Hartnell Students Explore Their Summer Internship Options
Today@NPS
Hartnell Students Explore Their Summer Internship Options
By MC3 Michael Ehrlich
Ensign Chris Halcon, center, advises students during the Hartnell Community College Summer Internship "speed dating" event at the Cebrowski Institute, March 12. Halcon, a Hartnell graduate himself, participated in NPS' STEM internship program before commissioning in the Navy to pursue a career in naval aviation.
"My internship was definitely a stepping stone towards my commissioning," said Halcon. "When I was an intern here with the Space Systems Academic Group, I was able to work with a lot of pilots and bounce ideas off them. The answers I received molded me towards getting my commission."
STEM Internship Coordinator Alison Kerr has worked with Hartnell for several years.
"We have had more than 120 Hartnell interns come through NPS and 95 percent of those students have completed their bachelor's degree, or are on track to complete them, in a STEM field," said Kerr. "[In comparison], the percentage is closer to 22% for community college graduates actually completing their four-year degrees."
Casi Martin is a former NPS intern, now she's a student in the Scholarship for Service computer science program working toward her master's degree. She noted the value of the real world experience interns obtain at NPS, especially for Navy and DOD.
"[These Interns] could be assets to the Navy due to the increasing demand for properly trained people in the cyber field," she said.