Internships are an essential way to gain exposure to a professional setting while getting the chance to test out a career field. Abby, a senior double major in Writing Intensive English and Psychology, learned this firsthand during her summer internship at the Quarto Group, an international publishing house.

As a marketing and sales intern, Abby has gotten hands-on experience in market research and gained exposure to both the internal and external functions of sales. Working in the publishing industry has helped Abby see that publishing is more than just editorial work: "it's been helpful to see how many different people with different areas of expertise come together to get it done. It's also helped her recognize how her skills and academic experience can be applied to career fields she hadn't considered before. In Abby's words, "it's helped me realize that I don't have to limit myself to only what I think matches my academic background."

While being in a professional environment for the first time might seem intimidating, Abby was pleasantly surprised at her first experience in a professional setting, saying "to simply be in that space and be part of a very large team makes the thought of a future career less intimidating; it's much easier to think 'yes, I can see myself doing this someday.'"

Abby also noted that the skills she developed at her internship are skills she'll be able to use in future jobs. From technical competencies like Microsoft Excel and database management, to essential skills like interpersonal communication, Abby will be leaving her internship with an expanded knowledge base.

Would Abby recommend participating in an internship? Absolutely. "Getting out into the workplace and getting hands-on experience in a field that interests you is going to prepare you like nothing else will. It's made me much more comfortable in a professional setting and has given me many resources for deciding what I want in a future career."