Career Catalysts: Internships and Summer Jobs Help Shape the BLC Student’s Futures

Columbia College is incredibly proud to not only educate our students but also prepare them for their careers after graduation. The Division of Business, Leadership, and Communication (BLC) is one area that has been actively working with students to ensure that they understand the importance of engaging with their community and gain valuable experience through internships. The right summer job can also add value to a resume and prepare them for full-time employment upon graduation. Students pursuing a degree in Business Administration, for example, must complete an internship as part of their required curriculum. Many of our industry partners emphasize the importance of gaining entry-level experience while in college to stand out when seeking jobs after graduation. 

Students Jacob Fink, Isabella Gurrieri, Helena Jokanovic, Ratesh Leach, Xavier Linen, Korin Otto, Brittany McCants, Aniya Ruff, Mikayla Stout, and Addison Warner, for example, each were offered exciting internships/summer jobs that will undoubtedly provide valuable experiences to share with future employers, not only on their resumes, but through conversation and applied skills. 

• Jacob Fink (Business Administration major with concentrations in Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management and Sports Management) summer position interning at Woodlands Golf and Country Club in a management and operations role.
• Isabella Gurrieri (Business Administration major with concentrations in Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management and Sports Management) summer position working at Lake Yellowstone Hotel in Yellowstone National Park. 
• Helena Jokanovic (Business Administration major with concentration in Marketing) summer position interning at Camp Fernwood in a marketing role. 
• Ratesh Leach (Business Administration major) summer position interning at RPM Euro in a marketing role. 
• Xavier Linen (Business Administration major) summer position interning at CVS Health in a business operations role.
• Korin Otto (Business Administration major with concentration in Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management) fall internship with the Disney College Program, while remaining enrolled in online courses at Columbia College. 
• Brittany McCants (Business Administration major with a concentration in Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management) summer internship with Pike Drift Brewery as an Event Coordinator. 
• Aniya Ruff (Accounting) summer position interning at Camp Greystone in North Carolina in an accounting role.
• Mikayla Stout (Business Administration and Mathematics major with a concentration in Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management) summer internship with the Columbia Fireflies Event Management Department. 
• Addison Warner (Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing) summer position interning with Columbia College Athletics in Sports Information.

While just a sampling of our business students’ successes, each of these students is so deserving of these opportunities, and we are thrilled to watch and hear more about their progress before they rejoin us on campus!  Faculty, staff, and student peers all gain valuable information and insight as students share these experiences in their classrooms and organizations upon their return.

If you are seeking a business intern and/or would like to discuss how the Columbia College internship program works, please contact Dr. Carole Sox, Chair, Undergraduate Business Program at csox@columbiasc.edu or Dr. Cornell Sneed, Assistant Professor of Business, at csneed@columbiasc.edu.