The Center for Digital Engagement at Eastern Michigan University is offering 48 paid internships to students and recent graduates this summer.
The Digital Summer Clinic will occur remotely over nine weeks from mid-June to mid-August. Interns will work in groups of two for 10 hours a week and will be paid $15.51 an hour.
Current students and those who have graduated in the last 18 months are eligible to apply for the internship program. Applications close on April 30.
Students will work with start-up companies in Ann Arbor SPARK’s high-tech incubator. Companies that have worked with the program include PassiveBolt and Jottful. Interns work on projects ranging from developing websites and apps, creating content (written, graphic, photography, video), managing social media and advertising.
After reviewing all applications, about 100 students are chosen for interviews with The Digital Summer Clinic’s mentors, including Bud Gibson.
Gibson, an associate professor of integrated marketing and the director of The Center for Digital Engagement, recommends this internship to a wide variety of majors. The internships will provide an introduction to a variety of career opportunities.
“There is room for you to switch things up once you get in there. You wouldn’t just necessarily be doing advertising if you were an advertising major,” Gibson said.
According to Gibson, more companies are growing digitally, especially during the pandemic. Previous interns advanced their careers through the experiences and the connections gained during the program.
“70% of our students, or interns, go on to work in either digital marketing or for a high-tech company, so it gives you an immediate entry into working for different kinds of companies...in southeast Michigan,” Gibson said. “That’s where the growth is.”
Kayla Henneman interned with The Digital Summer Clinic last summer and now works for AdAdapted, the company she interned at. During her internship, Henneman developed social media strategy and created content. The program’s mentors were available to help her and other students throughout their internships.
“If I was stumped, which I was half the time, and I needed help and guidance, you have that guidance with it. I talked to a few other people from my year and we all kind of said that was the big thing that really helped us,” Henneman said.
Henneman recommends that prospective applicants reach out to mentors, like Gibson, to show their interest in the program and to begin building important connections.
“The clinic really helps to open up, make those connections and get that experience,” Henneman said.
More information on The Digital Summer Clinic can be found on the website.
