Getting to Know: Internships and Career Services

The July Q&A is with Deena Kennell, director of Internships and Career Services.

Q: As the director of Internships and Career Services, how do you see the role of the department?

The role of Career and Academic Planning Services is to provide support and guidance to students regarding exploration of careers and majors, job seeking skills, resume writing, and interview techniques. We also facilitate and monitor for-credit internship experiences.  

Q: What is an internship and how does the office of Internships and Career Services prepare students for life after college?

An internship is an opportunity for a student to get hands-on, practical work experience and apply classroom knowledge to an area of his or her interest while earning college credit. We have long worked with agencies, organizations, and businesses in the area and beyond it to help students develop internship opportunities that match their interests. In many cases, students connect with their internship sites in a way that can lead to a full-time employment opportunity. We enjoy a very good relationship with the U.S. Forest Service and Cabela’s. 

Q: What resources does the office provide students as they search for a career after college?

In addition to assistance with resume and cover letter writing and practice interviewing, we maintain a vacancy bulletin where we advertise opportunities sent to us by various employers across the region.  We also host three separate hiring events: A Fall Career Fair, a Spring Career Fair and Teacher Interview Day. 

Q: How does the office assist students during their college studies?

Besides the facilitation and monitoring of for-credit internship experiences, we provide support for career and major exploration. We can make available the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and the Strong Interest Inventory. We also encourage students to take advantage of other existing services, including our subscription to “What Can I Do With This Major?,” the Nebraska Department of Labor, O*NetOnline, and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Q: What are the goals of the department?

To provide support to students which will contribute to their satisfaction as students and their success after graduation. 

Q: What are some popular majors and career choices of CSC students?

There is no one major or career choice that stands out as more popular than others. It is my philosophy that students in any major can find a satisfying career. Sometimes that involves more creative thinking about how to apply a degree to a career, and a good deal of effort, but having an open mind certainly increases a student’s chances of being successful. There has been a lot of press about students who graduate from college and can’t find jobs so they live in their mom’s basement. In those cases my belief is that those students couldn’t find the job that they believed was perfect, or they were unwilling to be open minded about possible opportunities. Everyone has to start somewhere and nothing is permanent (except children and tattoos) so take a chance!

Q: Do you have anything else to add?

If students, faculty, or staff believe there is a resource available that would help our students and that we are not currently offering, we are very open to feedback and suggestions. Additionally, we are always excited to be invited to present to groups and classes about our services or about any particular topic, such as resume development or interviewing, for example.