Some people have spent the last month in an interterm class, some have spent it at home in bed and some have spent it at an internship, but one person spent the last month making $1,500.
Assistant Professor of Business and Economics John Pepper said Baker University offered students who participated in internships an extra opportunity to earn some money.
Director of Career Development Susan Wade said participating students looked deep into how companies are organized and will present the information they gathered to a panel of judges who will award the best presenter $1,500. She said the program goes above and beyond the typical internship.
“It gets students to think outside the box and push themselves to do some research,” Wade said.
Pepper said the things students looked at involved the history of the organizations, what the organizations do and who benefits from them, how the organizations function, how they market their services or products and the leadership style.
Pepper said the additions to the program give students an opportunity to provide them with a tremendous background.
“(It) provides them with an opportunity to be much more successful in all of the organizations they are involved in,” Pepper said.
Sophomore John Radenberg said he might have to do an internship for his major. He said he thinks internships are great experience and give an understanding of what to do in certain situations, and he is interested in this additional opportunity.
“It gives everyone a reason to get more out of their internship,” Radenberg said. “It’s always better to have more knowledge of what you are going to be doing.”
Wade said the Baker Organizational Observation for Knowledge (Book) program came from a proposal made by some of the business faculty after University President Pat Long asked faculty and staff to look for programs that would impact student knowledge.
Pepper said he learned the program was selected for funding during Long’s inauguration speech.
He said the program is unique to Baker.
“Students can set themselves apart from other interns in a very positive way,” Pepper said.
Wade said the questions students would need to ask required students to direct themselves to CEOs and others in high-level positions. This could give students good contacts and networking in the future.
“It’s one of the best experiential learning opportunities we’ve offered, not as CDC, but as Baker,” Wade said.
Freshman Hollie Proctor said she plans on interning during college because she thinks it is a good way to gain experience and will help her job search. She thinks the addition to the program is a good idea, but the cash prize could be distracting for some.
“Whenever you offer money, that’s the only thing they’re going after,” Proctor said. “It’ll be great, but they’re not in it for the experience; they’re in it for the money.”