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J.D. Power Challenge
Why does Amy Murphy, director of the Summer Internship Program, care about this year’s J.D. Power Challenge?
Each year more than 100 students are provided the opportunity to gain valuable work experience through the College’s Summer Internship Program (SIP). This year, however, that number may increase substantially. Dave Power ’53, of J.D. Power and Associates, has issued a challenge to his fellow graduates. If 55 percent of alumni give to Holy Cross by June 30, Power will give $500,000 to establish paid internships for Holy Cross students to get business experience in Worcester-area organizations.
Amy Murphy, director of the SIP at Holy Cross, talks about the impact The J.D. Power Worcester-Based Internship Fund would have on students.
Q. How would the Summer Internship Program benefit if the Challenge is successful?
- Being able to provide more paid summer internships to students would be a significant benefit. Not only would this give us the chance to offer more students internship experience, this would also allow us to work with more Worcester- based businesses and non-profits.
Q. How do students benefit from internships?
- Feedback from alumni and employers tells us that having an internship is no longer value-added when applying for jobs; internship experience has now become a requirement. Employers are looking for applicants with experience in the field they are pursuing.
Internships also give students an opportunity to explore a field they're interested in. Participating in an internship provides the student with an opportunity to apply their education in the real world. The student is given a chance to grow as a professional.
Q. What effect would these internships have on the Worcester community?
- By becoming a dedicated employee, students help their host sites succeed. Students who participate in an internship are more likely to stay in the host community post-graduation and the experience usually leads to a more involved resident. Internships are one of the many ways in which Holy Cross is involved with the Worcester community.
The SIP receives outstanding feedback from employers every year, praising the work ethic, work product, capabilities, and attitudes of our students. Having had positive experiences, these businesses continue to take on additional Holy Cross students from year to year, offering many more young men and women these wonderful opportunities.
Q. How can alumni help?
A. Participate in the J.D. Power Challenge! Every gift counts. By participating in this Challenge you'll have a hand in providing students with terrific (and local) learning experiences.
The Facts:
- Fifty percent of the Class of 2007 who participated in an SIP internship had a permanent job three weeks prior to graduation. Twenty six percent of those students had a job with their host company. The remaining 24 percent had a job with a competitor or within the same industry.
- Fifty nine percent of the Class of 2006 who participated in an SIP internship had a permanent job within six months of graduation as compared to 50 percent of total classmates who did not.
- Feedback from alumni and employers shows that when interviewing for a job, employers are now expecting to see an internship on a candidate's resume.
- Seventeen percent of 2007 summer internships were in the greater Worcester area.
- Hosting an intern is a rewarding way for Holy Cross alumni to mentor students.
For more information on Dave Power ’53 and the J.D. Power Challenge; or to learn more about internships at Holy Cross, please visit the following sites: