By D. Thompson
Over the years, internships have become game changers by helping college students better determine a career path, and the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience in their field of interest. A new book by Bowie State University communications professors Karima Haynes and Rochelle Daniel aims to help students navigate the path to successful internships in today’s competitive communications industry.
“Communications Internship Handbook: What HBCU Students need to Know” provides students of historically black colleges or universities (HBCUs) with the insight and tools to seek and gain the right internships and perform well during their assignment. The publication is based on the authors’ years of experience teaching communications internship courses, as well as their over 20 years of experience as professional communicators.
“Media organizations want to see evidence that students have mastered the skills needed to perform in the workplace – and internships are the vehicles to get there,” said Professor Haynes. “Our groundbreaking handbook offers HBCU students a road map to navigate the passage from the classroom to the newsroom.”
The handbook has been designed for communications majors at HBCUs, but students pursuing degrees in other fields and those who attend non-HBCUs will also benefit from reading the book. Haynes and Daniel address the various challenges that many HBCU students encounter when obtaining internships with corporations, non-profits, and other organizations. The bottom line is that 56 percent of internships lead to permanent positions.
Some of the topics covered in the book include where to find communications internships, how to secure a communications internship, what to do if you experience workplace harassment including racist or sexist behavior, how to stay connected after the internship is over, and other topics.
Internships are vitally important for all students, but particularly those at HBCUs. “Fast Company” estimates there are 300,000 student interns in the U.S. each year. Blacks account for a mere 6.6 percent and Latinos 7.9 percent of paid internships. Both groups are overrepresented among unpaid internships and due to the vast disparities, significant challenges can persist for potential employers who seek to promote a diverse and inclusive workforce.
“I thought it made sense to collaborate with my colleague on a book to share what we’ve learned over 10 years teaching HBCU students in a Communications internship course,” said Professor Daniel. “Teaching is about helping students and I believe that our quick read handbook will help our students to better navigate their careers in an increasingly competitive industry.”
Internships have helped fuel the growth of many businesses and serve as the conduit for former students establishing long successful careers. Daniel and Haynes were recognized for their work and received the Outstanding Book Award at the National Association of Black Journalists Annual Conference in August.
