Business internship presentations connect classroom learning to career readiness

CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — Nineteen Penn State Lehigh Valley business students transformed their summer workplace experiences into lessons for their future careers through internship presentations delivered to a panel of faculty and staff evaluators.

The presentations marked the culmination of academic internships required for the students’ majors. Students reflected on their responsibilities, the Penn State courses and instructors that prepared them, the skills they developed, and the advice they would give future interns.

The presentations also were part of a broader semester-long curriculum led by Mark Capofari, assistant teaching professor and program coordinator of project and supply chain management. Capofari also is the coordinator of the business program internships.

Throughout the semester, Capofari reviewed and responded to student journals, assigned LinkedIn Learning modules had student reflect on career path articles and videos, and guided students through exercises focused on their workplace experiences and professional development. Students also submitted practice presentations for feedback on their slides, timing and delivery.

“I tell students what my predecessor told me: ‘This is the most important class you have,’” Capofari said. “An internship gives students an opportunity to bring together what they have learned in their courses and apply it in a professional setting. The presentations then challenge them to reflect on that experience, explain what they gained, and identify how they can continue to improve.”

Career readiness is incorporated throughout the internship experience using competencies established by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, or NACE. The eight competencies are career and self-development, communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, professionalism, teamwork and technology.

Students complete pre- and post-internship NACE surveys as well as midterm and final evaluations grounded in the competencies. Capofari also provides employers with information about the framework so they can better understand and help evaluate the skills students are developing.

The pre- and post-internship findings show that students gain greater awareness of the competencies while adding practical skills to their professional toolboxes, Capofari said. Students were able to develop and share examples of each NACE attribute that they can, in turn, share with an employer in an interview setting.

For Jason Amari, an internship with HYDAC Technology Corp. at the company’s U.S. headquarters in Bethlehem provided experience across several areas of the business. Amari worked with the accounts receivable and accounts payable teams, communicated with customers, collected utility billing data, and completed a United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement project with the company’s director of business operations.

“What I enjoyed the most was communicating with customers and working with people from different departments because it helped me understand how different parts of the business work together,” Amari said.

Although Amari’s parents both work in production at HYDAC, earning the internship required him to move through the company’s formal hiring process. After his father shared his resume with human resources, Amari participated in a phone conversation and interview before receiving an offer.

Amari said the experience helped him apply the communication, management and teamwork skills he developed in his Penn State courses.

“Classes give us the knowledge and foundation we need, but an internship gives us the opportunity to actually apply that knowledge in a professional environment,” Amari said. “For me, the experience also helped me become more confident, independent and better prepared to begin my career after graduation.”

Working in accounting also allowed Amari, a business management and marketing student, to gain experience in another important area of business. He plans to continue his education through Penn State’s integrated undergraduate-graduate MBA program.

The MBA program at Penn State Lehigh Valley allows eligible students to earn a bachelor’s degree and a master of business administration in five years, potentially saving both time and money. The 30-credit program combines core business courses with electives in areas such as accounting, business analytics, financial services, health services, and project and supply chain management, while giving students opportunities to use challenges from their workplaces as the basis for academic projects and practical business solutions.

Student Ava Janny completed a marketing internship with Lehigh Valley Style magazine after pursuing the opportunity for nearly a year. When she did not find a formal internship application, she contacted the magazine directly and continued reaching out to members of its team until she secured an interview.

As an intern, Janny managed the magazine’s wedding-focused Instagram account, wrote weekly “Things to Do” articles, researched local weddings for possible publication, and assisted with events including the Best of the Lehigh Valley Party and Influential Women event.

“The most enjoyable part was the event planning,” Janny said. “The chaos was stressful at times, but seeing the event come together and everyone having a great time made it so rewarding.”

Janny said the experience strengthened her independence, time management, communication and self-discipline while giving her greater confidence in a professional environment.

“The courses I took at Penn State gave me the knowledge to perform well during my internship, and the internship itself gave me a newfound confidence,” Janny said. “I learned that building connections opens new doors, and what a privilege it is to be the youngest person in a room and still have a seat there.”

Kellie Provost-Brown, career strategist for Career Strategy and Advising, served as one of the presentation evaluators. She said students frequently cited communication and professionalism as particularly important to their success.

“Work-based learning opportunities are one of the best ways for students to explore careers,” Provost-Brown said. “An internship can solidify their interest in a career or help them recognize what they do not want in a future role. Either outcome gives students valuable information as they make decisions about their futures.”

Many of the students reported positive internship experiences, and several planned to remain with their employers by extending their internships or accepting full-time positions.

Students found their opportunities in a variety of ways, including personal networking, direct outreach and connections made through the annual Penn State Lehigh Valley Business, Technology and Engineering Career Fair. Career Strategy also supported students with their internship searches, résumés and interviews. The 2026 Career Fair will be held on Oct. 22.

Capofari credited faculty and staff across the campus with helping students prepare for their internships and presentations. He also has incorporated insights from colleagues across Penn State’s Commonwealth Campuses since forming a group of faculty members who teach internship courses after he was assigned the course in 2019.

“There is great support from the faculty and staff — the villagers, as I call them — who help raise a student,” Capofari said. “Their support is invaluable.”

Internships are just one part of Penn State Lehigh Valley’s broader commitment to experiential learning as a way to enhance the student experience and prioritize student success. Through work-based learning and other initiatives that connect coursework with employers, community partners and real-world challenges, students can explore career paths, build professional relationships, and apply what they learn in ways that prepare them for success before and after graduation.