The Princeton Review has ranked Marquette as the 14th Best School for Internships among private schools. That means more internship opportunities for students like Karishma Dhingra hoping to gain real-world experience, preparing her for life after graduation.
The junior triple majoring in finance, real estate and marketing is now a client operations intern at Drake & Associates, a wealth management and retirement planning firm in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The learning curve she’s experiencing now will make for a smoother transition from the classroom to the corporate world.
“At first, there was a lot to learn about the company’s processes, vocabulary that was being thrown around, and the financial products they work with,” Dhingra says. “I handled it by taking notes, asking questions and being willing to learn from feedback. Over time, I became much more confident in my work.”
With any new experience in college, students may begin with certain expectations, but what many discover throughout the process is how much you can learn by simply being curious.
“The small details matter,” Dhingra says. “Something as simple as preparing accurate client materials helps the rest of the team do their jobs well and helps clients feel taken care of. Some of the most valuable parts of my internship have been asking to sit in on a meeting, learning why a task matters and hearing about the different paths people took to get where they are.”
It is moments like these that make internships so valuable for students. Marquette’s Internship Coordinator and Diederich College of Communication Lecturer Sheena Carey has 38 years of experience witnessing the positive impact internships have on students.
“Internships allow students to make the connections between class work and the work required in their chosen fields; they become better students in the classroom because of these connections,” Carey says.
Carey adds that the best ways students can begin their internship journey is to research the companies they are applying to, network with Marquette alumni, utilize the Career Center’s resources and focus on developing what she calls “power skills.”
“Working in teams, presentation skills, writing skills and conflict management are what students should focus on,” Carey says. “Employers can teach interns to do the job — they can’t teach the power skills.”
These are the skills that will set students apart from other applicants and provide a strong foundation as they transition into the working world. For many students, an internship can result in more than just connections and personal growth.
Elena Metinidis, a junior majoring in journalism, worked as an intern at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel over the summer. Covering everything from education to breaking news, the experience helped her develop the foundational skills that began in the classroom.
“My internship allowed me to sharpen my reporting, interviewing, writing and editing skills — all essential to the job,” Metinidis says. “I also learned to be a more courageous reporter, with the confidence to tackle any story.”
Metinidis found an outlet for her passion through the Marquette Wire, Marquette’s student-run media. She says her time in student media is what led her to the Journal Sentinel, which she feels provided a true window into what her future in journalism could look like.
“Student media connected me to a support system that encouraged me to apply for an internship at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,” Metinidis says. “Having that internship allowed me to grow my skills through hands-on experience and gave me a firsthand look into what my future could look like. I knew an internship would take my abilities to the next level and give me the opportunity to learn from incredible professionals.”
When it comes to applying for internships in today’s highly competitive job market, Metinidis says to shoot for the stars.
“Take a chance on yourself and apply for your dream internship, because you never know what could happen,” she says. “Don’t sell yourself short in the application process; believe in yourself and your work and you will end up in the right place.”
