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Center for Career Development : Discovery Externships
General Information
Also see our FAQ.
Kalamazoo College has a strong, historical commitment to experiential
learning. Experiential education involves "learning-by-doing."
The Center for Career Development’s Discovery Externship program
will provide you with an opportunity to gain essential exposure
in a field of interest. Each externship, while still including planning
(before) and reflecting (after), occurs over a shorter amount of
time than what is typically spent in an internship. The program
was initially developed as a viable career development alternative
to a traditional internship in the very short summer between the
sophomore and junior years, preceding study abroad experiences of
rising juniors, since most programs depart the States prior to Labor
Day. Yet we also recognize that in a traditional liberal arts and
sciences culture such as ours at “K,” many students
re-evaluate their career direction at multiple points, even heading
into the senior year. So, the Discovery Externship may be just the
right step you need, at virtually any time during your “K”
experience, to sharpen personal convictions and career direction.
Another special element of this program is that “K”
alumni sponsor almost all externships. With sponsors from multiple
generations of “K” graduates steering the program, the
primary emphasis of the experience shifts from skills training to
focusing on a mentoring relationship. This shift facilitates an
understanding of how elements of your specific experience at “K”
will translate to a prospective career field. The design of “K”
externships also encourages a look at work within the context of
a bigger life. This dynamic provides you with an extraordinary opportunity
to connect with people who also experienced the “K Plan,”
many of them approaching the pinnacle of their own careers.
The Discovery Externship is normally a two-week endeavor, yet could
range from one to four weeks depending on your host. During your
externship, you may have opportunities for observation, a short-term
project, and access to other professionals in the field (comparative
shadow experiences).
In most Discovery Externship experiences, you will be living in
a “homestay” with a “K” alum. The Center
for Career Development has found that this aspect of the program
is extremely appealing to both students and alumni. The homestay
provides the student and the alum “porch time” –
a time to connect outside of the normal work environment. You can
take advantage of this one-on-one time by asking your Discovery
Externship alumni sponsor a range of questions about career-related
issues or perhaps about how they balance their professional and
personal lives. The homestay usually carries an unexpected benefit
for both parties – a chance to share views and experiences
regarding the “K” experience. The homestay is often
where the “real connection” happens between you and
the alumni sponsor and is an integral part of the Discovery Externship
model. And we occasionally hear from homestay hosts that their externs
have had a positive influence on themselves and their families.
The CCD realizes finances can be a deciding factor when committing
to being an extern. Through the generous contributions of a few
Kalamazoo alumni and other friends of the College, the CCD is able
to subsidize a significant proportion of the expenses associated
with a Discovery Externship. Specific information about financial
considerations can be found elsewhere in this booklet. The possibility
for financial compensation for your project work will depend on
whether or not the sponsoring organization has available funding.
However, considering the shorter-term nature of our externships,
financial compensation of externs is neither part of the program
design, nor should it be an expectation when applying for a listed
opportunity.
Additionally, the Center for Career Development views applying
to the Discovery Externship program as a very serious commitment.
You should not treat this option as a “back up plan”
to other programs or opportunities. You may apply for up to two
externships and if selected, you are eligible to participate for
Summer 2008. We have intentionally designed this program to provide
you with notification of acceptance (mid March) to allow ample
time to explore other options should you not be selected for the
upcoming externship program. In our experience to date, it has
not been uncommon for students to fit an externship and a separate
paid job into their summers.
The benefits of participating in the Discovery Externship program
are multifaceted. You will be able to get a “taste of the
industry” before you feel pressures to choose a certain career
path. You will have the opportunity to observe the day-to-day lifestyle
of someone in your field, both on the job and outside of work. Furthermore,
as an extern, you will acquire what could prove to be a valuable
connection and reference for the future, as well a source of advice,
all by working and often living with an alum.
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