I needed to see what I saw. The best internships, she says, don't always lead to jobs. They lead students to a better understanding of how a given field fits into the larger society. When they ask the bigger questions, they may rethink whether this is the right field for them. Through their critique they may come to a commitment about what that field means to them and how they are going to help shape it rather than being absorbed by it.
Every intern has a supervisor who serves as boss, colleague, and mentor.
In the best cases, students feel free to ask this person endless questions about their own experience in the field. Carter took every opportunity to grill his supervisor about criminal law, viewing him as one of the few sane voices among the criminal attorneys in the office. He wanted to do something with purpose. It was helpful to get his perspective. Zoology major Rebecca Price, interning at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, worked closely with her supervisor.