Endicott Steps Outside its Boundaries with Expansion of Internship and Career Center in Southern Connecticut and New York
March 3, 2017
Positioning itself as a trendsetter, Endicott College of Beverly, Massachusetts has expanded its Internship and Career Center services with the hire of Lisa Carrozza, Internship and Employer Outreach Liaison for Southern Connecticut and New York. While most colleges and universities have internship coordinators who focus on specific geographical regions based on their students’ interests and demographics, it’s uncommon for the positions to be permanently based within a designated territory. Carrozza’s role places her in the Southern Connecticut and New York region full-time, with the exception of a once per month visit to Endicott to meet with the full team.
With 741 undergraduate and graduate students from New York, Connecticut and New Jersey enrolled during the 2016-2017 academic year, it was an easy decision to hire a full-time position within this geographical region to uncover internship and employment opportunities. Having Carrozza right in the mix presents a number of new and tangible opportunities for Endicott students – as well as employers.
“Internships are extremely valuable – they allow students to ‘try on’ a variety of work duties and environments which will ultimately assist in their work-life decision making; they are also a great opportunity to apply concepts learned in the classroom,” said Carrozza. “With a high percentage of current Endicott students in the New York and Connecticut region – most of whom that return home for winter and summer breaks looking to gain professional experience – there is a high demand to cultivate relationships with local companies and have plentiful options to present to students. The fact that I’m right in the ‘backyard’ of these companies, allows me to constantly nurture both new and existing relationships.”
In today’s competitive job market, graduates with quality internship experience are better placed for employment, and expanding the academic support system to help students land desirable positions puts Endicott grads at the top of their peer group. In a recent survey of the class of 2015, 98% reported that they were either employed or pursuing post-graduate education, and 53% of those employed full-time found their opportunities through internship sites or contacts.
In addition to Carrozza vetting internship sites and meeting with supervisors in person prior to students signing on, she is now able to offer a fresh opportunity for companies who typically work with the same New York and Connecticut-based colleges and universities. Employers looking to branch out beyond their network of students are able to see what Endicott has to offer by meeting with Carrozza, opening the door for future opportunities. Having Carrozza based within the territory also presents the opportunity for her to become engrained in the business community. Since the start of her role, she has been an active member of the Business Council of Fairfield County, working with several companies in providing opportunities to Endicott students, including Vineyard Vines in Stamford which recently hosted a winter intern.
"Through Lisa's extensive outreach, Endicott has been able to develop partnerships with organizations, alumni and parents in the New York and Southern Connecticut area, expanding internship and full-time opportunities for interested students and increasing the College's visibility in a key location,” said Eric Hall, Dean of the Internship and Career Center. “Lisa's unique, remote role has been met with excitement from Endicott constituents and as stated, has led to incredibly positive outcomes; it's a model for the future of employer development at the College and beyond."
Endicott is a pioneer in requiring comprehensive internship experiences in every program of study for undergraduate students. A philosophy of “learning by doing” permeates the college curriculum in which students are encouraged to integrate theory and practice in all of their studies.
Over 350 Endicott seniors completed their full-semester internships this past December. During the course of fifteen weeks, they collectively gained over 170,000 hours of experience. During the 2016 fall semester, student internship sites were located across 15 states, with a total of five countries represented. Cooperating organizations included: the Museum of Science, the Boston Police Department, Fidelity Investments, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, Country Music Association, Tommy Hilfiger, United Way, Artscope Magazine, EMC, and the Boston Celtics.
While Carrozza’s position is the first expansion for the College’s Internship and Career Center, there has already been discussion on whether similar hires will be made on the west coast and mid-west to create further employment opportunities for students.
To learn more about Endicott’s Internship and Career Center, visit http://www.endicott.edu/Internship-and-Career-Center.