Why Should I Participate in an Internship?

There are few better ways to obtain hands-on professional experience than through an internship. An internship provides an opportunity to learn about an organization or industry, develop a network of professional contacts, and may even lead to a full-time position.

SCAD, career services, alumni, Rhythm


Nearly 40 SCAD alumni landed jobs at Rhythm & Hues in Los Angeles ("The Golden Compass," "Alvin and the Chipmunks," "The Hulk") this year many started out as apprentices. Photo by Bridget Gaynor.


Recent Great Internships
  • Mimia Johnson was one of only 20 students across the nation who was invited to participate in the American Federation of Advertising 2007 10-week intensive internship program. The internship included a salary, housing, transportation to the site of the internship assignment (Mimia was in San Francisco) and a scholarship to continue her studies.
  • Blue Sky Animation Studios ("Ice Age," "Robots") selected Becky Tower as an intern and offered her a full-time position.
  • Apple, recruiting at SCAD for the first time, selected Maria Diaz and Justin Cone as two of their three summer interns.
  • Turner/Cartoon Networks Creative Services hired Christina Romero and Matthew Richardson as interns.
  • General Electric provided a full-year paid internship to Brian Renner.
  • MacQuarium/Fathom Studios (Delta Airlines, Coca-Cola, Earthlink, Home Depot, Turner Broadcasting, UPS, Yahoo!) designated an ongoing SCAD internship. Contact career services for details.
  • Kara Nelson is a fashion intern for Helmut Lang in New York City.
  • Kate Beazley is a summer fashion intern with Reebok (N.Y.) in their active sportswear design division.
  • More fashion interns include: Janet Smith, Macy's/American Rag (New York City); Alyssa Couturier, Ralph Lauren (New York City); Lauren Valentino, Walter Baker (New York City); and Nicholas Evers, Rodarte (Los Angeles)·
  • Chico's/White House/Black Market hired Griffin McNulty as an interior design intern focusing on their retail store design and merchandising.
  • Target Corp. hired Alex Goose, Alissa Ferreri-Feske, Abby Hyslop and Sarah Harrington as design interns.
  • WRHQ-FM hired Megan Potter as a sound design intern.
  • Melissa Frangias is a photography intern with Key West magazine.
  • Interactive designer Umyot Boonmarlart interned at the Critical Mass (Dell, Hyatt, Mercedes-Benz, NASA, Rolex, Nike) in Chicago.


How Do I Find an Internship?

Landing an internship can be as challenging as finding a regular professional job. Target companies you would be interested in working with (25 or more) and have your resume and cover letter prepared along with samples of your work. Start searching by networking with your professors, friends, family, alumni and professional contacts. You never know who might have an important connection in your industry!

Resources also are available at the Jen Library, on the Job Magnet, online and in the career services office. Internship workshops are offered every quarter in the career services office. To enroll, contact career services or 912.525.4653. Workshops schedules are listed on the Events page and appointments with career advisers are welcomed.


Paid or Unpaid Internships? For Credit or No Credit?

Most internships for undergraduates are not paid and are offered for academic credit only. This means you enroll in an internship course where you pay tuition, are overseen by an instructor, complete projects, and receive a grade and credit toward graduation. There is an agreement between the student, SCAD and the internship site to make sure the activities that the intern is involved in are professionally valid - not just getting coffee and making copies. Students sometimes ask, "Why should I work for someone for free?" The response is that the opportunities an intern receives, which include professional experience, networking opportunities and even possible job offers, are invaluable.

Paid internships are more readily available for students who have recently graduated. They often last six months or more and routinely result in employment at that company. Turner Entertainment Networks and Electronic Arts provide such internship opportunities. Undergraduate internships are more often paid during the summer than during the school year when most internships are for credit only.


When Should I Do an Internship?

Students usually choose to participate in an internship the summer after their sophomore year or during their junior academic year or summer. Summer internships are often full-time, whereas internships during the school year are usually part-time so that students can maintain their other classes.


Annual Job and Internship Fair

Many students will find internships by networking at the SCAD Career Fair at the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center. Watch for more information, including the "How to Work a Career Fair" workshop, as the event gets closer.


Internship Advice from a Recent Graduate

Wendy Musumeci (M.F.A., historic preservation, 2006) is employed at the Virginia Department of Historic Resources.

"I took advantage of all possible internship opportunities. I completed two internships for credit and one non-credit summer internship. I tried to diversify the types of internships I took so that I had a broad exposure to all facets of historic preservation. These internships have proven very useful toward building my skill sets and have been great talking points in interviews. They undoubtedly helped me get the job that I have today."


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