From Classroom to Career: Lander Alumni Say Internships Opened Doors to Success

Many college students find that the journey from classroom to career can be filled with uncertainty. But what if one of the most important steps toward landing that first great job happens long before graduation?

For five recent Lander University graduates, the answer was clear: internships opened doors and helped them build confidence to turn their career aspirations into professional success.

Representing a variety of academic majors and career paths, the alumni shared a common message during a recent panel discussion for Lander’s College of Business and Technology Week for the future.

Internships aren't simply an opportunity to gain experience. They can be a gamechanger. From developing professional skills and making valuable connections to discovering their strengths and standing out in a competitive job market, Lander alumni credited their internship experiences with helping them make the leap from college students to successful young professionals.

Getting a Foot in the Door

Holly Tuggle, who had two internships with WYFF News 4 in Greenville, said she realized she needed hands-on experience for a career in media. Through relationships she already had with employees at the news station and assistance from Robert Stevenson, a Lander journalism professor, Tuggle landed her first internship in May 2024 and continued working there the next summer.

“Getting experience before entering the workforce is valuable, and you can add that experience to your resume,” said Tuggle, who now is a media executive with FOX Carolina News.

An internship in marketing with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, a minor league baseball team affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, gave Ellyn Adams an opportunity “to hone in on something I was interested in” and ultimately led to a management role. The experience helped her secure an internship with the Disney College Program in which she worked in customer service positions with the theme park’s guests daily.

“If you want an internship, it’s important to know when to apply so that you can be ready for an available position,” she said. “Know the deadlines you’re facing.”

Brett Gregory, who worked at the Burton Center in Greenwood, agreed with Adams. “If you want a summer internship, start looking now.”

Gregory is pursuing a master’s degree in international business at the University of South Carolina. “Having my internship gave me good experience for my future. It opened doors for me.”

Lessons on the Job

Christian Sprouse admitted that his first internship wasn’t the best fit for his interests. But it helped him land a job with Republic Finance, where he worked for nearly two years while earning his undergraduate degree. “It was almost a full-time job, and I probably worked more than I wanted to,” he said.

However, the experience led to his current job in industrial sales at HTI in Greenville. “Take an opportunity when it comes. It may not be exactly what you want at first, but it can be a steppingstone to a job that you do want.”

Alex Langley faced her internship possibilities with a bit of trepidation. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do in the beginning,” said Langley, who accepted an accounting internship preparing taxes at Manley Garvin LLC. “But I learned that I could get degree credit hours for my internship, and that was helpful. And I knew that the internship could lead to a good job opportunity.”

Langley, a senior accountant with UHY-US, said the conversational skills she gained through her internship interviews enhanced her professional skills in working with colleagues and clients. “The internship experience also helped me improve my time management abilities and become more disciplined.”

Becoming Career Ready

Casey Cline, director of Lander’s Office of Workforce and Career Development, said, “We recognize that internships are pivotal in helping students gain real-world experience, build professional networks and develop the essential soft skills needed to become career-ready by graduation. We also recognize that financial barriers can prevent some students from accepting these valuable opportunities.”

Because some internships are unpaid, the office has a limited number of stipends available for Lander students. “These are one-time $500 stipends designed to assist students who have secured valuable internship opportunities that, for various reasons, are unpaid,” Cline said. “To date, I have been able to leverage additional revenue generated through our career fairs to fund these opportunities.” 

The overall goal of the program is to help level the playing field for students by reducing some of the financial barriers associated with accepting unpaid internships, particularly in academic disciplines and industries where paid opportunities are less common, or employers may not have the resources to offer compensation, she said.