NSU Horizons Spring 2014

16 HORIZONS President’s Internship Vision George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D., president and CEO of NSU, points to a statistic cited in the Wall Street Journal : “About 92 percent of law students who worked as summer associates last year received job offers.” The article echoes a new initiative he has introduced, which will first target Nova Southeastern University’s undergraduate population. “During the fall of 2015, any undergraduate who comes here and stays with us for three years will be guaranteed an internship,” said Hanbury. “And we will provide them with a paid intern- ship in the discipline of their choice.” Hanbury states that, in today’s higher education envi- ronment, it is important to prepare students for careers and that it is NSU’s responsibility to help students con- nect the dots. “I tell undergraduates that their time here is a time to explore, don’t just focus on one discipline,” he said. If undergraduates want to pursue an internship in something outside of their area of focus, Hanbury said the program will be set up to support that, too. “We are here to not only make sure our students accom- plish their academic goals and dreams, but that they are as prepared as their peers to enter the global economy as leaders.” The Office of Career Development will be facilitating the undergraduate internship programs, he said. Studies. Klein immediately thought of CRAE Invest- ment Management Company, a small Fort Lauder- dale investment firm, as a good fit for the budding entrepreneur—Tucci wants to have her own financial planning company someday. “It was entirely different frommy first experience. It was a small office, so I worked really closely with the staff, and it was more like a classroom setting. I received hands-on instruction. In a small environ- ment, you can learn so much more than in a very large company,” Tucci said. She also received a part-time salary and says she would have not known about the company and wouldn’t have been able to find it on her own if not for the opportunity provided by NSU. “CRAE was a great work experience and educational,” said Tucci. ONE-ON-ONE CAREER COUNSELING Large or small, Saperstein says it’s all about help- ing students get the most one-on-one career counsel- ing while they are at NSU to help them when they embark on the job market. “Our alumni really help with that, too. We have alumni who provide intern- ships for students. It’s a way for them to give back. Additionally, many of our alumni serve as guest pan- elists at career seminars and workshops,” she said. As a university with roots founded in helping people to succeed vocationally, NSU has not strayed very far—it has just extended its reach. “I think we’re really on to something here,” said Williams, the dean of the College of Undergraduate Studies. “We have more than 500 viable internships, we have relationships with universities abroad that are regionally accredited so our students can transfer their credits here when they come back, and we have career services that help students learn from experts how to brand and market themselves to be competi- tive in the 21st century global workplace,’’ Williams added. “There are a lot of opportunities right now for students. NSU has the desire and, more impor- tantly, the dedication to make sure our students have access to any and all of these opportunities.” n