On-campus internships (OCIs) are available for all students and allow them the opportunity to build their resumes without needing to travel for an internship.
David Hollan, the director of OCIs, said the purpose of the program is to help BYU students to build their resumes before entering the professional field. He said many students finish their studies with extensive knowledge but not much experience working for companies, which is where OCIs come in.
“The hardest job to find is your first one,” Hollan said. OCIs provide students the opportunity to have internships on their resumes without needing to compete for limited spaces at businesses in Utah or moving for the summer.
Although the OCI program is run through the Marriott School of Business, students of any major can participate in some available options. Students can register for the class and fill out an application form. Once they fill out an application, students are able to see all of the businesses available to work with that semester and vote on which ones they are more interested in.
This video explains on-campus internships. On-campus internships are available to all students, from freshman through graduate level, who are looking for more professional experience. (BYU Marriott School of Business)
Hollan explained there are a variety of reasons that students pick certain businesses to work with. Some, he said, are trying to decide which major they should choose and pick something that sounds fun, while others are looking to find professional experience to put on a resume. Hollan said any student who signs up for the class is allowed to participate, from freshmen to graduate students.
Kevin Harris, a junior working on his application for the marketing program, said he is currently enrolled in an OCI to help his resume in applying to the marketing program.
“OCIs are a good way to gain real-life experience without the risk of needing to travel to an office or leaving campus,” Harris said. This is Harris’ second semester participating in an OCI.
Harris said the list of responsibilities during an OCI varies between internships and what each company needs to get done. Both of the OCIs that Harris has been a part of have focused on marketing, social media and advertising.
Each week, Harris said the minimum amount of work required is 7.5-9 hours. This work can be anything from planning events, running a company’s social media, creating advertisements or improving the search engine optimization of their websites.
Paige Hunter explains how to have a successful experience in an OCI. Hunter participated in an OCI last semester. (Stacia O’Leary)
Previous OCI participant Paige Hunter said the experience was helpful because she was able to see what a professional workplace is like. She said doing the OCI also helped her understand what she would and would not want to do in the future.
“Now I am clear as to what career path I want to do, and I don’t have to question as much,” she said. “I already know what I am going to like it and what I don’t like.”
