Candice Jefferson

SLMG Cooperative Education Consortium

What do you aspire to do with your talent? The case studies, the theories, the hours of research and exams and term papers, all leading to that degree…what do you really intend to do with all that learning? Are you ready to win an interview, and bag that dream job after graduation? You've interned before right? Of course, you have. Your advisor told you it's good to have practical experience on your resume to compete for that dream job. Did your experience prepare you for the grind? Better yet, did it prepare you to navigate the complexities of balancing work and life? I mean, you do plan on having a life outside of work right? Adding internships to your resume like challenge badges is pretty cool, but being ready to hit the ground running as a social media content manager or graphic designer, or sports media blogger, that's what top employers are looking for. Trust us, we've done the research. ;-) True work experience isn't just about being surrounded by people that do the job. It's not just about being a fly on the wall; listening, observing, nodding, smiling. It's not about reporting to a desk and sitting there for a few hours a day to get your timesheet signed. True experience, experiential learning, is about doing the job. It's about contributing to the conversation. It's about being an active part of the team. And in today's workplace, it's about being comfortable brainstorming as a team in video conferences; it's having the ability to follow the milestones of an ongoing project and calling out updates or changes needed for that campaign to succeed; it's being adaptable, a hybrid, with the ability to be productive in virtually any environment–home, office, dorm, or in your favorite off-campus coffee shop. Our aim is to prepare each student admitted to our program for the challenges of succeeding in the ever-changing workspaces of today, so they are ready for tomorrow and beyond. Think you're ready for the next level? Apply.