Earlier this month, Hampden-Sydney College announced it had climbed to No. 14—up five spots—in The Princeton Review’s rankings for Best Schools for Internships. Unsurprisingly, H-SC remains a Best Value School with high marks in a student's return on investment and ranks among the top-10 colleges for career preparation according to The Wall Street Journal.
Now, the Ferguson Career Center at Hampden-Sydney announces the launch of its newest competitive advantage for students: the Micro-Internship Program. It will provide students with unique opportunities to gain valuable professional experience outside the traditional internship cycle.
Micro-internships are short-term, paid, professional assignments typically requiring only 5-40 hours of total work across 2-4 weeks and can be completed remotely. They do not replace existing internship opportunities, but the short-term nature and low commitment of micro-internships makes it easier for students to get their foot in the door with employers, while allowing them to authentically engage and explore whether an organization is a good fit. Students also learn and hone in-demand skills, build their resumés, and make meaningful connections with organizations across the country.
Dr. Vince Decker, associate director of career education and advising, knew that the project-management nature of the micro-internship concept would align well with Compass, Hampden-Sydney’s new academic initiative focusing on experiential learning. So Joynes and Decker coordinated a partnership with Parker Dewey, a leading micro-internship brokerage firm named for two pioneers in the experiential learning movement. Students simply create a profile on the