<p>Since AU is known for the number and quality of internships that are avaialbe to students, how do incoming freshman learn about them? My son will be coming in as a poli sci (what else?) major.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>E-mail: The SPA sends out emails when internships that specifically recruit AU students notifies them of a specific position. Today @ AU is also sent out every morning which reminds students of deadlines for internships. The school hosts on campus interviews for large companies, as well as holds internship fairs etc. All of this information is available and students are given multiple reminders.</p></li>
<li><p>Work Study: A select few work study jobs are off campus – currently I’m working at a non-profit for Federal Work Study through the school. It’s a pretty sweet set up for those who are awarded work study but want to do more than work at a desk on campus. FEMA is a big hirer of Work Study students from AU.</p></li>
<li><p>Professors: Like I said before, it is VITAL that students cultivate a positive relationship with their professors. 99% of students don’t go visit their professor until the first paper/midterm to discuss their performance. If you stop in the first week or so, just to introduce yourself and talk about their research and how it interests you, it goes a long way. So that way, when they hear about internships, they’ll email you and say: ‘Hey, I heard about this great internship in your hometown over the summer and I thought you might be interested.’</p></li>
<li><p>AU Career Web and the Career Center: AU Career Web is the internship database for AU students. It has a truly overwhelming number of internships, entry level and experienced jobs for current undergrads and alumni. It makes applying to an internship very easy and you can make a favorites list to organize the internships that interest you. I can’t really explain just how valuable a resource this is, until you see it when your son shows you.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>If your son is looking to grab an internship this fall, whether work study or not – make sure he starts BEFORE he arrives on campus for orientation.</p>
<p>Thanks for this wonderful information. </p>
<p>As far as networking, my son has already been in contact with the Associate Dean of SPA who is helping him find primary sources to interview for his senior (high school) research paper. He also wants to get into the Israeli embassy in some capapcity and was going to email them this summer to try to arrange something.</p>
<p>What type of money do the paid internships pay?</p>
<p>For entry polisci majors? I’d say between 9 and 12 dollars/hr. Also keep in mind that the vast majority of Federal internships do not pay – which I’m sure you already know.</p>
<p>Econ majors generally make the highest – even for internships they make between 15 and 20$/hr and beyond.</p>
<p>AUTranfer: No Offense, most paid Internships only pay modestly mainly to cover for Metro and Lunch. About $50 for a 8 hour period. My daughter had paid Internships and interviewed for several and most were to help student with transportation.</p>