The University of Minnesota Crookston, Veden Center for Rural Development, and regional businesses partnered over the summer to host internships for students based on a grant received from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). More than 3,000 paid internship hours were recorded. U of M Crookston’s Career Services and faculty members served as advisors and mentors for the students, while tracking work outcomes and being liaisons between the University and the employers.
Students interned at employers like Crookston Housing & Economic Development Authority, Polk County Family Resource Center, West Central Initiative, Fisher Event Center, Scruffy Tails Humane Society, Real Good Bath & Body, Crookston Inn & Convention Center, Community Voice App, Maple Lake Campground, and more. Among those organizations, 50% are woman owned, 10% are woman and BIPOC owned, 10% are part of a community action group, and 10% are nonprofits. Some of the internship assignments included helping redesign organization logos, creating print and digital marketing materials, creating websites, assisting with designing and coding for an app, helping with social media posts, and preparing products for shows.
"We encouraged students to use their internships as a chance to explore career paths and educational opportunities related to their fields," said U of M Crookston Career Services Coordinator Nan Thurston. "Research in career readiness highlights the importance of hands-on experiences, and gaining exposure to the real-world practices and expectations of the business environment was a key focus that we believe contributed to their overall development."
Associate Director of the Veden Center Jacob McArthur helped facilitate the internships and created a reflection survey for the students following their internships, and found they gained valuable experience in what could become their future career fields.
“The key takeaways were that the students felt valued and supported by their summer colleagues, and professional growth was abundant,” said McArthur. “They were able to apply academic knowledge to real-world projects, and enhance their skills or develop skills such as time management and communication.”
“Internships are a critical stepping stone in career development,” he added. Overall, the internship provided a robust learning platform and practical experience.”
Quotes from students about the beneficial aspects of the internship program included:
“I loved having a faculty member available for all questions I had and as someone to discuss various ideas for campaigns. It was nice having a safety-net of sorts through the internship instead of being thrown into a field you have never worked in.”
“The experience is priceless.”
“The working environment while also getting to be creative showed me what a fun 9-5 could look like.”
