Winter term is a 15-day semester known for both study abroad and unique on-campus classes, but it can also be a time for career exploration and experiential learning. Three Elon students are taking advantage of the month and have enrolled in internships courses to gain career insight.

Karrie Lambeth is a junior human services major and an aspiring guidance counselor. She is interning at Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, N.C., where she works an average of nine hours a day with the school’s current counselor.

Lambeth’s decision to intern over winter term has had positive results she said. "All of your time is devoted to the one job," she said. "It’s the only thing you have to do and focus on." The internship is a requirement of her major, and winter term offers the appropriate time for the focused experience. She must keep a daily journal, write article critiques and complete a final paper for credit.

There is never a dull moment at the high school Lambeth says.

"Guidance counselors do it all at school," Lambeth said. "They work with the children and also with the faculty."

The job has forced her to make quick realizations about time management. "It really caught me off guard that they are always busy," she said. "It’s busy non-stop."

Lambeth has been able to put uncertainties behind her, including being apprehensive about the age difference between herself and students she counsels. "The students are really respectful," she said. "I have not felt like an intern yet."

While Lambeth spent her days at the high school, another Elon student wanted a look at the inside track of animal medicine.

Nicole Bianco is a junior biology major with a desire to become a veterinarian. She is an intern at Countryside Veterinary Clinic in Baltimore, Md. Bianco spends her time shadowing a resident veterinarian several days a week, including both nights and weekends.

After a few weeks under her belt, Bianco has gained experience in real-life veterinarian responsibility. "I get to watch surgeries, draw vaccines, administer anesthesia and perform x-rays," she said. "I also watch to see how she interacts with clients and diagnoses the animals."

Bianco said she has seen the ups and downs of being a veterinarian. Putting sick animals to sleep by euthanasia is one such job. "Holding the animal is really scary and sad when you are watching its eyes close," she said.

A young entrepreneur gets the chance to explore creative production during winter term.

Philip Berthelot, a senior business major, is a winter term intern working with an already existing Elon University project. Berthelot is working with Dr. Richard Strempek and Elon ImproVibes, a class which has created its own recording label as an entrepreneurial project.

"I was given the opportunity to continue through winter term solely on my own," said Berthelot. It is his responsibility to create a full product catalog for the company, including descriptions of the albums, compact disc information and a complete order form.