Student Finding Multi-Benefits to Internship
STUDENT FINDING MULTI-BENEFITS TO INTERNSHIP
By Stuart Esrock, Ph.D.
Internships provide important practical experience for students and can sometimes lead directly to employment. But a UofL senior is using his internship as a prelude to further professional schooling while simultaneously enhancing his foreign language skills.
Nick Conces is from New Lenox, Illinois and is majoring in Biology with a minor in Spanish. He will graduate this fall and then plans to attend dental school at the University of Maryland. Conces has already gained experience in the field, interning with Gentle Excellence Dental in south Louisville.
Nick Conces
Conces helps the dental hygienists and assistants at Gentle Excellence prepare exam rooms for patients. But perhaps his most important functions involve his minor. “I interact with patients and workers, creating a welcoming, warm environment. The majority of the workers are from Cuba and many of the patients speak Spanish as their first language so it’s a wonderful place to practice my Spanish fluency. I help calm the patients by communicating with them and to reassure that they are in good hands.”
Although Conces plans to enter the dental field, his favorite part of the internship has involved speaking Spanish. “I have been able to learn more Spanish that is applicable for what I’ll be doing in future years to come. Naturally, many Spanish classes do not incorporate vocabulary used throughout the dental field so learning various terms and such was very nice. I have practiced my fluency and have noticed dramatic differences on how my Spanish has improved.”
Internships are an important experience for all students. More information about internships can be found on the UCC Internship website. If you are interested in an internship during the fall or spring semester, be sure to talk with your program’s internship coordinator in advance since you may be eligible for academic credit and can also potentially get assistance in seeking a position. Finally, if you want to look at current internship position listings/opportunities, log onto Handshake.
