Experiential Learning on the Job--A Business Internship Program

Abstract

"San Diego State University has run a business internship program since the early 70’s, placing between 40 and 70 interns with local business for a semester of work experience. Our program is somewhat unusual in that it is entirely student-run and self-financed. These features offer tremendous advantages in allowing an independent program, but as the number of interns and participating businesses grows, we are revising the program somewhat to allow for more orderly and efficient expansion. Since our business internship program has gone through several phases, our experience should offer useful information to other schools having internship programs or wishing to start them. "