Pre-Internship Projects Providing Students With Lifelong Connections

The College of Liberal Arts (CLA) Career Services office first launched Pre-Internship Projects as a paid, high impact, short-term (one-week) professional assignment in the 2022-23 academic year, but the impact on students lasts far beyond that one-week experience, according to one employer partner. 

Angel Even, CEO and Founder of Led by Truth, has collaborated with CLA for multiple Pre-Internship Projects and has stayed in touch with several students who have worked with her organization. A standout moment occurred when Even connected over coffee with a student who, after participating at Led By Truth, asked to meet up and debrief about another internship experience she had.

“I think this is a nice taste for college students to see what an internship could look like,” Even shares. 

 Pre-internship projects are designed to be a stepping stone to future internships and career opportunities. Gaining early career experience helps CLA students stay competitive as they progress through their college journey.

 Even notes the one-week snapshot helps students consider questions like,

 “Is this the right path for me?” 

“What does it look like to have a mentor and have guidance in the work that I'm doing?” 

Over winter break, 16 CLA undergraduate students participated in Pre-Internship Projects with four employee partners serving as hosts. In total, CLA has partnered with 54 employer partners with 160 total students and is set to host more this spring. One unique aspect is students collaborate with their small teams for the week to complete the project. 

“Sometimes the students come in a little bit shy, and they have different program and life backgrounds, but it always surprises me when I get to see connections that they make within the group,” Even says. “They own their work.” 

This year’s Led by Truth group put together a comprehensive social media analysis showing areas Led by Truth could explore across their channels complete with graphic packages and content ideas. 

“When I was younger, I would have loved to have an opportunity like this,” Even shares. “And I don't always think there's a lot of representation when it comes to young adults getting into the workforce. I figured this is one way to connect with a younger generation and provide a little bit of insight to help them as they navigate the workforce.” 

After 12 years in the healthcare industry, Even launched Led by Truth in 2021 to support Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) entrepreneurs by connecting them with experienced BIPOC business owners and experts. She saw CLA’s Pre-Internship Projects as another meaningful way to give back.

“I think entering the workforce is one thing, but then there's other layers that apply, especially when it comes to identity and the challenges that you may not know until you experience them,” Even says. “I wanted to hopefully be able to create an experience and an impact that left a mark on the students.” 

While just a one-week setting, the students' contributions have benefitted Led by Truth as well. 

 “I’ve been able to leverage most of the projects that have been presented,” Even says. “Each day, their messaging improves, and their content and the graphics that they're using improves. They are taking the feedback and applying it, and I can kind of see things click more for them as the week goes on.”