THE POWER OF INTERNSHIP PARTNERS Regional firms and corporations are vital to the strength and success of internship programs within the College of Business. We asked three of our partners to share what makes COB interns so important to them. Taylor Corporation As one of the area’s largest employers, Taylor Corporation has a strong draw for College of Business interns. The company, founded by alumnus Glen Taylor ’62, has supported Minnesota State Mankato’s Stangler Internship Initiative and frequently partners with the College of Business on initiatives designed to create more internship and job opportunities for students and new graduates in finance, accounting, sales, IT and operations. Brent Christopherson is director of talent acquisition at Taylor and knows the importance of seeking out and developing new talent—starting at the intern level. “Interns are very important to an employer’s overall workforce strategy,” he says. “Giving students an opportunity to learn more about your organization while providing work experience and on-the-job skill development leads to an increase in early career hiring. Internships are also a great way to increase your employer’s brand.”
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During the hiring process, Christopherson looks for intern candidates who are critical thinkers and effective communicators and who pay attention to details and have a “high level of curiosity.” These are the very skills he often sees when interviewing candidates from the College of Business. “They always come prepared,” he says. “They research the opportunity in advance of the interview, and they ask great questions. The interns we have hired all listen well, have a great work ethic, they are incredibly positive and genuinely show an interest in the work they are doing.”
Interns are very important to an employer’s overall workforce strategy.
