Student internships and experiential learning opportunities have long been hallmarks of Walsh University’s DeVille School of Business. On October 10, representatives from nearly 40 area businesses including representatives from Diebold, Karcher Group, Jarriot Logistics and NAI Spring came together to discuss the impact of student internships at the 2nd Annual Employer Breakfast hosted by the DeVille School of Business.
The theme of the event was “Creating Value through Internships.” Employers, faculty and students gathered in the Marlene and Joe Toot Global Center to discuss how Walsh University student internships can benefit their organization.
“At Walsh University, 100 percent of our students are required to complete an internship. One of the big things that I think this breakfast is successful in doing is making those career connections,” said Assistant Professor of Business and event organizer Trish Berg. “This event started a little over two years ago with the goal to engage with our local industry professionals. We asked, ‘how can we increase student internship opportunities and ensure that we have relevant relationships with our community business leaders?’ This is our second year for the breakfast, and we are excited to say it has grown by 30 percent.”
DeVille School of Business faculty, advisory board members and student leaders were also on hand to share the benefits of collaborating with Walsh students.
“This breakfast is about DSOB creating value in our community and our students creating value for the companies they intern for,” said Ronald Manse, DSOB Executive in Residence.
Walsh alumna Alexis Cordea ’18 spoke about how her Walsh internship experience led to her current position as Data Analyst at Diebold Nixdorf. During the Q&A, Cordea was asked what she thought was the key to securing a successful internship.
“One thing that Walsh taught me was that it’s not all about what you know, but who you know,” said Cordea. “Personal connections are very important.”
During the breakfast, business leaders had an opportunity to network and share insight into how internships have created a pipeline of talent, increased visibility of their organizations on campuses and created value. The event was engaging, educational and inspiring. During the discussion, participants offered insights to make the internship more rewarding to both students and organizations.
“I think we are all working toward a common goal to develop and keep talent in Stark County, which we know is critical to some of our success in the region. Internships are an important part of that equation,” said Lauren Zollinger, DSOB Advisory Board Member. “According to the latest survey from the National Association of College and Employers, 57 percent of employers offer interns a full time employment on average, and 77 percent accept that offer.”
The breakfast included a panel discussion with local employers from different industries who have successfully designed and implemented internship programs in collaboration with Walsh University including Fresh Mark, Inc., The Timken Company, Cleveland Museum of Art, Employers Health, Schauer Group, Inc., and Innis Maggiore Group.
The event also included remarks by Professor of Business Michael Petrochuk, Dean Raj Javalgi, Executive in Residence Ronald Manse and Accounting Professor Lora Harley who provided a snapshot of the DeVille School of Business internship process.
“At Walsh University, experiential learning is central to our mission. Internships are an important component of that mission,” said Dr. Javalgi. “Through student internships, we are creating a talent pipeline for our local industries. We are helping to keep that talent local and regional and by doing so, we can enhance the economic growth of our region.”
This event was sponsored by Employers Health and the Walsh University DeVille School of Business.
