Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Summer Opportunities


 As we enter the New Year and new semester, it is not too early to begin thinking about your summer and what opportunities lay ahead for you!  Here are a few recommendations to keep yourself busy this summer that you may consider:

Summer classes Though school is out for the summer, this does not mean you have to stop learning!  Several colleges and universities throughout the state of Florida offer summer programs for high school students spanning a variety of concentrations, including leadership, entrepreneurship, and medical sciences.  This is a great way to stay busy, meet new people, and to also get a feel for different colleges.  Especially if you are particularly interested in a specific school, this is a unique opportunity for you to meet their faculty and introduce yourself to their program, a major bonus for admissions!  Check out this link for more info on some of these programs!  For college students, many schools offer summer classes, a great way to obtain an accelerated degree.  Summer is also an excellent opportunity to take advantage of study abroad opportunities and learn in a different state or even country!

Volunteer Summer presents a great opportunity to give your time and talents to help others.  In previous blog posts we have spoken about the importance of volunteerism and civic engagement; not only does volunteerism help others and the larger community, but it also enriches your own life.  This is especially true in terms of your college and career plans if you have a specific interest.  For example, if you are interested in veterinary science, you may volunteer at an animal shelter or animal clinic.  This not only helps animals and the community, but it also exposes you to the field of your interest – a great experience to have for a resume!

Internships and Jobs With classes out, summer is a time when most students take on an extra job or internship.  Internships are pre-professional work experiences that provide the opportunity to gain experience in a particular field.  By gaining experience in a field, it can help you narrow your career and research interests.  Internships can also provide academic credit and even supplement classes.  They are great opportunities to try different things, without having the commitment of a contract or career move; internships are usually for a couple months or a 1 year program. 

Internships are also a great opportunity to live in a different city, state, or country!  If you are interested in Fashion, you may consider applying to an internship in New York and those interested in Political Science may consider applying to internships in Washington, D.C.  If you are applying to internships and getting academic credit for it, you can often apply financial aid to help you pay for housing or transportation, which is especially helpful if you are considering interning abroad.
January is a great time to start looking for internships and jobs.  Give yourself ample time to fill out the applications thoughtfully, so that you are able to submit a strong application.

To find the internship or job that is right for you, you must first consider your interests and goals.  It is also important to decide what you want to get out of the experience, if the internship is for college credit, perhaps you need a position that fulfills certain guidelines set by your academic advisors.  Internships are great learning experiences for students, and your fresh perspectives and previous experiences are a valuable asset to the organization and employers with whom you will be working with.  For more information on internships and different opportunities, check out the following to find an internship in your field:

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