EXTERNSHIP/LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS

Externship/Leadership programs typically are typically one to several days in length and are hosted on-site by a company. The experiences often include an introduction to the organization and overview of available career paths, professional skill-building opportunities, and networking with professionals from the host organization. Some employers use their programs to identify students to whom they wish to extend internship offers for the following summer. All externship/leadership programs are non-credit bearing.

“Externship and leadership programs are great opportunities to network, be introduced to various industries, and gain an understanding of a company’s culture and mission. I participated in several one-day events and multi-day programs that provided me with valuable insight into careers in investment banking and consulting. I’m grateful for these experiences that ultimately led me to an investment banking summer analyst position with BMO Capital Markets.”
Tessa Piontkowski
Tessa Piontkowski

Who is eligible?

Typically externship/leadership programs are targeted at first-years and sophomores, however, some are open to all students.

What is included?

The agenda for externship/leadership programs varies by company; typical components include an employer overview, a tour of the office, team-building activities, professional development workshops, case studies and/or an opportunity to interact and network with professionals.

When are they held?

Many programs are held throughout the summer. A few may take place during the academic year.

Where are they held?

Programs may take place at the employer's office location or virtually.

What are the benefits?

Employers seeking top talent target students at the beginning of their college careers, as a means of developing a “pipeline” of candidates. By participating in externship/leadership programs as first-years or sophomores, students have an early advantage in observing an employer site, making employer connections, and potentially receiving an internship offer for the following summer.  These programs also allow students to reflect on potential opportunities and rule out employers and industries in which they may not want to work.      

How can I apply?

Some employers will post their program to Handshake. Students may find externship/leadership programs in the “Jobs/Internships” section of Handshake by filtering on the “Job Type” of “Experiential Learning”. Other employers will have candidates apply directly through their company website.

  

Kyle Patel
“My finance externship was a great way for me to experience what the company culture is like at Johnson and Johnson from people at a variety of levels within the organization. It was an amazing opportunity for me to ask questions about the company and what roles are available for the students. The externship is a great way for students to show interest in the company, which is what allowed me to land a role for the CoOp Program at Johnson and Johnson.”
Kyle Patel '22 VSB
Finance Externship

FEATURED COMPANIES WITH EXTERNSHIPS

Alphasights

American Enterprise 

Armanino      

Baker Tilly

Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Barclays

BDO

Blackstone

Blackrock

Bloomberg

BMO

BP

 

Citi

Comcast

Credit Suisse

Crowe

Deloitte

Deutsche Bank

EACE

EY            

Financial Women's Association

Forte College 

FTI Consulting

Google

 

 

Goldman Sachs

Grant Thornton

GSK

Girls Who Invest 

Hamilton Lane

Johnson & Johnson

JP Morgan

Kenvue

KPMG

Lazard

Liberty Mutual Insurance

Macquarie

 

Marketing EDGE

Morgan Stanley

McKinsey & Company

P&G

Point 72

PwC

Stifel

TD Bank

UBS

Vanguard

Wall Street Exchange

Wells Fargo

The Clay Center at VSB/ O’Donnell Center for Professional Development
Bartley 1054
The Clay Center Team/O’Donnell Center Team

Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

VSB Deloitte Student Group Fund

The VSB Deloitte Student Group Fund is available for all VSB Business Societies and is to be used for Professional Development experiences!


Villanova Career Center

The O'Donnell Center partners with the Villanova Career Center, which offers comprehensive career development and job search resources to students and alumni of the university.

  

handshake logo

Handshake is Villanova’s go-to resource for jobs, internships, events and more! 

Through Handshake, you can apply for positions, explore companies and connections, and sign up for career fairs and workshops all in one place. Find out the full details on Handshake for employers and students