Internships and Careers in English As much as your four years here at Wilson matter, we know you are also wondering about preparing for a career and a life beyond Wilson. You can use these pages to explore internships in English and the graduate school and career paths our students took after graduation. Internships in English Careers in English See What Our Graduates Are Up To! Learn more about internships for English majors by watching this video, English internships. Internships present an amazing opportunity for students to gain real-world professional experience, to strengthen their portfolios with published writing samples, materials, or on-air clips, and to get a taste of potential career opportunities. In our department, internships are required for some concentrations, but internships experiences are open to any student in any major. They are designed to give students hands-on experience working for a business, organization, or, in some cases, an individual professional. Students register for the internship for college credit (ENG 355), complete tasks assigned to them by the supervisor at their site and submit materials to the faculty director in order to document their learning. Internships require at least 120 hours of work for the site. They may be undertaken in any semester after the junior year (including summer) at a location chosen by the student in conjunction with the faculty director and the Director of Career Services. Department majors have interned for newspapers, radio and television stations, non-profit organizations, corporate public relations and communications offices, and even acted as research assistants for prominent authors and scholars. English majors should choose a business or organization where they can complete several pieces of professional writing. Some of the hours at the internship may include research and attending meetings, but both the student and the supervisor should keep professional writing as the focus. In the past, interns have written press releases, news articles, newsletters, websites, pamphlets, fliers, user manuals, and research summaries. To document their learning, interns in English typically submit a portfolio of writing produced for the site and a journal that includes reflections on the experience and the student’s career goals. To enroll in an internship, begin the following process early in the semester prior to the term in which you plan to serve as an intern. Attend the Internship 101 workshop sponsored by the Career Development Center and pick up the internship packet. Write a resume and submit it to the Director of Career Development. Meet with Dr. Lisa Woolley to discuss your goals for the internship. With the help of the Director of Career Development, look for sites at which you could intern. Contact potential sites and complete their interview process. Complete the paperwork required by Wilson College; it will need to be signed by your academic advisor, your faculty internship director (Dr. Woolley), the Director of Career Development, the supervisor at your site, and the registrar. Students are strongly encouraged to attend a workshop on creating e-portfolios. Most students learn a great deal about themselves and their chosen field while interning. Below are a few difficulties that students sometimes encounter and tips for handling them Despite their best intentions, site supervisors occasionally cannot find time to give the intern assignments. If your site supervisor seems to have disappeared, contact your faculty director to see if some gentle nudging from the faculty member will help. The supervisor gives the student assignments, but they do not seem to take very long and then there is nothing else to do. Be prepared to take some initiative. If the site supervisor is temporarily out of work for you, take some time to learn more about the business or organizations of this type. Your research may prepare you to take on new kinds of assignments. The supervisor is not providing much feedback about the intern’s performance. All supervisors will fill out an evaluation of the intern at midterm. Meanwhile, realize that in the workplace employees often do not receive a great deal of feedback, unless something is going wrong! Remember, too, that in most cases supervisors will not consider themselves teachers. They will not be expecting to go over drafts of your work carefully and then make detailed suggestions. In terms of editing for grammar and punctuation, they often will be expecting you to be the expert. The supervisor does not seem to know much about handling others’ intellectual property. Interns cannot be expected to be experts in copyright law. Be aware, however, that, in the writing you produce for the site, simply listing the source of images or reprinted materials may not be enough to satisfy legal requirements. Be especially careful about using others’ intellectual property. Alert your supervisor if you think the business or organization where you are interning will need to obtain permission or pay a fee in order to reproduce an image or extensive quotation in a project you are doing for them. Internships are usually tremendous experiences for Wilson students. Some have resulted in job offers; all have broadened the horizons of the students who completed them. Careful preparation can ensure that your internship experience is a positive one. What can I do with a major in English? The English program aims to develop knowledge and appreciation of literature in English and of the various cultures, beliefs and experiences expressed in this literature, as well as the faculty of sound criticism and skill and grace in English expression as a means of personal development and professional preparation. Study in the field of English offers a general humanistic education as well as skills in communication and analysis that are essential in most careers. An education in English teaches students to write, to think critically, to weigh values, and to communicate ideas. For help in identifying more information about the occupations listed below, please visit the Career Development Center, Lenfest 103 and 104 (phone: 717-262-2006 or email career@wilson.edu). For more about careers for English majors, watch this video, Tales of an English Major Career Opportunities for English Majors Human Services Publishing Foreign service representative Peace Corps/Vista volunteer Community relations specialist Press representative Meeting assistant Paralegal Program planner Special concerns advocate Publicity coordinator Humanities and arts council representative Acquisitions editor Copy editor Project editor Salesperson Publicity and promotion specialist Advertising coordinator Production specialist Contracts and permission specialist Assistant book publicist Communication/Public Relations Business/Industry Consumer public relations specialist University/college relations specialist Information specialist Public opinion analyst Press representative (legislator) Convention organizer Business/Industry Manager Marketing trainee Business communications/in-house publicationist Public relations writer Document and procedures analyst Corporate legal assistant Claims adjustor Research analyst/associate Personnel relations specialist Retail/buyer Interviewer Data entry operator Station manager Stock broker assistant Sales promotion specialist Advertising Copy writer Sales writer Editor Proofreader Feature writer Advertising account executive Technical Writing Journalism Writer Reporter Software and software manuals Grant Writer Institutional Writer Freelance Institutional Copy Editor Columnist Critic Teaching Public or private school teacher English as a second language College administrator NOTE: Some of the listed career options may require additional education and/or training beyond the bachelor's degree. Want to learn more about these and other Department graduates? Visit our “See What Our Graduates Are Up To” tab to see what they did after graduation. Want to know what our English program graduates did after leaving Wilson? Look below to find out! JENNA KAUFFMAN After graduation, Jenna started working as Content Coordinator at Chambersburg Neighbors Magazine. JOY MERCHANT After graduation, Joy earned a graduate assistantship to start the M.A. in Humanities program at Wilson College, where she is in her first semester. KIMBERLY MASKE-MERTZ After graduation, Kim earned her Master’s degree from the M.A. in Humanities program at Wilson College. Kim is now a freelance writer, editor, and author. KIRSTEN BILGER After graduation, Kirsten started working as a counselor in the Admissions Office of Wilson College. She is also enrolled in the MA Humanities program. REBECCA (CHEEK) REDDING After graduation, Rebecca started working as Curriculum Coordinator at Broadfording Christian Academy. She just completed her Master’s degree in Humanities at Wilson. ROCHELLE PLUMMER After graduation, Rochelle completed her MA Humanities degree at Wilson and began a Ph.D. program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She now works as Associate Vice-President for Academic Success at King’s College. EVAN HOKE After graduation, Evan earned a graduate assistantship in the M.A. in Humanities program at Wilson College. JACQUELINE ALEECE KUNKLEMAN After graduation Jacqueline began working as an eighth grade English teacher. MARYBETH RICHARDS After graduation, Beth completed her MA Humanities at Wilson. She now works as an adjunct professor of English and Women’s Studies and just completed her first book. JAMIE (MCCAULEY) DALEY After graduation, Jamie began working as a Special Education Teaching Assistant. ATRICK FOX After graduation, Patrick started working as a Production Scheduler. LAUREN KERSHNER After graduation, Lauren earned a position as the Police/Municipal Government reporter/correspondent for the Sentinel newspaper in Lewistown, PA. CASEY BEIDEL After graduation, Casey enrolled in the M.A. in Humanities program at Wilson and earned a Graduate Assistantship in the Writing Center at the College. He is now an analyst at Global Data Consultants. MADELEINE (NEWELL) WILSON Madeleine is currently working as a speech-language pathologist. ANGELLA DAGENHART After graduation, Angella became Circulation Manager at the Grove Public Library. BROOKE KETRON After graduation, Brooke began working as a Newsletter Reporter for the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association. She also works with CANTER Pennsylvania. COURTNEY D. WOLFE Courtney is currently the Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Penn State Mont Alto. ELSA IMDAD HUSSAIN Elsa works as a Cultural Ambassador at US Department of State and Coordinator at Lincoln Corners Pakistan. JANESSA LYNNE DEMEULE After graduation, Janessa started working with City Year. JESSICA M. DOMANICO After graduation, Jess pursued her M.A. in English at Auburn University. Jess received a full teaching assistantship toward graduate study. After completing her degree, Jess earned a position as a full-time member of the faculty in English at Point University in West Point, GA. XIAOMENG LI After graduation, Xiaomeng began working on her M.A. in New Arts Journalism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago KAYLA CHAGNON After graduation, Kayla began working on a Master's in Journalism at Syracuse University. After completing her M.A., Kayla worked as a research associate at Prevention magazine and for Rodale Publications. NATHALIE DJIGUIMKOUDRE After graduation, Nathalie began working on her graduate degree in Linguistics at Florida Atlantic University. Nathalie received a full teaching assistantship from the University. JACQUELYN VALENCIA After graduation, Jacquelyn began working on her Master's in Creative Writing / English at West Chester University. KIMBERLY ALLEN After graduation, Kim began teaching speech and theater in a Chicago-area high school. STEPHANIE BECKNER After graduation, Stephanie started working for the Bedford Area School District, teaching English. MICHELLE PEARSON-CASEY After graduation, Michelle began working as Corporate Communications Manager at Olympic Steel, Inc. ASHLEY BARNER After graduation, Ashley began working on her M.A. in English at the University of Delaware, where she received a full teaching assistantship from the University. She is now a full-time author. RUTH MEG OLDMAN After graduation, Meg began working on her M.A. in English at Marshall University in Huntington, WV, where she received a full teaching assistantship from the University. After completing her M.A., Meg enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. SATOKO UNNO After graduation, Satoko began working towards a Master of Social Work degree at Millersville University. Satoko also earned an assistantship at the Children's Literature Center at Millersville. HEATHER BURKE After graduation, Heather began working on her M.A. in Creative Writing at Newcastle University in Newcastle After Tyne, England. ELIZABETH CLEVER After graduation, Elizabeth went to the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg as a Master of Divinity student. Upon completion of her degree, Elizabeth earned a pastoral position in a parish in western Pennsylvania. Did you graduate from Wilson with a major in English? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at mcornelius@wilson.edu and update us on what you are doing! English English Faculty Course Requirements Concentration in Media Writing Course Requirements Concentration in Literary Studies Course Requirements Concentration in Creative Writing Student Media and Clubs English Writers Series Events Department Awards Internships and Careers in English Assessment in English Minor in English
Learn more about internships for English majors by watching this video, English internships. Internships present an amazing opportunity for students to gain real-world professional experience, to strengthen their portfolios with published writing samples, materials, or on-air clips, and to get a taste of potential career opportunities. In our department, internships are required for some concentrations, but internships experiences are open to any student in any major. They are designed to give students hands-on experience working for a business, organization, or, in some cases, an individual professional. Students register for the internship for college credit (ENG 355), complete tasks assigned to them by the supervisor at their site and submit materials to the faculty director in order to document their learning. Internships require at least 120 hours of work for the site. They may be undertaken in any semester after the junior year (including summer) at a location chosen by the student in conjunction with the faculty director and the Director of Career Services. Department majors have interned for newspapers, radio and television stations, non-profit organizations, corporate public relations and communications offices, and even acted as research assistants for prominent authors and scholars. English majors should choose a business or organization where they can complete several pieces of professional writing. Some of the hours at the internship may include research and attending meetings, but both the student and the supervisor should keep professional writing as the focus. In the past, interns have written press releases, news articles, newsletters, websites, pamphlets, fliers, user manuals, and research summaries. To document their learning, interns in English typically submit a portfolio of writing produced for the site and a journal that includes reflections on the experience and the student’s career goals. To enroll in an internship, begin the following process early in the semester prior to the term in which you plan to serve as an intern. Attend the Internship 101 workshop sponsored by the Career Development Center and pick up the internship packet. Write a resume and submit it to the Director of Career Development. Meet with Dr. Lisa Woolley to discuss your goals for the internship. With the help of the Director of Career Development, look for sites at which you could intern. Contact potential sites and complete their interview process. Complete the paperwork required by Wilson College; it will need to be signed by your academic advisor, your faculty internship director (Dr. Woolley), the Director of Career Development, the supervisor at your site, and the registrar. Students are strongly encouraged to attend a workshop on creating e-portfolios. Most students learn a great deal about themselves and their chosen field while interning. Below are a few difficulties that students sometimes encounter and tips for handling them Despite their best intentions, site supervisors occasionally cannot find time to give the intern assignments. If your site supervisor seems to have disappeared, contact your faculty director to see if some gentle nudging from the faculty member will help. The supervisor gives the student assignments, but they do not seem to take very long and then there is nothing else to do. Be prepared to take some initiative. If the site supervisor is temporarily out of work for you, take some time to learn more about the business or organizations of this type. Your research may prepare you to take on new kinds of assignments. The supervisor is not providing much feedback about the intern’s performance. All supervisors will fill out an evaluation of the intern at midterm. Meanwhile, realize that in the workplace employees often do not receive a great deal of feedback, unless something is going wrong! Remember, too, that in most cases supervisors will not consider themselves teachers. They will not be expecting to go over drafts of your work carefully and then make detailed suggestions. In terms of editing for grammar and punctuation, they often will be expecting you to be the expert. The supervisor does not seem to know much about handling others’ intellectual property. Interns cannot be expected to be experts in copyright law. Be aware, however, that, in the writing you produce for the site, simply listing the source of images or reprinted materials may not be enough to satisfy legal requirements. Be especially careful about using others’ intellectual property. Alert your supervisor if you think the business or organization where you are interning will need to obtain permission or pay a fee in order to reproduce an image or extensive quotation in a project you are doing for them. Internships are usually tremendous experiences for Wilson students. Some have resulted in job offers; all have broadened the horizons of the students who completed them. Careful preparation can ensure that your internship experience is a positive one.
What can I do with a major in English? The English program aims to develop knowledge and appreciation of literature in English and of the various cultures, beliefs and experiences expressed in this literature, as well as the faculty of sound criticism and skill and grace in English expression as a means of personal development and professional preparation. Study in the field of English offers a general humanistic education as well as skills in communication and analysis that are essential in most careers. An education in English teaches students to write, to think critically, to weigh values, and to communicate ideas. For help in identifying more information about the occupations listed below, please visit the Career Development Center, Lenfest 103 and 104 (phone: 717-262-2006 or email career@wilson.edu). For more about careers for English majors, watch this video, Tales of an English Major Career Opportunities for English Majors Human Services Publishing Foreign service representative Peace Corps/Vista volunteer Community relations specialist Press representative Meeting assistant Paralegal Program planner Special concerns advocate Publicity coordinator Humanities and arts council representative Acquisitions editor Copy editor Project editor Salesperson Publicity and promotion specialist Advertising coordinator Production specialist Contracts and permission specialist Assistant book publicist Communication/Public Relations Business/Industry Consumer public relations specialist University/college relations specialist Information specialist Public opinion analyst Press representative (legislator) Convention organizer Business/Industry Manager Marketing trainee Business communications/in-house publicationist Public relations writer Document and procedures analyst Corporate legal assistant Claims adjustor Research analyst/associate Personnel relations specialist Retail/buyer Interviewer Data entry operator Station manager Stock broker assistant Sales promotion specialist Advertising Copy writer Sales writer Editor Proofreader Feature writer Advertising account executive Technical Writing Journalism Writer Reporter Software and software manuals Grant Writer Institutional Writer Freelance Institutional Copy Editor Columnist Critic Teaching Public or private school teacher English as a second language College administrator NOTE: Some of the listed career options may require additional education and/or training beyond the bachelor's degree. Want to learn more about these and other Department graduates? Visit our “See What Our Graduates Are Up To” tab to see what they did after graduation.
Want to know what our English program graduates did after leaving Wilson? Look below to find out! JENNA KAUFFMAN After graduation, Jenna started working as Content Coordinator at Chambersburg Neighbors Magazine. JOY MERCHANT After graduation, Joy earned a graduate assistantship to start the M.A. in Humanities program at Wilson College, where she is in her first semester. KIMBERLY MASKE-MERTZ After graduation, Kim earned her Master’s degree from the M.A. in Humanities program at Wilson College. Kim is now a freelance writer, editor, and author. KIRSTEN BILGER After graduation, Kirsten started working as a counselor in the Admissions Office of Wilson College. She is also enrolled in the MA Humanities program. REBECCA (CHEEK) REDDING After graduation, Rebecca started working as Curriculum Coordinator at Broadfording Christian Academy. She just completed her Master’s degree in Humanities at Wilson. ROCHELLE PLUMMER After graduation, Rochelle completed her MA Humanities degree at Wilson and began a Ph.D. program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She now works as Associate Vice-President for Academic Success at King’s College. EVAN HOKE After graduation, Evan earned a graduate assistantship in the M.A. in Humanities program at Wilson College. JACQUELINE ALEECE KUNKLEMAN After graduation Jacqueline began working as an eighth grade English teacher. MARYBETH RICHARDS After graduation, Beth completed her MA Humanities at Wilson. She now works as an adjunct professor of English and Women’s Studies and just completed her first book. JAMIE (MCCAULEY) DALEY After graduation, Jamie began working as a Special Education Teaching Assistant. ATRICK FOX After graduation, Patrick started working as a Production Scheduler. LAUREN KERSHNER After graduation, Lauren earned a position as the Police/Municipal Government reporter/correspondent for the Sentinel newspaper in Lewistown, PA. CASEY BEIDEL After graduation, Casey enrolled in the M.A. in Humanities program at Wilson and earned a Graduate Assistantship in the Writing Center at the College. He is now an analyst at Global Data Consultants. MADELEINE (NEWELL) WILSON Madeleine is currently working as a speech-language pathologist. ANGELLA DAGENHART After graduation, Angella became Circulation Manager at the Grove Public Library. BROOKE KETRON After graduation, Brooke began working as a Newsletter Reporter for the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association. She also works with CANTER Pennsylvania. COURTNEY D. WOLFE Courtney is currently the Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Penn State Mont Alto. ELSA IMDAD HUSSAIN Elsa works as a Cultural Ambassador at US Department of State and Coordinator at Lincoln Corners Pakistan. JANESSA LYNNE DEMEULE After graduation, Janessa started working with City Year. JESSICA M. DOMANICO After graduation, Jess pursued her M.A. in English at Auburn University. Jess received a full teaching assistantship toward graduate study. After completing her degree, Jess earned a position as a full-time member of the faculty in English at Point University in West Point, GA. XIAOMENG LI After graduation, Xiaomeng began working on her M.A. in New Arts Journalism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago KAYLA CHAGNON After graduation, Kayla began working on a Master's in Journalism at Syracuse University. After completing her M.A., Kayla worked as a research associate at Prevention magazine and for Rodale Publications. NATHALIE DJIGUIMKOUDRE After graduation, Nathalie began working on her graduate degree in Linguistics at Florida Atlantic University. Nathalie received a full teaching assistantship from the University. JACQUELYN VALENCIA After graduation, Jacquelyn began working on her Master's in Creative Writing / English at West Chester University. KIMBERLY ALLEN After graduation, Kim began teaching speech and theater in a Chicago-area high school. STEPHANIE BECKNER After graduation, Stephanie started working for the Bedford Area School District, teaching English. MICHELLE PEARSON-CASEY After graduation, Michelle began working as Corporate Communications Manager at Olympic Steel, Inc. ASHLEY BARNER After graduation, Ashley began working on her M.A. in English at the University of Delaware, where she received a full teaching assistantship from the University. She is now a full-time author. RUTH MEG OLDMAN After graduation, Meg began working on her M.A. in English at Marshall University in Huntington, WV, where she received a full teaching assistantship from the University. After completing her M.A., Meg enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. SATOKO UNNO After graduation, Satoko began working towards a Master of Social Work degree at Millersville University. Satoko also earned an assistantship at the Children's Literature Center at Millersville. HEATHER BURKE After graduation, Heather began working on her M.A. in Creative Writing at Newcastle University in Newcastle After Tyne, England. ELIZABETH CLEVER After graduation, Elizabeth went to the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg as a Master of Divinity student. Upon completion of her degree, Elizabeth earned a pastoral position in a parish in western Pennsylvania. Did you graduate from Wilson with a major in English? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at mcornelius@wilson.edu and update us on what you are doing!
