Finding a position in today鈥檚 job market is more challenging than ever.
True entry-level positions seem scarce, and applicants face fierce competition against a flood of r茅sum茅s鈥攚hich might not even be read by a real person, as the first line of screening is increasingly conducted by artificial intelligence (AI). Internships have become the key for students to improve their chances in the workforce鈥攃ompleting one or more before college graduation can offer candidates a real edge.
Key Takeaways
- Adelphi’s Willumstad School of Business placed 120 students in internships in the 2025-2026 academic year.
- About 85% of internship positions are paid鈥攔anging from minimum wage up to $30/hour for accounting students.
- Willumstad students have interned at major employers including KPMG, PwC, Morgan Stanley, NBC, and Universal.
- Beyond technical skills, internships build critical thinking and interpersonal skills鈥攁nd teach students how to use AI responsibly in professional settings.
Why Internships Matter More Than Ever
鈥淕aining that hands-on experience separates a student from everyone else, and really sets them up for success,鈥� said John Marimuthu, internship director for the Robert B. Willumstad School of Business. 鈥淵ou become more marketable when you have the ability to showcase what you鈥檝e done somewhere else.鈥� In his position, Marimuthu serves as a matchmaker between employers and students, curating a database of companies with a positive track record of employing Adelphi students, and coaching students through every step of the application process.
By the Numbers: Internship Outcomes at Willumstad
Marimuthu helped to place 120 students in internships in just the most recent academic year. Accounting students have worked for the likes of KPMG and PwC; finance students have interned at Morgan Stanley; and communications students have worked at NBC and Universal鈥攖o name just a few of the dozens of companies employing Willumstad undergrads. In a unique partnership, some students have even gone to Croatia to work with marketing firm Atlantic Grupa, conducting market research for major hotel and restaurant brands across Europe. Closer to home, interns have worked with Long Island hair salon chain Willows Cove, helping design and execute a social media strategy.
Some 85 percent of the positions are paid, Marimuthu says, many for minimum wage, but some for significantly higher鈥攕tarting at $17/hour for management students and up to $30/hour for accounting students. In their positions, students are often getting their hands dirty, working on projects directly related to company priorities. 鈥淲orking on projects in the classroom is totally different than applying those skills in the real world,鈥� says Raghida Abdallah Yassine, PhD, assistant professor of management at Willumstad. 鈥淲e give them basics, but it鈥檚 not customized specifically to a company鈥檚 needs.鈥� In addition to practical techniques, they are also learning critical thinking and how to interact personally with colleagues, Dr. Yassine said. 鈥淲hen you do an internship, it鈥檚 not just technical skills, but also softer skills that get enhanced.鈥�
Importantly, she said, they also learn how to use鈥攁nd not use鈥擜I in the workplace. 鈥淲e keep telling them, don鈥檛 over-rely on AI, you still have to use your thinking skills,鈥� said Dr. Yassine. 鈥淚n an internship, you realize the effect of that, when you are in a meeting and you can鈥檛 say, 鈥榃ait a minute, let me see what AI can tell me.鈥� You have to interact and come up with a solution in real time.鈥�
Real Student Success Stories
Those interpersonal dynamics have been the biggest takeaway for senior finance major Matias Hoyos, who interned at an infrastructure company in Colombia after his first year and at Quantum Strategy Partners, a small private credit firm on Wall Street, for the last two summers. 鈥淲orking directly with clients has taught me how to communicate clearly, ask the right questions and adjust my approach depending on a person or situation,鈥� said Hoyos, who has already secured an internship this fall with Flynn Zito Capital Management.
Recent graduate Kyle Stephenson 鈥�26 worked last spring as a marketing intern for The Garden City Hotel in Garden City, New York, helping create and schedule social media content for hotel and on-site restaurants. 鈥淭he value of an internship cannot be overstated,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t provides real-world experience that prepares students for the workplace in the way the classroom cannot.鈥� He should know鈥攁fter graduation, the hotel offered him a full-time job.
Expert Tips for Landing an Internship
For students interested in internships during their time at Adelphi, Marimuthu offers the following advice:
Start Early
The time to prepare your r茅sum茅 and cover letter is well in advance of applying for your first internship. Marimuthu鈥檚 office introduces students to the Willumstad Winning Edge program as early as their first year to create a standardized r茅sum茅 and cover letter that can be adapted to different positions.
Take Assistance From AI
Marimuthu encourages students to run their r茅sum茅 and cover letter through ChatGPT or Gemini to help polish them. He also helps them tailor their approaches to positions based on what AI applicant screening software is looking for. 鈥淚f the job description has the word 鈥榩rofessionalism鈥� three times, then the r茅sum茅 needs to say that as well,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hrough little tips and tricks like this, we鈥檝e been able to show students how to leverage AI to their advantage.鈥�
Interview Prep Is Key
Oftentimes, said Marimuthu, it鈥檚 the intangible qualities that come out in an interview that tip the balance in an applicant鈥檚 favor. The internship office offers students mock interviews to practice how to present themselves both professionally and personably. 鈥淪o many times I鈥檝e heard from hiring managers that the reason they went with someone is because of their personality,鈥� Marimuthu said. 鈥淭hey want to know that the student is going to fit in.鈥�
In addition to that practical advice, Marimuthu and his colleagues鈥攁longside Adelphi鈥檚 Center for Career and Professional Development鈥攐ffer students career guidance and coaching, helping them discover the kind of jobs they can get with their degree. 鈥淭hose are some of the best conversations we have, because it goes beyond just 鈥業 need to get my r茅sum茅 done,鈥� to looking at 鈥楾his is what I鈥檓 interested in, share with me what I鈥檓 not seeing yet.鈥欌��
Through this variety of approaches, the internship office has developed a solid track record of placing students with companies during their time at Adelphi, which in turn has helped them after graduation get one step closer to their dream job.