SPCJ: Internships

In our majors, internships are recommended but not required. Generally, internships are for Junior or Senior students with better than average grades. Most public sector internships are unpaid whereas many private sector internships are paid positions. You may earn 1-6 hours of credit, depending on your program needs and the specific nature of the internship. Discuss your career interests with your academic advisor or the Dept Chair, and with the Career Services Office.

Some of our recent internships:
Girls and Boys Town of Nebraska, Omaha NE
US Probation Office, Sioux City IA
Custer State Park, SD
Cedars  Youth Services, Lincoln NE
Grand Island Police Department, Grand Island NE
Nebraska Republican Party Headquarters, Omaha NE
Norfolk Regional Center, Norfolk NE
Behavioral Health Inc., Columbus NE
Agape Pregnancy Care Center, Norfolk NE
Nebraska State Attorney General’s Office, Lincoln NE
Harrison County (IA) Conservation Office
Northeast Nebraska Child Advocacy Center, Norfolk NE
Columbus Fire Department, Columbus NE
Walt Disney World, Lake Buena Vista FL

Internship placement is tied to what your career interests are and what agencies need.  Applications generally take several months, with Federal agency internships including an extensive background investigation. Interns pay tuition for the credit hours and are responsible for their own housing, transportation and living expenses.

Depending on the program, interns complete a journal, an exit interview,  a term paper, and the internship agency provides an evaluation of the intern’s performance.

Some of our interns have discovered they never want to work in a particular filed again, which is a very valuable lesson, long before going out into the job market. Other interns have discovered a field of interest for their future. Some interns have been hired by the host agency even before the end of the internship. A few students fail to complete their internship, or are rejected by the host agency. An internship is a valuable experience, which may make a significant difference in career choices.