New Internship/Student Employment Coordinator Brings Extensive Experience

NEW INTERNSHIP/STUDENT EMPLOYMENT COORDINATOR BRINGS EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE

By Stuart Esrock, Ph.D. 

Kelly Atwood is a great example for students of someone who ends up with a successful career in an area that she did not necessarily anticipate. Atwood has joined the University Career Center as Internship and Student Employment Coordinator.

Atwood comes to UofL with 10-plus years of career development experience. But that was not the path that she initially started down when she graduated with a marketing degree as an undergraduate. Atwood thought she would become a real estate agent. “It was a good application of my knowledge and skills – pricing, advertising, communication, negotiating – but ultimately it was a way to help others find a home and change through the various stages of their lives. Although I did not stay on the real estate path, my career choices have always been rooted in the same fundamentals as when I was an undergraduate marketing student: effectively utilize my talents for professional growth while helping others.”

Atwood completed an MBA in 2006 at Oklahoma State University.  After a couple of positions working in the non-profit sector, she eventually returned in 2010 to her undergraduate home at Mississippi State University in the career center where she served in a variety of capacities working with students, employers and faculty.

At UofL, Atwood will focus her attention on helping to develop part-time employment positions for students, coordinating internship programs, and promoting these opportunities to the university community. Given the increasing prominence of engaged learning at the University, her internship work will be particularly visible.  Atwood said, “Internships and other experiential learning are the best ways for students to familiarize themselves with career options before graduating and moving full-time into their chosen field. Internships enhance students’ education as well because they are applying their academic knowledge in a real-world setting. Additionally, internships allow students to gain experience before graduation which makes them more competitive for jobs and they have a better understanding of what they want in a role and an employer.”

If you have questions about internships and part-time student employment or connections to employers who can make these opportunities available, please reach out to the University Career Center and Kelly (kelly.atwood@louisville.edu).