The Career Studio is Alverno College’s resource for career, internship, and job search information. It is an interactive space where students design their future. Daily walk-in hours allow students to meet with Professional Career Coaches who guide students in exploring career options, preparing for a job or internship search, or addressing other career-related questions. Students are also encouraged to schedule 1:1 appointments with the professional staff through the College’s career platform, 12twenty.
The Career Studio’s courses, workshops, events, and programs are unique in their integration into the Alverno curriculum. Through offerings such as PPS229 (Pre‑Professional Seminar) and INTERN383 (Internship Seminar)—which now incorporates the Career Launch method—students learn to make informed career decisions, establish goals, build networks, and develop résumés, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, and other personal branding materials. Students also have access to modern tools like Hiration for AI‑supported résumé and interview preparation, CareerShift for uncovering hidden job opportunities and expanding their professional network, and LinkedIn Learning micro‑courses that faculty can embed in classes and that first-year students can use to build essential academic and professional skills. The Career Studio also maintains The Boutique—a clothing closet that Alverno students can use to obtain professional work wear at no cost.
The Career Studio connects students with employers through networking opportunities and career fairs, including on-campus fairs held in partnership with other local institutions, and prepares students for the world of work through internship experiences and individualized career coaching. Its advising model is designed to support students from start to finish, with dedicated career coaches assigned to new first-year students and tailored support for graduate and adult learners.
To learn more about the Career Studio and contact the office, visit the Career Studio's webpage.
Alverno College believes that every student benefits from extended, high-quality work-based learning experiences similar to those traditionally embedded in nursing and education through clinical and field placements. In this spirit, students in almost all majors complete at least one semester-long internship that integrates substantive, supervised work experience with intentional academic reflection.
Students typically work at an off-campus site during the fall, spring, or summer terms. The amount of credit students can earn varies according to the minimum number of hours worked at their internshipmsites:
Internship Policy
Students are supported throughout the internship planning process and experience in the following ways:
Career Studio Career Coaches act as liaisons between internship sites, faculty, and students. They work with students to identify opportunities that align with their academic programs, goals, interests, and abilities. After researching, applying to, and interviewing for multiple internship opportunities, students select a site from the offers they receive. Career Coaches monitor student progress throughout the internship by collecting and reviewing required documentation and by maintaining contact with sites during the term to help ensure a meaningful, supervised learning experience.
Faculty provide structured opportunities for students to reflect on their internship experience and connect classroom learning to workplace practice. This reflection occurs through the internship seminar and, in some cases, through individual meetings focused on professional development, ethical practice, and career readiness.
Professionals at the internship site serve as on-site supervisors and mentors. They provide training, oversee day-to-day responsibilities, and evaluate student performance through oral and written feedback, contributing to students’ development of NACE career readiness competencies such as communication, teamwork, professionalism, and critical thinking.
Internship Seminars
All interns must register for the INTERN383 Internship Seminar, which is the reflective, integrative coursework required as part of the internship experience. In INTERN 383, students also engage with the Career Launch method, an evidence-based career education curriculum that helps them move beyond “apply-only” strategies by teaching them how to research organizations, build relationships with professionals, conduct career conversations, and follow up effectively. Through Career Launch activities, students practice setting clear goals for outreach, crafting professional messages, strengthening their personal brand, and developing interview stories that convey their value. Students must successfully complete both the seminar requirements and the site-based work in order to receive academic credit for the internship.
Some majors require two internships. Students should review their major’s academic map to determine the number of internships required by their program (or, in some cases, minor). Advanced Internship Seminars are numbered “483” within each discipline (e.g., PSY 483, MGT 483).
Even when a second internship is not required, students may choose to complete an additional experience for credit. They should register for the appropriate 483 internship seminar listed for their major if they wish to complete this second internship for academic credit.
Process for Securing an Internship
Because the internship exploration and application process takes time, students are encouraged to begin planning at least 2–3 semesters before they intend to intern. During an initial planning meeting, students work with their Career Coach to review their academic plan and determine the most appropriate semester for an internship. Through subsequent meetings, students research opportunities, develop application materials, and create a plan for applying to internships that align with their goals.
Internships are not assigned or placed; students are active participants in the search process. They apply and interview for internships in accordance with each employer’s application and hiring procedures, mirroring real-world job search expectations and promoting equitable access to opportunities.
Prerequisites for Completing an Internship for Credit
To be eligible to complete an internship for academic credit, students must:
National and International Internship Opportunities
Alverno College students may also apply for national or international internships through programs affiliated with the College. Because these opportunities have specific application timelines and requirements, students should begin planning at least three semesters before they intend to intern. Students pursuing an international internship work concurrently with the Career Studio and the Alverno College Center for Global Engagement to ensure that academic, logistical, and intercultural considerations are all addressed.
Career Studio Internship Contacts
Students can visit FO 101 or call 414-382-6012 for more information about internships. Students are also encouraged to schedule appointments with their Career Coach through the College’s career platform, 12twenty, when searching for internships.