According to Forbes, Interns are almost 25% more likely than non-interns to start a full-time position within 6 months of graduation. The article goes on to suggest that even if you don’t secure a job from the company you intern for, there are still invaluable experiences to be had and professional connections to be made. An internship can count as a course credit and the WRD department has many resources to help you succeed during the duration of the internship. Amber Corkey and myself, Callie McNorton, are both MAWRD students who have utilized internships to seek professional growth and gain relevant skills to apply during our job search and beyond. Read on to discover what made our internship experiences worth it and why you should think about applying for an internship yourself.
What motivated you to choose an internship, and what were you hoping to gain from the experience?
Callie: I knew that an internship would be a great way to boost my resume and give myself an opportunity to gain practical experience. Many of my professors, most notably Professor Lisa Dietlin, have urged me to take advantage of DePaul’s network and resources. My hope for the internship itself was not only the experience, but the ability to build my network.
Amber: I applied for the Sourcebooks summer internship because I heard it was a great opportunity. I had to pass up on it one summer because of scheduling, but I really wanted to make it possible for summer 2025. I wanted to get my foot in the publishing world and see what amazing work Sourcebooks was doing—especially since they’re a hidden gem in my hometown!
Can you describe your role and the type of projects or responsibilities you worked on during your internship?
Callie: I was the Housing Intern during the summer of 2025 for RefugeeOne, a refugee resettlement agency. I originally applied for a different position that had already been filled, but my application and interest was enough for the organization to offer me the role within the Housing Department! I helped maintain records of housing-related expenses, prepared documentation for financial audits and reporting on use of funds to ensure compliance with agency and federal guidelines. I collaborated with other departments to cross-reference client needs and provide up to date documentation for continued housing support. This role was my introduction to Salesforce, as I ensured data integrity of over 2,500 refugees.
Amber: I did retail marketing for Sourcebooks, which meant I worked with the library team to promote their books to librarians and educators. I got to spend a lot of time on Canva. I revitalized the library Pinterest with reading guides and curated lists, I made social media posts and wrote copy for Instagram and BlueSky, and I prepped a lot of slides and activities for events like Litapalooza and YAMFest. I also got to create a few issues of their newsletter on Mail Chimp and made many Instagram reels. I also did a lot of backend work: submitting shipping orders after in-person events, sorting and maintaining contact databases for the independent bookstore team, and getting to know the storage area to pull books to bring to live events. It was a good blend of creative work and logistics.
What skills or knowledge from your coursework did you apply during your internship, and what new skills did you develop?
Callie: Since I have such an interest to work for a nonprofit, I was excited to see the operations first hand. The courses Grant Writing, Nonprofit Development and Intro to Nonprofit Management were all great introductions to what work would be like within a nonprofit. The biggest piece of advice across the board has been to be prepared to wear many hats. In other words, these organizations are often in need of expertise and help across many departments or tasks. I definitely experienced that first hand during my internship. The housing department finds itself at an intersection of many departments, like case management or development, and getting to diversify my experience and skillset was extremely valuable.
Amber: Content Strategy with Dr. Dush was one I kept thinking back to. Who is my audience and how are they going to use this deliverable? How can I design or write it with that in mind? In general, the myriad style classes and professional writing assignments I’ve taken have taught me how to write concisely. For new skills, I learned a lot about the industry. Sourcebooks is a really robust internship, and even though all the interns were in different departments, we had a meeting almost every week to learn about a different department and see a different part of the publishing process. So much goes into bringing a book to life, and seeing how one role fit into the larger picture was fascinating.
What was the most valuable or rewarding aspect of your internship experience?
Callie: While my time with RefugeeOne was limited, I got to see first hand the impact of the work the organization was doing. The Housing Director was often in meetings that I got to sit in, and there was much advocacy for the refugees they serve. Whether through offering extending housing assistance or by coordinating the arrival of refugees, it solidified the fact that I hope to one day work for such an organization that positively impacts the world.
Amber: I love my co-interns. Even though we all worked in different departments, having friends in the workplace was a huge boon. Carpooling, eating lunch together, talking about our projects. Our group chat is still active with what we’re all reading, and we meet up every couple of months to play board games.
What advice would you give to students considering applying for an internship?
Callie: While the application process can seem daunting or tedious, never let a worthy opportunity go. Even though I initially applied to a different position, my experience at RefugeeOne was extremely formative and valuable. Now that I think about it, my last internship also came from a similar circumstance! To put it in simpler terms, you miss all the shots you don’t take. Why not take the shot?
Amber: Write a strong cover letter. Your story is what sells you as a strong candidate, so make it good! Emphasize the skills you bring to the internship, as well as the skills you hope to obtain—why you are a good fit for the position and why it is a good fit for you.
Take advantage of the Career Center while you can, which offers countless resources and opportunities to be successful in your internship search. Good luck!