On May 20, when MU’s Class of 2012 walks across the stage at Commencement, many of the graduates will already have secured jobs. Often, these first jobs are a direct result of something that sets MU apart from most other schools: the required internship for academic credit. Here are the stories of two such soon-to-be grads:
For Betsey Rioja ’12, a Business Administration major with a specialization in International Business, May will be one busy month. As the U.S. Department of Labor internship that she began last November ends, she will immediately start a full-time job at the DOL. Betsey says, “At first I viewed the internship as just another academic requirement that I had to complete before graduation; I never thought of it as an opportunity to land a permanent job. But I have learned so much and grown so fast as a professional in just a few months!” Betsey will work in the Labor Department’s Office of Policy Development and Research.
Jocelyn Garay ’12, a Communications major, was a Girl Scout in high school, so when she spotted a public relations internship with the Girls Scouts Council of the Nation’s Capital, she jumped at it. Jocelyn notes, “My internship was a very cool experience. I worked on the press materials for Rock the Mall, the Girl Scouts’ centennial celebration on the National Mall, being held this summer. Now, the Council has hired me as a linguistic outreach specialist in their Membership Department. My primary role will be to serve as a community liaison and use my Spanish-language skills to get more Hispanic girls involved in Girl Scouting.”