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What has been your experience with UD interns?
When I was assistant vice president of Corporate Communications at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware (now Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield - Delaware), I was approached by a UD professor about starting an internship program. With her continued support, I hosted about 15-20 UD interns over the years. The interns might stay for one semester — or even several years. If they were especially talented, I'd try to keep them involved until they graduated. It also turned out that the internship program in Corporate Communications served as a model for other areas of our company, who then started their own internship programs.
How did you benefit from hiring UD interns?
It was a tight budget time, so for me, it was especially helpful to have interns. Hiring a new staff member would have been nearly impossible. The paid internship program with UD allowed me to add to my staff without having to get the approvals and budget necessary to create a permanent position. I had a small department, so adding one or two interns to our group was a big help. Plus, it gave me an opportunity to evaluate potential employees to determine if they would be a good fit. I could see their writing skills firsthand and how they performed in different business situations. I did hire three or four UD interns after they graduated. They already knew my staff, our corporate culture and what the expectations were.
What tips would you have for other alumni who are considering hiring UD interns?
First, just know that it's a win-win situation to have an intern because they're learning and you're getting extra help. For me, it was important to include interns as if they were part of the staff. For example, if our ad agency was coming in to present a campaign, the interns would attend the presentation, provide feedback and feel as though they were part of the process. It was a good experience for them, and it was beneficial for me to get their input. Another tip is that we developed an “Internship Binder" to streamline the orientation process. In it, we included our corporate style handbook (logo, grammar and proofreading guidelines) plus information about our company history, corporate culture, dress code, approval processes, etc. It saved a lot of training time because they could do this part on their own. In the end, as a Blue Hen myself, I was proud of the caliber of the UD students and eager to provide them with an opportunity to experience a business environment.
