Alumni host registration for Externships 2022 is open!
Externships 2022 Timeline
- August 2 - October 22, 2021: Host Registration open
- October 25, 2021 - January 3, 2022: Student Registration open
- January 12, 2022: Matches announced via email by 5pm Central
- January 31 - February 4, 2022: Virtual Externships take place
- February 1, 2022: In-person Externships in the Chicagoland area take place
Host Expectations
- Complete your host profile by October 22, 2021 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 12, 2022 to coordinate details for the Externship. If you are hosting an in-person Externship, you may need to advise students on transportation options to get from campus to your office. If you are hosting a virtual Externship, you and your extern(s) will need to coordinate the best day/time during the week of January 31 - February 4 for you to connect. We appreciate your willingness to communicate well with students to maximize their time with you!
- Plan a successful day: You may want to talk with your student about what they are hoping to learn from this experience. It may change depending on their age, their experience, and how solid their plans are for the future. Some ideas include collaborating with colleagues in other departments, or even fellow alumni in your industry! Perhaps they could watch you give a presentation or observe an important meeting.
- Coach your extern: Our students 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. Some time to share your advice about career exploration and planning throughout your time together will also help set them up 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.
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.