experience for students that allows them to learn about your organization, focus on professional development, and engage in meaningful projects and work that will help to develop their overall ability to become a valuable team member in the future.

  • An environment where students can ask questions about the work, field or career paths.
  • Educationally enriching projects which outline responsibilities, mentoring, quality training, supervision and evaluation.
  • Regular meetings with the supervisor to provide feedback on the student’s performance.
  • 75% of assignments would involve autonomous projects and progressively increased levels or responsibility so students can show initiative and problem-solving. Clerical work should be kept to a minimum.
What an Internship is Not:

An unsupervised job with tasks unrelated to career experience and growth.

Creating an internship

To begin, be sure your internship meets the following requirements:

  • Semester internships can be completed over the entire 15 week semester or the 8 week split-term semester; students are required to work a minimum of 48 hours over the course of the semester. Internships may be completed in-person or virtually.
  • A student may not intern for academic credit with any organization where they have been employed before, unless the internship supervisor verifies that the intern’s duties will be substantially different from their paid job.
  • All students and supervisors must complete midterm and final evaluations, which will be distributed electronically by the Center for Career Development.
  • Wesleyan College works with established organizations to coordinate internship opportunities. Therefore, a company/organization wishing to host an internship must have a valid tax ID number and updated contact information.


Step One: Once you have identified the work you want an intern to complete, the next step is to complete the electronic Internship Description Form

Step Two: The CCD will post the Internship description on our platform Handshake and advertise the position across campus.  

Step Three: Students will submit their application materials to the CCD by the requested deadline, and the CCD will then forward them to the employer.

Step Four: Employers will conduct their own interview and hiring process.

Important dates to remember

Summer Internships

  • Summer internships may take place any time between mid-May to mid-August
  • March - April: Internship descriptions may be submitted to the Center for Career Development
  • May - June: Employers may conduct the hiring process

Fall Internships

  • Fall internships may take place any time between mid-August to mid-December
  • May - June: Internship descriptions may be submitted to the Center for Career Development
  • July - August: Employers may conduct the hiring process

Spring Internships

  • Spring internships may take place any time between mid-January to mid-May
  • September - October: Internship descriptions may be submitted to the Center for Career Development
  • November - January: Employers may conduct the hiring process
Why Wesleyan

Wesleyan College students develop a wide range of skills and knowledge throughout their college experiences. As a liberal arts college, Wesleyan teaches students how to think critically, how to learn and how to see things as a whole. In addition to a robust curriculum, Wesleyan students learn to incorporate six key skills which are invaluable for success in careers and life. This combination of academics and crucial skill development equips Wesleyan women with a unique perspective that makes them highly competitive and successful in whatever fields they choose. Hire a Wesleyan College intern and see for yourself!

Professional Communication: The ability to understand and explain information and ideas clearly and effectively in a variety of settings. Professional communication encompasses written, oral, visual, and digital communication.

Data-Informed Decision Making: The ability to collect, analyze, and evaluate various types of data to guide decisions.

Creative Problem-Solving: The ability to identify core issues, evaluate multiple solutions, and create innovative approaches to effectively address problems.

Inclusive Teamwork: The ability to understand multiple perspectives, find common goals, and collaborate with others to achieve team objectives.

Change Management: The ability to evaluate areas of necessary change, navigate complex systems, and facilitate new projects or initiatives to produce the desired change.

Civic/Community Engagement and Service: The ability to understand both individual and group responsibility for community change, and apply that knowledge to improve one’s local, national, and global community.

What employers have to say

At the conclusion of each internship, employers are asked to rate a student’s overall performance in their role. Over 90% of employers rated a Wesleyan College student as “above average” or “outstanding.”

“[The student] takes initiative in developing and completing projects. On more than one occasion, [she] used her time effectively to complete the tasks on her plate and even initiate more projects. One of the things I appreciated most about her as an intern is that she would see a need, and take it upon herself to work to address it. Many new developments came from her initiative.” - A higher education professional

“[She] is a tremendous student who loves to learn. She has solid communication skills, tremendous writing skills, and the ability to adapt to any learning environment.” - A business professional
“The student worked with us virtually and was great at staying in touch...we appreciate her ability to change at the drop of a hat!”
- A non-profit professional

“[The student] is forward thinking and possesses problem solving skills that will be beneficial to her throughout her life.” - A secondary education professional

“Given the choice between harder and easier tasks, [the student] preferred to tackle harder work so she could learn new skills...she requested help when needed, and was very easy to work with.” - A real estate professional

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