The City of Statesboro, Georgia Southern University, and Ogeechee Technical College have partnered to create a professional internship program for students. The goal of the program is to provide a well-rounded educational program that will offer Georgia Southern and Ogeechee Tech students the opportunity to learn about the Statesboro-Bulloch County community, grow their network of references and gain the professional skills needed to be successful in their future careers.
“For me, the main priority of this program is to strengthen the city’s relationship with both Georgia Southern and Ogeechee Tech,” said Statesboro Mayor Jonathan McCollar. “Through this strategic partnership, students will be able to establish connections with local businesses while also contributing to our community. Our city cannot thrive unless we are investing in it, and this program is a great way to get more members of our community involved and working together.”
To demonstrate its commitment to the internship program, the City of Statesboro plans to take on at least six undergraduate and graduate interns this summer. The city views the program as a chance to not only give students a competitive advantage after graduation but also as an opportunity to train its future workforce.
The program is seeking internship opportunities for Georgia Southern and Ogeechee Tech students in all professional areas, including marketing, public health, public administration, pre-health professions, accounting and finance, engineering and computing. The professional internships should: be an extension of the classroom that provides an opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in the classroom, have a defined beginning and end with a job description of desired qualifications and responsibilities and have clearly defined learning objectives and goals.
“It is critically important for our students to not only have an excellent classroom education but to also have relevant experiences outside the classroom that will inspire them and shape their futures,” said Georgia Southern President Dr. Kyle Marrero. “Partnerships such as this one with the city and Ogeechee Tech are great ways to further connect the university to our community and provide valuable opportunities to our students.”
Local business owners will find that there are many benefits to participating in this program. Interns will contribute to an organization as motivated and productive employees. An organization’s involvement creates opportunities to develop strong relationships with students at both Georgia Southern and Ogeechee Tech. Internships also allow an organization to evaluate the fit of a candidate before making the investment of a full-time offer.
“Our college has a rich history of providing quality technical education to our students, preparing them for careers in the local workforce,” said Ogeechee Tech President Lori Durden. “This professional internship program reinforces that resolve while also strengthening the bonds between our institutions and the community.”
A strong, skilled workforce is key to building a thriving local community. That’s why the City of Statesboro, Georgia Southern and Ogeechee Tech are working to ensure the city’s future workforce is well-trained, qualified and ready to make a difference in the community.
Organizations interested in participating in the program should reach out to Caitlyn Cofer, Assistant Director of Experiential Learning in the Office of Career and Professional Development at Georgia Southern University at ccofer@georgiasouthern.edu.
