26-April-2011

Instead of working on their tans, 79 students from the University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning and Development (SPPD) spent spring break working with government agencies, nonprofits or consulting firms through the school's Externship Program, uscnews.usc.edu reported in its story, "Students Explore Careers Through Externship Program."

"It's a wonderful experience, and it's really tailored to what you want to do on the individual level," said Master of Public Policy (MPP) student John Roberson, who spent time at B&D Consulting in Washington, D.C. "I hope other students take advantage of the opportunity."

The SPPD Office of Career Services matches undergraduate and graduate students with host organizations across the nation based on their skills and interests, the story reported. The students spend three to five days working on substantive projects and gaining real-world exposure to jobs relevant to their studies. At the same time, the professional hosts have an extended opportunity to evaluate the students' potential as future employees or interns.

For host Beena Patel, MPP alumna and assistant vice president at B&D Consulting, participation in the Externship Program is about giving back to a school that has given so much to her.

"I've lived the Trojan Family and experienced it, and I've gotten two jobs already in four years because of it," she said in the story. "When I reach out to people, I've always had a positive experience. I want to pass that on to current students, and be as helpful as I can and give back to USC and to the other alumni and students the way that everyone helped me."

Patel added, "I loved grad school. It was a great experience for me, so it's always nice for me to be on campus and be involved."

Over the years, the program has evolved from "job shadowing" to a more active work experience. During this most recent externship, students participated in a broad range of activities, such as working with clients, doing research, attending meetings and other functions, conducting informational interviews with their hosts and colleagues, and editing and proofreading materials.