Listen Here
By Sam Rohrs
The semester is almost over and some University of Findlay students will be working their summer away while others will be traveling and enjoying their summer.
In an informal survey sent out to 100 diverse students at the University of Findlay, 34 responded. Thirty students said they are working a job/internship this summer.
Maggie Morehart, the Assistant Director for the Center for Career and Professional Development at UF said that in the 2021-2022 school year, more than 700 students came to her office to discuss summer jobs and internships.
“Most of the students who seek internships are upperclassmen who have some relevant experience through past employment, on-campus jobs, or hands-on courses,” Morehart said. “They also tend to have more clarity around the career path they want to pursue after graduation, so internships can be a great stepping stone on their journey.”
In the survey, of the students not working this summer, two are freshmen, one a sophomore, and one a junior.
“Students must have a minimum 2.75 GPA and at least 30 completed semester hours before completing an internship for academic credit,” Morehart said. “In most cases, freshmen and students on academic probation won’t be eligible to complete internships, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t start looking!”
Of the students in the survey working this summer eight of them say they will be working more than 40 hours a week, 14 of them say they will be working 30-40 hours a week, while the rest of the students say they will be working less than 30 hours a week.
More than half of the students in the survey say that they are working this summer because they need the money. Only eight students say they are working for experience.
“Some programs require students to complete an internship, while others encourage it but don’t require it for graduation,” Morehart said. “The requirements to earn academic credit for internships also vary from one program to another. Some programs require 50 contact hours in an internship to earn one credit hour, and others require 80 or more contact hours.”
Other than internship hours, some students take summer classes to get credit during the summer. Just six students out of the 34 that responded to the survey are taking summer classes. Three of the students are taking 4-6 credits, while one senior student is taking 7-9 credits.
Some students in the survey are spending their money on traveling. Twenty-six students out of 34 students already have travel plans.
One senior is going to Australia for a job, while a freshman is going to Australia for a vacation. A junior is going to Japan. A sophomore is going to the Bahamas in July. Another sophomore is going to Mexico in July.
The other students who are traveling are going to places like Florida and Myrtle Beach.
Other than working, taking summer courses, and traveling some students also must do certain workouts for their sports teams.
Most student-athletes are given a training program to do on their own that they are expected to do by their coach.
Out of the respondents, 24 of them are going to live at home with their parents this summer, while two of the respondents are living in another country.
Students who already have plans seem like they will keep busy and have an equal amount of free time.
“My advice to students is to have an open mind and learn as much as you can about the people you interact with,” Morehart said.
