Internships

Why an internship?

Any present or past work experience can be the basis of an internship. Many experiences can count such as formal internship opportunities, but also paid or unpaid employment. The main goal is to apply sociological concepts and analysis to a real-life job or other responsibility. To earn credit, the student and Internship Coordinator decide on terms cooperatively, deciding how to document and analyze your experience. Here are some examples of internship outcomes:

  • Hands-on experience for future career
  • Exposure to new careers
  • Increased network opportunities
  • Stronger ties to your school, your community, and society
  • Personal leadership development and personal growth
  • Skill development and training on relevant topics desired by future employers

Internship Examples

Be creative when brainstorming how you could apply sociological ideas to an internship!

For example, think about how you might apply a sociological theory, sociological perspective, or envision an observational study in workplaces such as:

  • Restaurant or other service work
  • Retail
  • Camp Counseling 
  • Healthcare 
  • Non-Profit Organizations

Placements

  • Family Services
  • Food and Meal Assistance
  • Health and Hospitals
  • Elementary schools
  • Housing and Shelters
  • Justice, Legal, and Advocacy
  • Area Agencies on Aging
  • Churches

Faculty Internship Coordinator

Prof. Rachel Campbell

Phone: (616) 331-3730
Email: [email protected]



Page last modified December 20, 2023