Internships
At Muhlenberg, hands-on experience is part of the curriculum. Students have opportunities to experience future career paths firsthand throughout their time at the college.
One way students are able to fulfill the experiential learning requirement in the Muhlenberg curriculum is through internships. These experiences are important not only to the student — who gains professional skills and a better understanding of the type of career they’d like to have — but also to potential employers. When considering candidates that are otherwise equally qualified, 97% of employers report that having an internship within their organization or in their industry were factors when deciding on who to hire.
Muhlenberg offers students access to tens of thousands of internship opportunities through Handshake, the career platform the college partners with. In addition to hosting recruiters from top organizations, the Career Center works closely with its deep network of Muhlenberg alumni and parent professionals to offer students tailored and impactful opportunities.
Internship FAQs
What is an internship?
An internship is a temporary, structured work experience that lets students apply classroom learning in a workplace setting. Internships typically last anywhere from 10 weeks to an entire year, with most occurring during the summer months. In order for a work experience to be classified as an internship, it must involve a defined set of responsibilities and supervision by a professional in the field. The highest quality internships give the student responsibility over a project. Internships can be paid or unpaid, in person or remote. At Muhlenberg, students who obtain unpaid internships are eligible for one of our many internship grants to help offset their cost of living.
Why are internships important for college students?
Muhlenberg College believes internships are an important experience to increase career readiness. Internships give students hands-on experience that helps them apply what they’re learning in the classroom to real-world situations. They also help students learn workplace expectations, provide professional networking, and give students the chance to explore and establish clarity on whether a career is the right fit. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers rank internship experience as one of the strongest predictors when it comes to career-readiness. A recent NACE survey found that when choosing between two equally qualified candidates, employers rate internship experience as the most influential factor in their hiring decision.
Can first-year Muhlenberg students get internships?
Yes. First-year students at Muhlenberg can and do complete internships. It is important to note that first-year experiences are typically local and exploratory rather than highly specialized or with a global company. Receiving an internship offer as a first-year student can be highly competitive as most companies will require students to have an established GPA. Through Muhlenberg’s coaching program, first-year students are assigned a career coach who encourages them to prioritize networking, shadowing, or completing short-term projects before applying to more competitive internships in the following years.
Do I need to know my major before I apply for an internship?
Not necessarily, but it can help your application. Many internships are open to students from a range of academic disciplines. Muhlenberg supports the opportunity to explore career paths and, in some cases, an internship actually helps a student achieve career clarity. With that said, some more competitive internship programs in industries like finance and STEM will use a student’s major as part of their screening process. In those cases, declaring early and having an established GPA in your major can be beneficial.
Does an internship have to align with my major?
No. An internship does not need to match a student’s major exactly. Many students complete internships in fields that are adjacent to or entirely different from their major, especially if they are still exploring. Any internship experience will be valuable and teach you important transferable skills such as communication, critical thinking, problem solving, and project management. Career coaches at Muhlenberg can help you translate the skills learned through your major into an internship in any industry.
How do students find internships? Can the Career Center help?
Students can find internships through job boards like Handshake or LinkedIn, personal and professional connections including faculty and alumni, career fairs, and networking. The Career Center at Muhlenberg helps by directly connecting students to a strong network of employers within the Lehigh Valley and beyond. In addition, a career coach will partner with a student to review application materials like resumes and cover letters, assist with interview practice, and develop a networking strategy that aligns with their goals. Also, multiple programs exist across the college that make internships accessible through specialized grants, such as the Office of Community Engagement internship program with local nonprofits and the Humanities Internship Program for students enrolled in humanities majors.
When should I begin applying for summer internships?
Depending on your industry, applying for summer internships can happen in the fall or spring prior. Global firms within competitive industries like finance, accounting, and STEM have application deadlines as early as mid-September. However, most employers will post positions between January and March. Smaller employers and nonprofit organizations often post closer to the start date, which can be as late as April or May. Because of this, continuing to work with the career coach you’ll meet through Muhlenberg’s coaching program is critical to staying informed about opportunities that might interest you.
How many hours do college interns typically work?
Most internships range from 10-20 hours per week during the academic year and 30-40 hours per week (essentially full-time) during the summer. Exact work schedules vary by employer, industry, and whether the internship is offered for academic credit.
Are internships paid? Can they count for college credit?
Depending on the industry, internships can be paid, unpaid, or compensated through a stipend from one of Muhlenberg’s internship grants. According to the Department of Labor, “for-profit” employers are required to pay employees for their work and in many cases, interns fall under the employee designation. Many internships count for college credit. In fact, Muhlenberg encourages students to roster their internships in order to meet the integrative and experiential learning requirement for graduation. Students should confirm credit eligibility with their academic advisor or department chair before their internship begins.
Does Muhlenberg offer funding opportunities for internships?
Yes! Through the generosity of donors from across the country, students have multiple avenues available for funding an internship opportunity of their choosing. Multiple gift lines empower students to intern for nonprofit organizations that often have limited resources, ensuring students can impact their communities and receive compensation for their work. Our Office of Community Engagement‘s community internship program, coupled with grants for the arts, sustainability, and the humanities, opens up more ways for students to gain important experiential learning.
Can an internship be remote or hybrid?
Yes, remote and hybrid internships have become more common, especially in industries like marketing and communications. Job postings should include whether a role is fully remote, hybrid, or in person. Students can confirm with individual employers if there is flexibility on remote work, but this should be done with great care so as not to compromise your candidacy.
What should I look for in an internship?
At Muhlenberg, students acquire strong internships in diverse industries across the globe. A strong internship offers substantive, skill-building responsibilities (not just task support), regular feedback from your supervisor, exposure to how the organization operates (through shadowing meetings and events), and opportunities to build your professional network. Students are encouraged to look for internships that align with their career interests and personal values, as well as those that help them test out a potential career path.
Can an internship lead to a full-time job?
Yes. Internships serve as a primary talent pipeline for many companies. According to NACE, an average of 63.1% of interns are converted into full-time employees. Many employers will use internships as a way to evaluate interns for full-time roles after graduation. It almost serves as an extended interview process and even in cases where the company is unable to offer a full-time role, internships provide students with a professional network that can serve as references in future job searches.
Natalia Agnolet ’27
“I’ve always been worried about picking the ‘wrong’ career for me. I didn’t know if I could handle a desk job and the repetitiveness. This internship [with Keller Williams Real Estate] introduced a dynamic work day, and through this experience, I’ve realized that a balance of desk work and field work keeps me motivated and driven.”Read Story
Experiences With Impact
Katelen Estrada ’29 Interns With Civic Theatre of Allentown
Estrada, a theatre and education double major, was the production stage manager for two shows and worked with middle and high school students.
Kabir Burman ’27 Interns With ArtsQuest
The political science and media and communication double major had a public relations internship with the arts nonprofit.
Noah Rosenfeld ’28 Interns With the Allentown Environmental Advisory Council
The statistics and psychology double major compiled a report related to data center legislation and presented it to Allentown City Council at a public hearing on August 5.
Externships at Muhlenberg
All students (including first-year students) are encouraged to apply for this winter break career exploration opportunity.
