As summer approaches, many upper classmen at UNA are beginning to search for internships that pertain to their major. Most majors at UNA require an internship, along with academic credit, in order to graduate.

UNA provides resources for students looking for an internship that suits their needs best. The Career Planning and Development office, in room 202 of the GUC, offers students one-on-one appointments with Heidi Tilenius, an employment development specialist.

“I recommend students start looking for an internship a semester before they want to intern,” she said.

By beginning to apply a semester before the actual internship, students can have more options in deciding what to apply for and help increase their chances of getting an internship.

UNA’s Lion Jobs website posts a variety of internships that are available to students who have a Lion Jobs account. The Career Planning and Development staff reviews students’ resumes before they apply for jobs and internships and provide feedback on how to enhance their resumes.

“When an employer sends me a request for a job or an internship, I immediately post it onto Lion Jobs so anyone who is interested and meets the requirements can apply,” Tilenius said.

UNA senior and public relations major Dustin Varner used Lion Jobs to secure an integrated marketing internship with Listerhill Credit Union.

“I was sitting in my principles of marketing class with Professor (Jerome) Gafford when he announced if anyone would be interested in doing a paid internship with a company doing great things,” Varner said. “I applied through Lion Jobs and went through two interviews to land the internship.”

Not all majors at UNA require an internship in order to graduate. Kelsey Underwood, a finance major, wishes that all majors were required to have an internship in order to graduate.

“I wish that all majors made students have internships and get credit for it,” she said. “Since I’m an Accounting Scholar, I got to work at an accounting firm a few days a week and see what it was like to practicing accounting; otherwise, I wouldn’t have any experience.”

While internships help students by getting academic credit, they are also useful in gaining experience and connections in a student’s field of study. In 2012, 60 percent of college graduates who had worked in paid internships received at least one job offer, according to the National Association of College and Employers.

By utilizing on-campus resources like the Career Planning and Development office and Lion Jobs, UNA students have access to find an internship that suits their majors and interests best.