University at Buffalo School of Management

Autumn 2020 Buffalo Business 9 internships shorter and virtual and delaying their start date. "When the outbreak hit, they adjusted accord- ingly and communicated openly with students," Appelbaum says. "They even committed to paying students for the entire length of their original internship." Appelbaum says several organizations and indus- tries were at an advantage because of the foundation they had in place. "Banks, in particular, were well- positioned to launch digital internships because they have been using virtual processes in their recruit- ment for some time now," she says. "This was a natural next step." Citi, a top employer of School of Management graduates, held a virtual town hall with students in May to assure them that they are still actively recruiting. Representatives at Citi, including School of Management alumni, shared stories of the bank's success in the COVID-19 remote work environment and the creative solutions they've imple- mented, encouraging students to look for opportunity in the disruption. Internship about-face "We were able to convert 90% of our internships to virtual," says Carrie Gardner, director of intern- ships and experiential learning for the School of Management. "Initially there was so much uncer- tainty, but it really came down to reaching out early, listening to what our internship employers needed and offering solutions that filled those needs while keeping the safety of our students as our paramount concern." Gardner says employers were open to new ideas and happy to find ways to move forward, thanks to the strong collaborative relationships already in place. "We put together some really useful tools and sent out a list of best practices for virtual internships," Gardner says. "And we incorporated more flexibility into our side of the process as well." One example of that flexibility was the implementation of micro- internships: While typical intern- ships extend over an entire semester or summer session, micro-intern- ships are shorter in duration, can be conducted remotely and focus on a single project, oen in response to emerging needs within an organization. "In some cases, a full-blown 10-week internship would have been too much for an employer to take on, so having the option to offer a micro-internship was an ideal compromise," Gardner says. "It was helpful to be able to offer both options." Culture is key The internship team also asked companies for ideas on best practices, and one company summed it up well. "You need to be nimble to survive in a time like this," says Alexander Lisowski, head of team and client relations for CoachMePlus, an online strength and conditioning platform, and recruiter of School of Management interns. "Before anything goes wrong, you need to establish a culture and look for individuals who share the same enthusiasm, commitment and love of what they do. Those people will find a way to make things work, regardless of the situation." An evolving model Although the coronavirus caused unprecedented challenges, there is a silver lining: Even aer the crisis is resolved, many of the changes the school and its corporate partners have made are here to stay. Virtual internships can open up experiential learning oppor- tunities around the world. Companies that can't make it to Buffalo for in-person interviews are now confi- dent with Zoom and other technologies. And students have demonstrated that by tapping in to School of Management resources and adding a healthy dose of grit and determination, they can thrive in even the most adverse situations. If your organization has an internship or job lead for our students or graduates, contact Amy Johnson, employer relations manager, at aj53@buffalo.edu, or Carrie Gardner, director of internships and experiential learning, at cg53@buffalo.edu. Appelbaum Gardner Nardozza " We were able to convert 90% of our internships to virtual. " – Carrie Gardner Director of Internships and Experiential Learning School of Management

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