BEVERLY, Mass. - The semester-long internship is one of the essential pieces of Endicott's experiential learning model which includes two 120-hour internships, a semester-long internship, and senior thesis. In essence, it gets undergraduate students career ready with a loaded resume geared towards whatever their postgraduate endeavors may be.
Two of the members of the Class of 2018 for the Gulls men's volleyball program - while balancing strength and conditioning programming, captains practices, official team practice, and the start to their 2017-18 campaign - have all completed their semester-long internship. These exceptional student-athletes - Amar Patel (Keene, N.H.) and Troy Riorden (Fairport, N.Y.) - gave us an insight into their experience working in their desired professions through our new question and answer series.
Amar Patel
Business Management/Hospitality
Semester-Long Internship: Restaurant Associates - MIT, supervisor is the Catering Operations Manager
Previous Internships: Ready4Kits, PSP Imports
What inspired you to pursue an internship at this organization or what inspired you to go into the specific industry in which you are working?
I was inspired to go into the hospitality industry because I have a huge background in it since I was young because of my parents. I choose to work for a catering company because it is a different part of hospitality that I have no experience or knowledge in. Restaurant Associates is a very well known food service company that has several locations. I was honored to get the position at the MIT location because it is a great way to make connections and it will be a resume booster.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences on the job and what did you learn?
I got to captain several events which means I was in charge of a few employees assigned to that event and to make sure everything ran smoothly so the client left with a great experience. When the employees and client came up to me to tell me that everything went great and that I did a wonderful job, those are the experiences that make work fun and enjoyable. From this, I learned that employees appreciate a boss that is willing to help out with some of the dirty work when needed and not just delegating tasks to do and then watching over them.
How did your internship help clarify your postgraduate career pursuits?
My internship helped clarify that I really want to be in a supervisor/manager position once I graduate. I've always seen myself in positions where I was in charge and after captaining events and having to be in charge of other employees, it made it very clear that's where I belong. I can't say that I want to go into the catering industry after college, but it was a great learning experience in a new field of hospitality. I've learned a lot from this internship which I can use moving forward in my career.
What advice would you give students that are either just starting the internship program at Endicott or students that will be going on semester-long internship?
The most important advice I can give is to take the three internships you will do over your four years at Endicott seriously. It's a great way to make connections and possibly line up a job for yourself after college. Endicott provides all students with so many helpful opportunities and support, but it's on the student to put some effort in and take advantage of it. One other helpful piece of advice is to keep in the back of your mind that there is no bad internship. Yes, some will be better than others, but you are learning along the way even if your experience was positive or negative. The negative experiences are what you learn the most from because you use that knowledge and know what to do differently for the next one.
Troy Riorden
Finance
Semester-Long Internship: Lauchlan, Marketing department, supervisor was Krystan Bugbee
Previous Internships:
What inspired you to pursue an internship at this organization or what inspired you to go into the specific industry in which you are working?
I wanted to work at Lauchlan because the service they provide drew interest from me. Lauchlan works strictly in the IT channel and that was something that I found extremely cool, for a marketing agency to be that specialized within the industry while maintaining a high level of success is impressive.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences on the job and what did you learn?
I learn something new every day. Lauchlan is growing at such a fast rate that as an intern I'm finding myself always having something to do and a project to get my hands on, giving me that first-hand experience that is so invaluable to students entering the workforce. Internships like these develop your skills at an exponential rate and that's just something you can't acquire in the classroom.
How did your internship help clarify your postgraduate career pursuits?
I can see myself working at an agency just like Lauchlan after graduation.
What advice would you give students that are either just starting the internship program at Endicott or students that will be going on semester-long internship?
Simply put the work in. You may not love what you are doing at the time, but every experience prepares you for the next. Work hard at whatever you are doing now because every opportunity leads to another.
The Endicott Experience feature aims to highlight the entirety of the student-athletes' experiential learning journey throughout their academic careers. The student-athlete at Endicott is afforded the same opportunities as the general student population at the College as it relates to internships, study abroad, and postgraduate career pursuits. This philosophy mirrors the mission statement of the College which every student is encouraged to take intellectual risks, pursue scholarly and creative interests, contribute to the community, and explore diverse career paths. Read more Endicott Experience features by navigating the links below.
INTERNSHIP: Fall 2015 | 2014-15 Internships | Fall 2016 Semester-Long | Gulls "Learn By Doing" On Winter Break | 442 Student-Athletes Complete Internships During 2016-17 Academic Year
STUDY ABROAD: Studying Abroad as a Student-Athlete at Endicott | James Dwyer Focuses on Opportunities Abroad in Switzerland with Les Roches Global Hospitality | Endicott Student-Athletes Study Abroad in Asia | Holly Erbe Studies Abroad in London, Paris, Amsterdam | Andrea Courtemanche Gains New Perspectives Through Study Abroad Trip |
ACADEMICS: Emily Sharpe and Eric Owens Balance STEM and Sport at Endicott | Kendra Walters, Creating Her Own Happiness Through Art at Endicott
CAREER OUTCOMES: Internships Lead To Career Outcomes | 2015 Graduates Find Immediate Success in Job Market
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