Externship Day is January 30, 2024. Registration for Alumni is now open!
Externships 2024 Timeline
- October 16, 2023: Host Registration open
- November 14, 2023 to January 11, 2024: Student Registration open
- December 16, 2023: Host Registration closes
- January 12, 2024: Matches announced via email by 5pm Central
- January 30, 2024: Externships Hosted on-site
Host Expectations
- Complete your host profile by December 16, 2023 (11:59pm) so students know that they can request an Externship with you. (Please note that the email you use to register will be the email we send updates and information to, as well as the email students will use to reach out to you!)
- Schedule your time together: Student will reach out to you by January 16, 2024 to coordinate details for the Externship. As these are in-person Externships, we would ask you to provide clear expectations on when and where to meet with you, as well as your support in advising students on ideal transportation options to get from campus to your office. Other things to communicate in advance of the externship: office dress code, lunch plans (we ask that you provide lunch for students to make this event accessible to all students), office norms the student(s) should be aware of, etc.
- Plan a successful day: A successful externship day includes a minimum of 4 hours of on-site engagement with you and the team, and ideally will include a full workday. We encourage you to talk with your student about why they have chosen to participate in Externship Day, and what they are hoping to learn from their time with you. The experience may need to vary depending on the student's age, experience, and vocational clarity. Consider how you could provide a meaningful experience, including some of the following: connect the student to your peers, allow the students to shadow your work day, provide tours and/or demos, allow them to sit in on a presentation/meeting, and more.
- Coach your Extern: Our students are in an exploratory phase during this event. They are still learning and will greatly benefit from your experience and insight. We encourage you to be upfront with your extern(s) about expectations you have for them leading up to the Externship (dress code, schedule for the day, etc.) to help them make the most of this experience. We would encourage you to set aside time to share your advice about career exploration and planning throughout your time together, as well!
- Share your career story: Students are eager to learn about how you landed where you are today, and will come prepared with questions for you. Some questions will be industry specific, while some will be personal in nature. We also ask you to take a photo and share it to LinkedIn, tagged with #WheatonExternship.
Externship Day is specifically designed for student career exploration. Should you be interested in recruiting students and alumni for jobs and internships, please contact our Employer Connections team.
Planning Tips
- Assume your extern has researched your company, and also that they still have a lot to learn. The level of knowledge will vary widely depending on age, experience, and clarity of vision around career.
- Introducing your students to colleagues in different roles will help them see the wide range of jobs within one company or organization, a reality that is often new to our students.
- Including your extern(s) in conference calls, meetings, or even presentations will give them a window into what a typical day includes and showcase some of the skills they may need as they enter the workforce.
- We're hoping our students will learn the importance of informational interviewing and how to do it well. We appreciate you allotting some time for them to ask you about your role and your career path since graduating from Wheaton.
You know your industry best. You know what will benefit our students the most. We are grateful for your willingness to help them learn, your creativity in thinking about how to spend the day, and all the ways we know they will benefit from time with you!
For more information, please refer to the FAQs.