Business
Internships and Practicums
Any business student who is a junior or a senior with a minimum of a 3.0 GPA can apply for an internship or practicum. Internships and practicums place students with area businesses in order to get on-the-job career training.
Organizations sponsoring recent internships include William Newton Memorial Hospital (market research), the City of Winfield (human resources), the City of Arkansas City (city offices project), Zeller Motors (sales), Winfield Downtown Renovation Committee (total project), American Finance (office assistance/loan agents), the Winfield Correctional Facility (office/economic assistance), and Citizens Bank in Winfield (loan officer).
In addition, outstanding students are encouraged to apply for admission into the Institute for Experiential Learning (IEL) in Washington, D.C. This competitive program accepts outstanding students and employs them for a semester or a summer session in either private sector or government offices. In the past two years, Southwestern has had eight students accepted into the program. For more information on the IEL or any internship or practicum, please consult a business professor or call 620-229-6293.
Valerie Hopper - Intern at Long and Neises, CPA
I was an intern at Long and Neises, CPAs during the summer of 2008. I found out about the internship through a job that I had during the previous school year. I am happily still employed with them. The type of work I did during the internship was general office and accounting work. I received more training on tax work during the summer and hope to continue to work for them after I graduate. My long-term goal is to become a CPA.
Cody Annis - Intern at General Electric Engine Services
I have been an intern at General Electric Engine Services since July of 2007. I found out about this internship through previous General Electric internees and also Professor Dick Barnes. I work in the Finance department, and am part of the GE Aviation finance team. My work varies day to day, but I have numerous projects that have deadlines so I continue to work on those. Some of those projects are P&E Inventory Audit, Physical Inventory Count and Audit, Vendor Inventory, Bench Stock Inventory, and Component Repair Catalog Price Update. I also do a lot of data entry into Excel spreadsheets. I work under three finance personnel, so they also give me daily basic finance tasks. For example, researching different parts to see where they are at, why they were stock returned, etc.
I have learned so much about how large corporations work and run through this internship. I've also learned that finance can be very stressful, mainly at quarter point, and it can also be very interesting; a lot of research goes into finance. My future goal is to work in a corporation like GE and advance up the ladder. Everyone should take part in the internship opportunities, it's better to find out that you don't like the job as an intern rather than a full time employee.
Clint Kissling - Intern at Spirit AeroSystems
I interned at Spirit AeroSystems from May 23, 2008 through August 14, 2008. I found out about the internship by going to the Spirit AeroSystems website. I worked in Information Technology under the Desktop Software Group. During my time at the internship I worked on several projects concerning the company's software deployment manager, ManageSoft. Through my experience I learned how to be a professional in today's corporate IT world. My future goals include continuing my education in the Information Technology field by any means possible. I was offered a full time position at Spirit AeroSystems prior to my graduation, which I have since accepted.
