Cultivating the Next Generation of Industry Leaders through Internships | Part 2

Kevin Boodoosingh September 26, 2023

At Florida Tech, the pursuit of greatness extends well beyond the confines of lecture halls and textbooks. It’s a university that understands that the bridge between classroom knowledge and real-world success is often built through hands-on experience.

Below, learn about some of Florida Tech’s dynamic students from the College of Psychology & Liberal Arts and Bisk College of Business who have all secured coveted internships that not only helped open doors to invaluable professional experience but served as stepping stones to promising careers.

Florida Tech makes it a priority to meet the needs of students and employers by offering unique degree programs, hands-on experiential learning and important resources that help students secure internships and get a head start to their dream jobs.

Lillianna Vitale is a forensic psychology senior who over summer 2023, interned at Circles of Care on its forensic multidisciplinary team—where she got hands-on experience in the mental health court and learned how the judicial system and the field of psychology interact. — Lillianna Vitale is a forensic psychology senior who over summer, interned at Circles of Care on its forensic multidisciplinary team—where she got hands-on experience in the mental health court and learned how the judicial system and the psychology field interact.

1. Meet Lillianna Vitale

Internship Host: Circles of Care
Major: Forensic Psychology

“My role was to shadow my co-workers and get hands-on experience of what it is like to work with individuals who were facing felony charges but were incompetent to stand trial due to a mental illness. I got to go visit some clients in jail, as well as screen potential new clients for the program—I also got to see what a case manager’s role is in the process. I received this internship through the Personal and Professional Development class I took in the spring. The class matched you up with an internship with help from the Career Services department. Florida Tech’s forensic psychology program helped me tremendously throughout this internship. The knowledge I had learned about competency, the legal system and mental disorders helped me further show my intelligence in this field and gain respect as an intern. After graduation, I am pursuing a job offer at Circles of Care to be a case manager, and I am also planning on furthering my education by applying for a clinical Psy.D. with a forensic concentration here, at Florida Tech,” she says.

2. Meet Josianne Keenan

Josianne Keenan is a multiplatform journalism senior who over summer 2023, was a graphic designer/social media intern for the Rochester Red Wings, a minor league baseball team. — Josianne Keenan is a multiplatform journalism senior who over summer, was a graphic designer/social media intern for the Rochester Red Wings, a minor league baseball team.

Internship Host: Rochester Red Wings
Major: Multiplatform Journalism

“My role went beyond just designing and posting content. I was able to photograph games, record and edit videos, and brainstorm ideas for what content to post. I am originally from Rochester, so I have always heard of the Red Wings but never actually went to a game. After taking a sports media course last summer with Dr. Ted Petersen, I knew what interested me the most and what direction of media I wanted to highlight. Before this internship, I was able to gain experience and practice in content creation by working with Florida Tech Athletic Communications. I was also introduced to The Crimson (student-run newspaper), which I am now the editor-in-chief of. These experiences are almost exactly what I would like to do as a career, so this was a perfect introduction to the world of sports media. The advice I would give to multiplatform journalism/communication majors seeking an internship is simple: Practice! Practice! Practice! When I first started photographing my friends and slowly getting into sports, I was not the best. Over time, I ended up learning from other photographers, getting familiar with my settings, and started to find my style with photography,” she says.

Dominique Owens is a graduate student working on a master’s in business administration and during summer 2023, was a Pathways Intern at NASA in the Chief Financial Office at Kennedy Space Center (KSC). — Dominique Owens is a graduate student working on a master’s in business administration. During the summer, she was a pathways intern at NASA in the Chief Financial Office at Kennedy Space Center (KSC).

3. Meet Dominique Owens

Internship Host: NASA
Major: Master’s in Business Administration

“I was a budget analyst in the Central Budget Office (CBO). The CBO provides overall integration of KSC’s [the Kennedy Space Center’s] budget formulation, planning and execution for KSC’s Institutional and Program Resources Management offices. As a budget analyst, I am responsible for financial reporting, presenting budget status to CFO management, developing dashboards and overseeing financial and reporting tools. Before starting my internship, I worked in the Florida Tech Career Services office. The staff there is amazing; they helped and encouraged me through the entire process of applying and interviewing for internships and jobs. I genuinely believe that without their guidance, I would not be where I am today. In addition, the Data Analytics and Visualizations class helped me stand out from the hundreds of other applicants. Florida Tech’s programs allow students to learn and grow in the STEM and business fields. My original career plan was to go into human resources but after working as a budget analyst at NASA, I am considering pursuing a career geared more toward resource management. My advice to Florida Tech students seeking internships is to take advantage of the opportunities that Career Services offers. Also, do not hesitate to apply to the same internship multiple times. I applied to the NASA Pathways Program three times before being sent an offer,” she says.

4. Meet Kendall Gavin

Kendall Gavin, a junior double majoring in business and environmental science found an internship over summer 2023 in Melbourne, thanks to Career Service’s job platform, Handshake. Kendall worked at Extant Aerospace as an Operations Intern, where she supported the operations team and logistics manager with inventory management and implementing new LEAN processes. — Kendall Gavin, a junior double-majoring in business and environmental science, found a summer internship in Melbourne, thanks to Career Service’s job platform, Handshake. Kendall worked at Extant Aerospace as an operations intern, where she supported the operations team and logistics manager with inventory management and implementing new LEAN processes.

Internship Host: Extant Aerospace
Major: Business and Environmental Science

“I think Florida Tech made me stand out as a candidate as I am a local. The Space Coast has so many opportunities for the upcoming generation. My time in college has also helped prepare me by surrounding me with peers and friends that have many great viewpoints and cultures. My advice to fellow students seeking internship opportunities is to apply for every internship you think you may qualify for. Even if the position does not exactly match your major, take the chance,” she says.