When I said I had the funding “secured,” I really meant it. Conn provides up to $3,000 in funding for juniors to choose their dream internship. As I begin my search for a funded summer internship, I think back to my early days in the Career Office when my intended major was listed with a question mark on my resume and the appointments with my career advisor, Deb Brunetti, were short. Those early meetings were 20 minutes at most. My resume is now “targeted” for positions in food journalism, and our appointments have gone beyond the hour allotted on CamelLink, the website we use to book appointments and save resumes. I have also completed the seven career workshops required for eligibility in the funded internship program.

This process may seem rather daunting, but for me it has been a real life experience. Searching for an internship is like applying for a job! First, I begin by searching online for food-writing internships. This field is growing quickly, so I consider myself lucky. I then submit resumes and cover letters to several places and wait to hear back. If that goes smoothly, I schedule interviews and meet with my career advisor to review beforehand. I find interviews to be a very important part of this process because they allow me to show my writing samples and myself in a professional setting. In a field like food journalism, a writing portfolio is essential to landing an internship. I have an interview and then I wait. I use this time to write thank you cards to potential employers. Cupcakes and gift baskets don’t cut it, but a genuine thank you card can make a world of difference.