Assessing the Benefits of College Internships at a Hispanic Serving Institution

Abstract

Few studies have investigated the usefulness of internships at Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) where internships can have major financial and time-related costs. Focusing on a 4-year public HSI, this study examines differences between internship and non-internship students and changes across the semester for development in a range of areas. A structured internship appears to have some value, including increased interaction with faculty outside of the classroom, and confidence in verbally expressing ideas and class presentations.