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Boot Camp Helps Students Prepare for Summer Internships

Industry Professionals Conduct Mock Interviews During the Professional Development Event

Andrew Levitt
Graduate student Andrew Levitt checks in for the Internship Boot Camp with event coordinator Abigail Narishkin.

Columbia, Mo. (March 14, 2016) — More than 65 Missouri School of Journalism students participated the third annual Internship Boot Camp, a professional development event designed to help students secure internships.

The event, hosted by the School’s Career Services office, was open to all undergraduate and graduate students. The information was especially useful to sophomores and juniors eager to land their first internship.

Students learned the importance of tailoring their professional portfolio online, using LinkedIn, polishing a resume and writing to the right audience in a cover letter. Career Services Assistant Director Barbara Willis and Adjunct Professor Tanya Heath conducted the sessions.

Eight professional companies – AdKarma, the Jefferson City News Tribune, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, KMIZ-TV, KOLR-TV, KY3-TV, Sinclair Broadcast Group and Veterans United – conducted mock interviews with students.

Tanya Heath
Adjunct Professor Tanya Heath explains correct formatting in the Resume and Cover Letter seminar.

Students interviewed with the prospective employers based on their interest areas and qualifications. After each session, recruiters evaluated students’ performance, giving them feedback on their qualifications, professionalism and communication.

“The career professionals who came in for mock interviews gave great feedback,” said sophomore Emma Diltz. “I’d never done an interview before, and I was very pleased to receive my evaluation so I can improve for future interviews.”

The Internship Boot Camp is one of many activities offered by the School’s Career Services office.

“The intention is to give students the tools they need to find great employment and in the rest of their careers,” said Willis. “I think we accomplished just that.”

Updated: September 22, 2020

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