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For college students, internships have become table stakes for career readiness. They provide “real world” work experience and often lead to full-time job offers.

In Columbus Academy’s Upper School, students get a rare early opportunity to serve as interns with Central Ohio businesses and nonprofits. CA is one of very few independent schools nationally to offer a coordinated internship program.

Motivated to explore potential professional paths, Academy students participate in large numbers. Some 25% of all upper-schoolers have held at least one summer internship with the program.

Now entering its sixth year, the program was developed and is run by Jen Conti, CA’s Director of Internships and College Counseling Testing & Data. The initiative is the brainchild of Head of School Melissa Soderberg. “She wanted it to be not just shadowing but a lengthier, substantive experience,” says Jen.

Powerful, Reciprocal Benefits

“When I talk with the employers, I tell them that we want a meaningful experience for the kids, not just stapling and filing,” Jen explains.

Internship hosts must have clearly defined roles that last six to 10 weeks, for at least 10-15 hours a week. Some internships are paid; for those that are not, students can apply for modest stipends from the school.

The program’s nearly 60 hosts have included such organizations as Franklin Park Conservatory, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Stonewall Columbus, the City of Gahanna, and the Center for Human Resource Research at Ohio State. Many employers sponsor interns year after year.

Employers’ praise for students’ work is strong. “He has been an absolute pleasure to work with,” one recent host said about an Academy intern. “He was passionate about every project he was given and ultimately helped us raise over $5,000 through a charity golf outing.” Another said, “She quickly became an integral part of our team this summer. She was given highly responsible tasks, and she performed each one with the highest level of professionalism, efficiency and quality.”

For Columbus Academy students, internships often provide several first-time experiences with relatively low risk. “I talk to a lot of students who have never been in an interview, who have never worked before,” says Jen.

Amiya Tiwari ’22 (pictured), now a sophomore at Harvard, calls her internship as a Spanish language translator and program developer at the New Albany Food Pantry “transformative.” She worked at the food bank during the summer after both her sophomore and junior years at CA, and she volunteered there during the school year.

Amiya translated food bank documents and assisted its Spanish-speaking clients in navigating not only their need for food but also clothing, housing assistance and prospective jobs. And because she was in the process of applying to colleges herself at the time, Amiya identified the need for college advising guidance. With the blessing of her supervisor, she created what she calls a “crash course for the college admissions process” in Spanish.

“To have this direct community impact through Columbus Academy was really helpful,” says Amiya. “I wasn’t just running coffee or spectating in a meeting. I was actually in the community doing something. I was treated like I was a valuable member of the team, and I think that’s given me a self-respect that has carried over.”

Plan Now for Summer 2024

If you missed the recent parent information session about our internship program, do not worry because it was not mandatory. However, the upcoming student meeting is. To apply for internships, students are required to attend Jen’s Internships 101 workshop this upcoming Tuesday, January 23, at 3:30 p.m. in the dining hall (click here to register). During the session and in the days that follow, she helps get interested upper-schoolers ready with guidance on resume writing, office etiquette and attire. She also helps them prepare for their interviews with potential employers and facilitates offers and contracts.

Student applications are due in February. Interviews take place in late-February and early March, and offers are made in March. Visit CA’s Internship Office website for additional information.

Now a couple of years post-high school, Amiya encourages current CA students to apply for internships. “It’s a great program,” she says. “It gave me the confidence I needed to be able to do so many other things.”