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It鈥檚 the summer before graduating from college. How do you make the most of it before embarking on a job search or further studies?

鈥淚nternships are an amazing way to network and develop skills for your field,鈥� says Joseph Christian 鈥�15. As an information technology major at Nazareth, Christian was required to complete two internships before graduating. With one already done, 鈥淚 knew I wanted to intern somewhere big.鈥�

He spent nearly a year searching, applying, and interviewing for various positions before accepting one in late May. It was for an information security internship offered by Zappos, the nationally recognized online shoe and apparel shop based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

In addition to developing his cyber security skills as a penetration tester (or ethical hacker) for the company, Christian participated in daily projects, vendor meetings, and team lunches at corporate headquarters. Zapponians (the informal term for the company鈥檚 employees) also experienced team-building activities such as hiking, community service projects, and boat trips.

鈥淟as Vegas and Zappos are definitely 鈥榳ork hard, play hard鈥� experiences. Working hard allowed me to attend Black Hat USA 2015 and DEF CON 23, massive computer security conferences with thousands of attendees,鈥� explains Christian. 鈥淚 networked with industry professionals and learned cutting-edge security concepts.鈥�

Zappos鈥檚 management style is a Holacracy, in which authority and decision-making are distributed throughout self-organizing teams. 鈥淎s someone who eventually wants to build his own security company, it was valuable to see an alternative corporate structure.鈥�

And as for playing hard? 鈥淚t鈥檚 just what you鈥檇 expect in the Las Vegas atmosphere,鈥� shares Christian.

Because experiential learning is a hallmark of a Nazareth education, internships are open to all majors. Communication and media major Yomayra Guerrero 鈥�16 wasn鈥檛 required to complete one. However, that didn鈥檛 stop her from accepting a human resources internship in her hometown of New York City with Steve Madden, one of the nation鈥檚 leading companies for fashion footwear and accessories.

鈥淚鈥檝e always had a thirst for knowledge and adventure,鈥� explains Guerrero. 鈥淚nternships give you experiences you can鈥檛 otherwise gain in a classroom by letting you explore areas beyond your immediate academic interests.鈥�

In the dynamic and fast-paced fashion industry, 鈥渢here is never a dull moment.鈥� A typical day for Guerrero at Steve Madden included attending project meetings, managing communications, developing presentations, conducting workshops and orientations, and researching the latest policies and ordinances.

鈥淭he experience taught me a lot about myself, especially in terms of future career choices,鈥� she reflects. 鈥淚 love doing research, but I鈥檇 much rather be hands-on and active while building relationships and working with people.鈥�

Guerrero鈥檚 advice? 鈥淭ake initiative. Experience and exposure are your best teachers. In that way, Steve Madden and Nazareth have both prepared me for the world beyond campus, both as a young professional and a scholar.鈥�

Plus, it never hurts to get your foot in the (footwear) industry door before graduation.

Sofia Tokar is a freelance writer in Rochester, New York.

Editor's Note: Joseph Christian recently accepted a full-time position at Paychex.