The College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences hosted its annual Internship and Civic Engagement Fair in the Wilkinson Student Center on Jan. 29 for students in psychology, sociology and school of family life majors.
According to Family and Social Services internship coordinator Karen Christensen, 700 students a year parade through the internship fair to find the right internship or job match for the upcoming summer.
FHSS has been hosting the internship fair for seven years, and last year became the first to also include civic engagement, according to Christensen.
“The civic engagement designation should help students realize that the fair is more than just about internship credit,” Christensen said. “It is an opportunity to get involved and give back to the community while gaining meaningful experience throughout their college experience and hopefully for a lifetime.”
FHSS and Humanities Career Director Linda Flores said she believes there are great benefits to hosting the fair every year on campus.
“The FHSS fair brings employers and prospects that students may not be aware of and opportunities that will benefit their career post-graduation,” Flores said.
The fair hosted a variety of vendors, including the Division of Child and Family Services, Utah County Children’s Justice Center, House of Hope and more.
According to freshman Maybel Wheeler, who works in the Office of Civic Engagement on campus, the center is “always planning events and keeping in touch with different organizations in Utah County.”
Leia Casey, a BYU senior studying human development, attended the fair in hopes of finding a job upon graduation in preparation for nursing school.
“I am pursuing a degree in human development, and I want to go into an accelerated nursing program after graduating from BYU,” Casey said. “I want experience out of a facility, and there are tons of different options at this fair where I can work with people in a facility.”
Christensen says she wants to help students find potential opportunities in Utah County based on their different interests.
“I don’t know if there is a typical path for FHSS majors, since the college covers a wide range of majors,” Christensen said. “I think the most important thing for all students, and especially FHSS majors, is to get involved in more opportunities both on campus and off-campus while they are in school.”
According to Christensen, getting experience during undergraduate programs helps students to build their resumes and graduate school applications and determine the right career path.
Rebecca Gordon, a senior studying public health, attended the fair after hearing about potential internship opportunities at the fair.
“I am interested in criminal justice and helping victims of abuse, and I was so happy to hear about this fair,” Gordon said. “It is the perfect way for me to network with potential employers and find a great fit for this summer and potentially my long-term future.”
According to Gordon, many internships in the field lead to post-graduation careers, and the internship fair is a great networking opportunity for anyone.
