It’s well documented that employers prefer to hire candidates who have a degree and relevant work experience. For younger college students entering the workforce, internships are an invaluable way to gain the work experience and build hands-on skills that will give them an advantage in the job market.
However, the question remains if an internship is valuable for online students, who typically return to school with a substantive history of employment. If you’re an online student questioning whether to undertake an internship, read on to learn why five JWU Online students chose to intern and how their internships contributed to their educational and career goals.
Adriana Milko with the Braver Medical clinician team with whom she interned in East Providence, Rhode Island.
Testing Out A New Career Path
Adriana Milko ’25, B.S. – Psychology returned to school in her forties, ready to begin a new career.
“As far back as I can remember,” says Milko, “I’ve had the desire to advocate for kids and adolescents who either can’t or don’t have the resources and opportunity to advocate for themselves. Having anxiety and OCD myself is a strong motivator to work with children and families who are living with these conditions.
“Not all of my classmates chose to do an internship — it’s an option, not a requirement. Personally, I needed to rip the band-aid off, get practical, hands-on experience and apply what I have been learning in the program.”
By flexing her work and study schedules, Milko was able to intern on-site at Braver Medical in East Providence, Rhode Island, an outpatient program specializing in exposure and response therapy, which has been shown to help children and young adults with anxiety and OCD.
“Even though I doubted myself and felt nervous, I believe my natural curiosity surrounding the mental health profession and my genuine desire to learn influenced Braver to accept me as an intern. I jumped right in and was encouraged to participate in family sessions, support group leaders, and observe and engage in individual sessions with kids and their parents.
“My internship at Braver was an incredibly rich and positive experience. I learned invaluable lessons and gained so many skills at Braver, including understanding exposure response prevention (ERP) therapy and acceptance and commitment (ACT) therapy, and how these two therapeutic approaches benefit sufferers of OCD and anxiety.
“Being there physically, getting hands-on experience and seeing first-hand the work they do, was a powerful motivator to keep me going in school. Applying in the real world the academic knowledge learned during the psychology program gave me some really needed self-confidence. Working with children for the first time in this capacity, I realized that not only did I love it, but I believed I could be good at it!”
Days before receiving her bachelor’s degree at commencement, Milko accepted a position with NAFI Rhode Island Child and Family Support Services as a Behavior Specialist. “I love it! So, commencement represents not only my accomplishments, determination, and resilience, but it also symbolizes a pathway toward a new chapter and journey!”
Chelsea Delfino talking with callers to the radio station during her internship at 98.5 The Sports Hub.
Gaining Specialized Skills From Industry Professionals
Chelsea Delfino ’26, B.S. – Sports, Entertainment, Event — Management credits her internship as a “significant stride toward achieving my dream of working in sports and events.”
While enrolled in school and working to support herself, Delfino interned two afternoons each week in the Programming Department for the Felger and Mazz Show at 98.5 The Sports Hub in Waltham, Massachusetts. Delfino was able to observe broadcast professionals, while engaging with callers behind the scenes to gather their opinions on diverse sports-related topics.
Delfino remarks, “I also gained hands-on experience in creating, editing and uploading podcasts, and illustrating segment headlines according to topic — which is a tasking skill I never thought I would have the opportunity to learn.
“My internship deepened my appreciation for involvement in media. Immersing myself in the sports-minded community at 98.5 The Sports Hub boosted my confidence. I connected with individuals who are on the career trajectory I aspire to follow and they have been facilitating introductions to individuals closer to the professional destination I am aiming for.
In September 2025, Delfino began a new position as a Game Day Operations and Event Manager at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island.
Ben Huntzinger at Faulkner Hyundai Harrisburg, where he interned and continues to work.
Internship-To-Hire
Ben Huntzinger ’25, B.S. – Digital Marketing & Social Media embraced his internship opportunity as a chance to demonstrate his work ethic, enthusiasm for learning and to show what he could contribute to the host organization.
Huntzinger explains, “I had the option to intern or take two elective classes during the summer sessions. By choosing the internship option, I could do something I was interested in and apply in real life — and receive full academic credit.”
Serving as a Variable Fixed Operations intern at the Faulkner Hyundai Harrisburg in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Huntzinger rotated through different departments, spending a month in sales, a month in finance and then in service — even sitting with the management team. As the internship ended, the company told Huntzinger they weren’t ready to let him go.
“No one had touched their social media for a while,” notes Huntzinger, “so they asked if I would re-build their social media from the ground up. I accepted the company’s offer to work part-time.
“I sometimes wondered during my internship if I was contributing value to the organization. Looking back, I recognize that the internship was a fantastic opportunity for me to learn all sides of the business and see how the organization operates.”
A month after completing his bachelor’s degree, Huntzinger was surprised and honored to be offered a full-time position as the company’s Social Media Content Creator.
“Now, as their content creator, understanding how the different departments function helps me tell the story of each group’s sales, service and financing operations. The promotion confirms that by putting the skills learned in the Digital Marketing & Social Media program to work — first as an intern and then as an employee — I am providing value to Faulkner Hyundai Harrisburg.”
Reyna Salcedo with internship supervisors: Dana McCants Derisier, Community Living Unit Director; Ana M. De La Rosa, Nutritionist and Wellness Coordinator; Jenny Mercado, Senior Companion Program Director.
Pivoting To A New Role In Your Industry
After providing clinical patient care for sixteen years, Reyna Salcedo ’25, B.S. – Public Health wanted to transition into a role in public health that would empower her to address health disparities and promote wellness on a broad scale.
“Initially I didn’t think that an internship would benefit me,” says Salcedo. “But I recognized that the best way to get out of my medical assistant scrubs and know what it felt like to work in the public health field was to immerse myself in the day-to-day operations of an agency that would help prepare me for a future career as a health director.”
Melanie Rainone, Senior Experiential Education & Career Advisor at JWU, gave Salcedo options for internships. “I chose an internship at the Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging (OHA), which is part of the Department of Human Services and focuses on the health & well-being of older adults.
“Although OHA is not a public health agency, participating in the work and the meetings at the busy agency, which focused on how funding is obtained and used for the health and well-being of older adults, adults with disabilities, and their caregivers, opened my eyes.
“Working with the Wellness and Nutrition and Senior Companion Programs within the Community Living Unit at the OHA offered me an in-depth look at how public programs are designed, implemented and evaluated. I learned how state and federal funding supports community-based services, gained experience interpreting grant applications and service contracts, and developed a deeper understanding of how government agencies ensure accountability and impact of the programs offered in the communities.
“The experience I gained will help me stand out when future employers review my job applications. People I met are now a part of my professional network. After successfully completing the internship, I have multiple recommendations when I apply for public health positions.
“I highly recommend students consider an internship. The hands-on experience and view into what the day-to-day might be like in your field, will get you ready to work.”
Starlisha Keith interning virtually in Texas for Horizon Healthcare Partners in East Providence, Rhode Island.
Mentorship And Networking Through Virtual Internships
As a full-time employee in financial services in San Antonio, Texas and a volunteer on her church’s social media team, Starlisha Keith ’25, B.S. – Digital Marketing & Social Media wanted to gain hands-on digital marketing experience in a professional setting.
“The flexibility of learning online has been absolutely fantastic for me, so it made sense to do the internship virtually. Everything in digital marketing is computer-based and remote — there’s no need to intern in a physical location when you can do everything from your own computer at home.”
Rainone notes, “Choosing the right virtual internship depends on the student’s schedule, and on the internship itself. Some virtual internships are very flexible about when projects can be worked on, whereas others may have required meetings and log-on times. I advise students to reflect on what they hope to get out of an internship, how they learn and work best, and to be open and honest about these things in conversations with their career advisor.”
When Keith had difficulty finding a virtual internship, she contacted Jenna Parker, Senior Student Career Advisor. “Jenna is amazing — she connected me with Horizon Healthcare Partners in East Providence, Rhode Island, where other students had loved interning.”
“During my internship I benefited from the mentorship of Craig Nelson, Branding & Communications Manager, who was my go-to-guy for whenever I had questions or needed help with a task. As an intern, I did about everything I would do in a physical office — I just did it a little differently. Instead of posting photos taken with my own phone, I grabbed photos taken by other employees of the company’s events. I created full graphics from those photos and geared my posts to events happening that month — for example, Men’s Mental Health Month and Pride Month in June.
“Having learned Hootsuite in my social media class, during my internship, I was able to use Loomly, a similar social media management site. Reading and interpreting insights about social media performance in school helped me evaluate the effectiveness of campaigns I created during internship. My design classes taught me to create appealing graphics that people would want to share, and my composition classes helped me write captions that appeal to target audiences. Studying marketing at JWU Online finally brought everything together for me with my internship.”
Keith’s long-term goal is to launch a nonprofit organization that trains young people in the trades. “When I shared my nonprofit mission with Karen Jeffreys, Director of Programs, and Donna (Dee Dee) Williams, Director Community-Based Services & Housing Supports at HHP, they were eager to help. They are an absolute powerhouse of knowledge and encouraged me to continue networking with them so they can connect me with resources that will support the development of my nonprofit venture.
“If you question whether you should do an internship, 1,000% do it! Working hands-on related to the degree you’re earning helps confirm you’ve made the right choice. Because I had a positive internship experience, I recognize I’m on the right path.
“If you have trouble finding an internship, reach out to your internship advisors for help. JWU Online’s classes are absolutely wonderful, but the hands-on internship experience is priceless.”
Experiential Education And Career Services
Rainone affirms, “Online students have the option to complete an internship, and we’re here for you every step of the way! We support students with registration, internship search, and while you are out on internship. In addition to internship, we also assist with interviewing, job searching, building a LinkedIn profile, and more. Every student and internship scenario is different. We encourage you to make an appointment with us so we can get your questions answered and see how we can best support you in your career journey!”
Huntzinger acknowledges that, “The Experiential Education department was available to help me throughout the internship. They checked in regularly to make sure everything was going well. I also had lots of help polishing my LinkedIn profile, résumé and cover letter so that I was prepared to apply for jobs even before I graduated.”
If you’re interested in how an internship can help benefit your career prospects, learn more about the undergraduate degree programs offered at JWU Online. For more information about earning your degree at JWU Online, complete our brief Request Info form, call 855-JWU-1881 or email [email protected].
