Award-winning experiential learning opportunities at Millersville University
Source: Millersville University

“Internships play an irreplaceable role in career preparation, because getting a job and achieving long-term career success increasingly depends on the ability to demonstrate real value to employers through experience and applied learning,” says Melissa Wardell, Experiential Learning & Career Management Director at Millersville University.

Millersville University believes “internships are essential”. In fact, that belief is the first thing to greet prospective students who visit the university’s Opportunities page.

Experiential learning is a core component of Millersville’s mission. The university places equal emphasis on classroom learning and hands-on experience through its internship programme, as well as the services provided by its Experiential Learning and Career Management  (ELCM) office.

Millersville boasts some impressive accolades for its commitment to experiential learning. Perhaps the most notable of these is the university’s inclusion on the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. This prestigious recognition is awarded by the Corporation of National and Community Service to “institutions of higher education for their commitment to achievement in community service.”

Source: Millersville University

The career support, resources, and opportunities available to students at Millersville University make it easy to see how the school earned a spot on the Presidential Honor Roll – with distinction – for six years in a row.

Here are just a few ways “The ‘Ville” supports students’ professional development and enhances career-readiness.

Freedom to choose

Although Millersville offers a wide variety of internship opportunities with more than 200 local employers, students are given the freedom to choose which company they’d like to work with.

In fact, Millersville University encourages students to seek out internships on job platforms like Indeed and Glassdoor and by networking with existing contacts.

Earn college credit

Millersville University’s internship opportunities are “credit-bearing”, allowing students to earn credit hours and hands-on work experience at the same time.

Even if students find an internship through their own search, Millersville makes it easy to apply for credit-bearing status.

The process is simple: fill out an internship request form, receive approval from the department, and proceed with the internship application process.

Receive financial assistance

Student interns may be eligible for scholarships and financial awards to fund their internships. These include the Starbrad Excellence in Science Award and the Susquehanna Bank Award.

Interns who meet the eligibility requirements can apply for financial assistance using the Award Guidelines and Application.

Access additional career resources

Students participating in the internship programme can access the Career Connection database, which lists available opportunities and filters them based on the student’s degree subject.

Student interns will also partner with a staff member from the ELCM to narrow down their internship search and contact prospective employers about opportunities.

The experiential learning office also provides students with personalised career roadmaps, a Four Year Career Plan which details every step of a student’s professional journey from orientation, to graduation and beyond.

Other resources available to students include career advice videos, helpful handouts on writing resumes and interviewing with employers, and job and internship fairs.

Enhance employability

The university’s Office of Civic and Community Engagement directly oversees the ELCM, a partnership which fosters strong links with hundreds of local employers, creating more opportunities for students to gain experience.

Source: Millersville University

Of the local employers who partnered with Millersville University for the 2017-2018 academic year, 94 percent said they’d consider hiring their Millersville intern full-time if a vacancy arose.

Some local businesses, like Beers + Hoffman Architecture, have followed through. Millersville alumnus Sarah Bomberger interned with this local architecture firm and secured a full-time position there after graduation.

Almost half of Millersville students who complete an internship are offered either full-time employment or a second internship opportunity.

Serve the local community

Millersville student Rachel Teter participated in an internship with Aaron’s Acres, working one-on-one with special needs students to plan educational activities and improve their socialisation skills.

“The thing I like doing most at my internship is watching the students participate with other students on their own, and seeing them do things that people don’t normally think they can do,” said Teter.

Executive Director of Aaron’s Acres, Risa Paskoff, believes Millersville’s internship programme is mutually beneficial for students, employers, and service users.

“What has impressed me most about the Millersville students: their passion, their interest in learning about people with all different abilities, their ability to step outside of the box,” said Paskoff.

Watch the full interview here:


Volunteer Central is the university’s hub for service-based learning and civic engagement initiatives. Some of the work-study volunteer placements even allow students to earn money while serving their community.

Award-winning experiential learning opportunities at Millersville University

Millersville University’s belief that “a full education is acquired both inside and outside the classroom” is one which shines through in its internship opportunities, as well as its career support services and resources.

Interested in learning more about the internship offerings at Millersville University? Find out more information on Millersville’s career services, read real student success stories, or get in touch with the ELCM today.

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