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 members of the Class of 2018 for the Gulls women's lacrosse program - while balancing strength and conditioning programming, captains practices, official team practice, and the start to her 2017-18 campaign - have all completed their semester-long internship. Cassidy Merrill (Buxton, Maine) and Olivia Larson (Cheshire, Conn.) gave us an insight into her experience working in her desired professions through our new question and answer series.
Cassidy Merrill
Biology and Biotechnology
Semester-Long Internship: Maine Medical Center Research Institute
Previous Internships: Maine Orthodontics, Saco River Dentistry
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?
Having the opportunity to be involved in any medical research is exciting, however, being mentored at an institution like MMCRI has made an instrumental impact on my education. They are a smaller research institution that values learning, collaboration, and communication. It is because of them I have learned, although the process of finding significant results may take a while when conclusions are made they are one step closer towards advancing the medical communities knowledge in the hope of making a positive impact.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences on the job and what did you learn?
While at MMCRI I had a diverse work schedule which gave me the opportunity to learn a variety of new skills such as bone marrow flushing, ELISAs and animal dissection. I was encouraged to network; this gave me the chance to work in a variety of labs which broadened my knowledge and exposed me to patient consenting, bio-repositories, autopsies and animal research facilities.
How did your internship help clarify your postgraduate career pursuits?
I plan on attending dental school post-graduation, MMCRI has given me the opportunity to improve my weaknesses and take advantage of my strengths in a lab setting. At MMCRI, I have developed my confidence when working independently and communicating in teams which will both be useful skills for my future 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?
It is all about networking. Don't be afraid to try something new and put yourself out there because you never know if the connections you make now will open up doors of opportunity in your future!
Olivia Larson
Hospitality Management
Semester-Long Internship: Aramark, Fenway Park
Previous Internships: Powerstation Events, St. Mary's Hospital
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?
My internship supervisor led me in the direction of Aramark. Aramark reached out to Endicott looking for already graduated students for full-time positions. I decided to email and ask for an internship because I wanted to try the food and beverage side of events. My freshmen internship was with weddings company and sophomore was with a non-profit within a hospital. Going into the hospitality industry I felt it was important to have a background in food and beverage which is why I picked this location for my semester long.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences on the job and what did you learn?
My favorite part of this internship was how much trust my management had in me. I had such a fun time building relationships with my workers and helping them deal with their situations. I had to find different ways I could connect with them so I could gain their respect. I also got to handle customers complaints first-hand. Whether that complaint be about one of my workers, the customer's food, service or anything. I learned so much about how to manage people through doing it on my own for seven months and observing my colleagues. I had a tough time walking into a company where my workers have been doing their job for 20 or 30 plus years and I was in charge of telling them what to do. It ended up being such a good experience because once they respected me, it made my job fun and meaningful. I also got to have multiple encounters with Red Sox players and the opposing team which was an awesome perk.
How did your internship help clarify your postgraduate career pursuits?
I did not necessarily love the food industry, however, I am so glad I was exposed to it. After graduation, I plan on applying to an AL2 program which stands for Accelerated Leadership Program. It is within Aramark and you go through a year-long leadership program in whatever region of the country you wish and you can pick what area that interests you, such as sports and entertainment, convention centers, etc. I also plan to apply to a hotel, and event planning company. I am not 100% on what I want to do out of college so I am going to apply to different locations and keep my options open.
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?
My advice is to be an expert on where ever you plan on doing your internship, it will only help you and impress your supervisor. Another important piece of advice for semester-long interns is to make sure you love the location and your supervisor, you are working with them for a whole semester that relationship is going to be key.
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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