What is an internship? It is an opportunity for a student to gain supervised, practical experience in a professional field. Now, to put that in more interesting terms, it's a way to get your foot in the door and earn college credit.

Internships offer other opportunities for students too, such as helping them choose courses best suited for their careers and providing networking opportunities. 

Louann Waldner, director of career services for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, said an internship can be the "light at the end of the tunnel" for many students. She said internships give students confidence and practice at being in the "real world" and motivate them to come back to school.

"Internships provide students an opportunity to learn about specific businesses or industries before making a career selection," said Roy Lee Lindsey, Oklahoma Pork Council executive director. 

"An internship gives you experience. You get out there and do it and decide if it's really what you want to do for the rest of your life," said Nikki Harrington, animal science and agricultural communications senior. She worked as an intern for the American Hereford Association as a youth department assistant. 

An internship "opens a lot of doors you don't even realize are there," said Amy Mounce, agricultural education senior. 

Mounce completed an internship this summer with the National Pork Producers Council in Des Moines, Iowa. Mounce, who was supervisor of all state Pork Quality Assurance interns at the World Pork Expo, said "Being supervisor was interesting since all but two of the interns were older than I was." 

Currently, there are only three CASNR majors that require an internship for graduation qualification. Those majors are agricultural education, agricultural communications and horticulture. But all departments encourage every student to complete an internship. Although it is not required, the department of plant and soil sciences urges students to complete internships starting their freshman year, allowing students to experience different jobs in their field. 

"Plant and soil sciences had probably eight students who did internships for credit, but more like 20 to 30 who had an internship," said Jeff Hattey, assistant professor, plant and soil sciences. 

CASNR students have worked in many different areas. Internship opportunities range from working on a city council to inspecting meat cuts on a slaughter floor. Not all internship positions are paid, but any internship has great experiences for students, and any kind of experience is useful. 

So how can you get an internship? The key word here is get; internships are not given to you. 

"Internships are great, but you have to be willing to look for them, to find contacts and search them out," Mounce said.

First, sign up for an orientation course when you enroll for classes and learn about internships offered. Second, internship positions are posted throughout the college on bulletin boards and office doors. Third, career services places students in internships yearly. 

"Last year 138 out of 140 students who signed up with career services completed an internship," said Waldner.

And finally, internships can be created. Obtain contacts through advisers and call a company and ask if they have an internship program in their organization. The worst that can happen is they will say no. When you find an internship, contact your adviser to see if you can earn college credit for that internship. 

An internship may take you across campus or across America.

"We had students from Maryland to west Texas to Illinois," said Hattey.

"I went everywhere," said Harrington. "Every weekend I would travel to a different place to help with a state show. It was a completely different experience for me because I had shown cattle all my life, but I had never been on the other side. I now realize there are a lot of details others take for granted in planning such a large event.

"Perhaps the most valuable tool a student can gain from an internship is future marketability. Employers may not be looking for an employee with internship experience, but it can definitely make an applicant more desirable. 

"The most rewarding aspect of an internship is getting out and meeting people, because you develop contacts for the future," Harrington said.

"It was a classic experience. In terms of future marketability, an internship can give you the edge," said Mounce. "The fact that you have real life experience outside of the classroom makes you more marketable," 

"I would say that a student with an internship program ó a good internship program ó has a definite advantage over a student without an internship," said Lindsey. "If I have two candidates for a job who are equal in every way except that one has done an internship in my industry and the other has not, odds are that I will hire the intern every time. They already have some experience."

An internship can also help students make decisions about what area they want to work in when they graduate. 

"It's better to work somewhere for six months and hate it, than to graduate, start a career, then realize you hate your job," said Hattey.

"We all know people who planned for a career from their first day in college, and as soon as they entered the workforce, they were miserable in their chosen field," said Lindsey. 

"One of the biggest frustrations I had when I started pursuing my first job was that everyone wanted someone with experience. No one was willing to give me an opportunity to get that experience. Internships provide that opportunity," he said.

An internship won't guarantee a 75-foot yacht behind your new sports utility vehicle when you get home, but it will provide a great opportunity for experience based work. Building relations with an internship can provide the winning edge. 

For more information on an internship contact Louann Waldner, director of career services, at (405) 744-5395.