Centre Internship Plus makes exciting real-world experience possible

RELEASED: Nov. 9, 2006

DANVILLE, KY—The endocrine surgery lab at Johns Hopkins University. A veterinary clinic in New Zealand. The office of a U.S. senator. These are just a few work environments that Centre students have experienced as part of the College's Internship Plus (CIP) program.

Internship Plus is a competitive program that allows students to earn extra financial support for internships, either during the summer or CentreTerm, the three-week winter learning experience. The College's Career Services Office helps out by locating top-notch internships and offering advice for students interested locating internships on their own.

"The Centre Internship Plus program made it possible for me to spend the summer in New York City," says Mary Catherine Starr, a senior from Atlanta, Ga. "Without this program, I wouldn't have been able to have this experience. I had the opportunity to work for KCSA, a large public relations firm in the city. I was able to learn about what goes on in the fast-paced, ever-changing world of advertising and marketing. As an art and English double major, I wanted to see the more business-oriented side of art—and this opportunity allowed me to do so."

Through her internship, Starr was able to help conduct market research, aid in the creation of marketing plans and contact media outlets for advertising clients' products.

"My CIP has allowed me to return to Centre for my senior year with a much more informed idea of what I'm going to pursue next year," she says. "Being in the city was also one of the most valuable aspects of my CIP experience. I'm hoping to move back as soon as I graduate, if everything goes as planned, but would never have known how much I wanted to be there if I hadn't had this opportunity."

If a student’s proposal is accepted, the College will provide up to $750 toward a CentreTerm internship and $1,500 toward a summer internship, minus taxes. The student is expected to ask the internship sponsor to provide matching funds in the same amount.

"CentreTerm and summer are the most popular times for Centre students to participate in internships, and Centre Internship Plus can provide extra financial support for high-quality experiences during those times," says Mindy Wilson, internship and outreach coordinator. "We know that finances can play a big role in a student's decision to participate in a really great internship opportunity, and we want to help offset that factor."

At the end of their internship, CIP interns prepare a presentation for an evaluating committee and to which the campus community is invited.

Recent recipients have interned with the U.S. Department of State, the Naval Historical Center, the Columbus Museum of Art and the Kentucky State Crime Lab.

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

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