07/30/2026
Here is some insight from the faculty perspective of Dr. Suzie Smith, Robert M. Vance Professor of Business Administration at Presbyterian College who is currently advising five interns, including Julia Yurkovich at Barclays Bank US, pictured here.
"One of the greatest privileges of serving as a faculty internship supervisor is watching students connect classroom learning with the realities of the workplace. Through their journals and reflections this summer, I've seen students develop technical skills in finance, analytics, manufacturing, marketing, and retail while also learning lessons that can't be replicated in a classroom."
"The most meaningful growth often comes from navigating real people and real situations. Students discover how to communicate professionally, stay composed when customers or coworkers are under pressure, adapt when plans change, and contribute to a team with different personalities and perspectives. Those experiences build confidence and judgment in ways that lectures alone cannot."
"I'm especially encouraged when students work for managers who view mistakes as opportunities to coach rather than criticize. The best supervisors help interns help them magnify their strengths. They also recognize weaknesses, provide constructive feedback, and create opportunities to practice until those weaknesses become strengths. That kind of mentorship can shape a student's confidence and career trajectory for years to come."
"I recently spoke with an intern who told me she had learned more in a single month of her internship than she had during an entire academic year. As a professor, I didn't hear that as a criticism of the classroom. I recognized it as a reminder of how essential experiential learning is. The classroom provides the foundation of knowledge, vocabulary, and analytical thinking. Internships bring that foundation to life. When the two work together, students graduate not only knowing concepts but also understanding how to apply them with professionalism, resilience, and confidence."
—Dr. Suzie Smith