Internships & Careers

Take charge of your potential and your path to career success.

When it comes to finding a career that’s right for you, preparation and a strong foundation are key. It's important to take full advantage of all of the resources and opportunities that are available to you in determining your career path.

LR faculty and university staff are dedicated to your success. Whether you attend classes in Hickory, Asheville or Columbia or you attend LR online, the same resources and services are available to you through the Career and Professional Development Center.

Career & Professional Development Center

The Alex Lee Career and Professional Development Center, located in Schaeffer Hall, can help you discover your true personality, explore academic majors and career options, assess your strengths and weaknesses, find internships and part-time work and prepare for life after graduation.

The center has partnerships with local companies and organizations to provide opportunities for you to work alongside professionals in the field.

As an LR student and graduate, you receive free career counseling for life. So if you are looking for employment, want to update your resume, negotiate a raise or have your eye on a promotion, the center is always available as a resource to prepare you for what is next.

View Career & Professional Development Center

Internships

Education at LR extends beyond the classroom. Through internships, you will connect what you learn in the classroom with real-life applications. You will gain valuable experience while getting an in-depth look at your field of study.

Internships Provide Real-World Experience
Internships allow you to:
- Explore career paths and specialties
- Develop professionalism
- Understand how workplaces conduct business
- Learn from seasoned professionals
- Gain feedback from coworkers and leaders
- Network with future employers
- Boost your resume and marketability
Internship Opportunities by Major
College of Business and Economics

Contact the faculty member
- Accounting, Business, Finance, International Business, Management and Marketing - jamie.conrad@lr.edu
College of Education and Human Services
- Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MA) - alyssa.reinhardt@lr.edu
- Elementary Education Coordinator - alyssa.reinhardt@lr.edu
- Instructional Studies (non-public settings) - summer.carrol@lr.edu
- Middle Grades Education Coordinator - alyssa.reinhardt@lr.edu
- School Counseling (MA) - alyssa.reinhardt@lr.edu
- Teaching (MAT) - alyssa.reinhardt@lr.edu
College of Fine Arts and Communication
- English - jennifer.heller@lr.edu
- Graphic Design - claire.pope@lr.edu
- Multimedia Communication - lisa.harris@lr.edu
- Music - christopher.nigrelli@lr.edu
- Theatre - lindsay.weitkamp@lr.edu
- Visual Art - claire.pope@lr.edu
College of Health Sciences
- Community Health (BS) - kimberly.price@lr.edu
- Dietetic Internship Program - julie.covington@lr.edu
- Nursing - kerry.thompson@lr.edu
- Occupational Therapy (MS) - patricia.tomsic@lr.edu
- Public Health (MPH) - randall.bergman@lr.edu
- Exercise Science (BS) - ingrid.smith@lr.edu
- Exercise Science (MS) - amanda.hilton@lr.edu
- Sports Management - joe.smith@lr.edu
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Criminal Justice - robert.stallings@lr.edu
- Foreign Language - eric.schramm@lr.edu
- History - veronica.mccomb@lr.edu
- Human and Community Service - charlotte.williams@lr.edu
- Political Science, Politics and Law, International Affairs - joseph.mancos@lr.edu
- Psychology - jay.dill@lr.edu
- Religious Studies (for academic credit) - mindy.makant@lr.edu
- Religious Studies (non- academic credit) - jonathan.schweibert@lr.edu
- Sociology - beth.wright@lr.edu
College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
- Biology - scott.schaefer@lr.edu
- Chemistry - andy.steele@lr.edu
- Computer Science - doug.burkholder@lr.edu
- Engineering Physics - helen.caldwell@lr.edu
- Environmental Science and Policy - john.brzorad@lr.edu
- Information Technology - doug.burkholder@lr.edu
- Mathematics - doug.burkholder@lr.edu
- Medical Studies - joshua.stone@lr.edu
- Natural Sciences - marsha.fanning@lr.edu
- Sustainability Studies (MS) - Asheville - keith.mcdade@lr.edu
Funding for Internships

Thanks to a Truist Foundation grant, Lenoir-Rhyne undergraduate students can apply for small grants to help pay for internship-related expenses.

You can apply for grants ranging from a few hundred dollars up to a few thousand dollars to help cover expenses like temporary housing, commuting costs and work-appropriate clothing. You also can apply for funding to offset lost income while you pursue an unpaid or under-paid internship.

Applications for the 2023-24 year are open August 15, and grants will be available for undergraduate students only.

Note that students who receive a grant of $600 or more in a calendar year will be issued a 1099 form for IRS tax purposes.
Application

Yer Vang, Chase Griffin and Lupita Sanchez Rojas

I interned for the Capital Area Immigration Rights Coalition. Working at CAIR changed me in many ways. It made me rethink and change my career goals and post-graduation plans.

Lupita Sanchez Rojas '20, Sociology

Students arrive in PE Monroe auditorium for the Student Life Awards

Celebrating the best of LR

The revamped 2024 Student Life Awards gave students "A Night to Remember" with recognition and celebration of the joys of being a Bear.

Rocky Boy’s Reservation located in north central Montana. Photo courtesy of USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service.

An exploration of land and church history

Susan McArver, Ph.D., took a deep dive into the role of the church behind the history of colonization and domination over Indigenous peoples in the Americas during her fall Explore Course, “The Land and its Inhabitants.”