About this episode

Dr. Andy Osheroff discusses the importance of early career development and accessible internships for college students.

Dr. Osheroff says that career development should begin as soon as students arrive at college, not in their final year, because early engagement helps them build confidence, find opportunities, and avoid missing out on internships or other high-impact experiences. He explains that his office at the University of Southern Maine uses peer career guides to create a low-pressure first step for students who may be hesitant to meet with a professional advisor. Dr. Osheroff notes that the peer career guide model works because students connect more easily with near peers who are still figuring things out, and because empathy is essential to effective peer advising. He says the program includes training, ongoing development, and employer-led sessions so students can learn what the job market values and share that insight with others. He emphasizes that internships should be more accessible, not just highly competitive summer opportunities, and says his team runs the program three times a year to create more entry points. He describes a process in which his team handles student recruitment, screening, interview coaching, and employer matching, making the internship process easier for both…

People in this episode

Host: T.J. Vari

Guest: Dr. Andy Osheroff

Topics covered

• career development
• internships
• college readiness
• peer advising
• student engagement

Keywords

• career advising
• internships
• college students
• peer career guides
• student retention

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: University of Southern Maine

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