The seniors of ODA will be finishing up school a whole month earlier than anyone else, but this doesn’t mean they get an extra month of summer. Instead of working in the classroom until the end of May, the senior class will be entering the world of work.

The final assignment from ICS requires each senior to find an internship on their own. With minor guidance from a faculty sponsor of the student’s choosing, the student is responsible for contacting a professional to sponsor them from May 4th to May 22nd, and working with the professional sponsor to figure out a schedule that satisfies both parties.

“I thought I would kind of be dreading it, but after seeing the place I’m going to internship and meeting my professional sponsor, I got so much more excited about it. I’m hoping it goes really well and I’ll know a lot more about marketing, but even if it doesn’t go perfectly, I’ll know what I don’t want” says Kimmy Comito.

Some students were able to find internships in the exact field that they are interested in, while others are using the assignment as a more exploratory opportunity. Not everyone knows the subject they want to study in college or the field of work they plan to go into after college, so it’s not an expected part of the project. The goal of the project was not to stress out each senior and force them to figure out what they want to do for the rest of their lives.

“I am working at a corporate office for Fit 2 Run for my internship. I want to manage my own retail business at some point, and learning about the background of retail is just as important as managing it” says Blake Frey.

However, the internship is just as beneficial to those who are not sure as it is to those who are. There is always room for growth and change along with room for success.

Good luck to all ODA seniors as they sample first steps out into the real world.