At the Professional Science Master’s (PSM) program, we emphasize providing students with real-world, hands-on learning experiences. One of the cornerstones of this experiential learning is our Externship Exchange Program, which offers students the opportunity to apply their academic knowledge in practical settings. On December 10th and 17th, 2024, the Fall 2024 Externship Lightning Talks were hosted by Dr. Karen Bemis, Assistant Director of the Master of Business and Science (MBS) Externship Exchange Program, and Abbe Lynn Rosenthal, MA, PCC, DYL Certified Coach & Facilitator, alongside our dedicated team of Advisors. We also welcomed back the program director, Dr. Christie Nelson, Ph.D., as students presented their semester-long projects.
Externships go beyond classroom learning by fostering team-based collaboration. Students partner with companies, nonprofits, and government agencies, engaging in real-world problem-solving while participating in weekly professional development workshops. Over a 12-week semester, externs work under the mentorship of MBS advisors and external corporate mentors to develop and execute their projects. Teams are led by designated team leaders who steer the group toward success. Past projects have tackled issues ranging from data scarcity, college credit transfer challenges, human trafficking, and more.
Externships often serve as a stepping-stone to future career opportunities. Students can use externship projects as an opportunity to refine their skills, explore new industries, and learn more about their field. By receiving feedback from professionals in real time, students can build a network of peers and mentors that will help them develop their careers. The Externship Exchange Program has grown significantly since its launch in 2016. Originally consisting of just 13 students, the program has expanded to include:
- 178 partner organizations
- 2400 total students
- 360,000 student training hours
Our externs come from a diverse range of disciplines within the PSM program, Undergraduate School of Engineering, Engineering Honors Academy, Undergraduate Honors College, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, and the New Jersey Big Data Alliance.
Students end the semester by delivering a handoff presentation to their mentors. We also host a round of lightning talks: 3-minute, elevator-pitch-style presentations. This year, lightning talks were held on December 12th and 19th. Over these two sessions of presentations, each team discussed the company’s background, problem statement, concept map, timeline, results, insights, and takeaways.
This semester, students partnered with organizations such as Colgate-Palmolive, Vantage, Wall Street Bootcamp, NJBDA, Ingredion, Fidelis Animal Health, DIMACS, BeautyEdge, and more.
At the end of the presentations, the audience voted for the teams with the best slides and overall presentation. The evening concluded with the announcement of outstanding externs and team leads and the awarding of MBS fellowships to exceptional students.
Congratulations to all our externs for their incredible achievements! Your hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed. We hope you have a well-deserved break after your successful semester.
To learn more about externships, visit the MBS Externship Exchange program webpage or attend one of our informational webinars.