Student Gains Courtside Experience Through Internship Program

A little support can go a long way. Just ask Michael Stein, an English major and Jewish studies and medical humanities double minor at the College of Charleston, who is one of 12 students to receive a Career Center Internship Award. The yearlong program not only makes internships more accessible by alleviating financial stress, it also provides career readiness support.

As part of CCIA, students spend the fall semester completing modules, learning career readiness skills and attending individual and cohort meetings, all with the goal of preparing them for the workforce. In the spring, students participate in mock interviews and tailor their résumés and other application materials for internships.

For Stein, who landed an internship with the Office of the Virginia Attorney General in Richmond, Virginia, being part of the CCIA program made him feel like he was truly part of the College of Charleston community.

“Receiving the Career Center Internship Award means that I have the backing of my community,” says the Honors College student. “It means that I’ve done the right things — at least sometimes — and that there are people who believe in me.”

As a summer intern, Stein works in the office’s victim programs department, primarily with criminal appeals and habeas corpus proceedings. In his role, he helps victims understand the legal process, keeps them apprised of any appeals or proceedings and stands with them in court so they know they are not alone.

“My studies and experiences at CofC have greatly prepared me for the work I’m doing with the Office of the Attorney General,” says Stein, who thanks the Career Center, the Department of English and the Honors College for their support. “Primarily, our job is to explain legal jargon and write. My English major has taught me to take complex texts and simplify them as well as write until my hands fall off.

“My time as a legal intern for the College’s Office of Athletics Compliance has helped me get used to legal writing, and being president of the Student Alumni Associates has helped me to be a respectful communicator and a level-headed leader,” adds the recipient of the Norman and Gerry Sue Arnold Scholarship and August G. Swarat II Leadership Award. “Outside of the College itself, my time with the Palliative Care Program at the Medical University of South Carolina as a compassionate companion volunteer has taught me how to be patient, empathetic and calm in the wake of traumatic experiences.”

Stein’s current internship fits perfectly with his career goal, which is to work in elder care law, specifically with end-of-life decision making.

“This internship experience has already helped me greatly — learning how to research and communicate legal documents and getting to see how the Virginia court system works are highly valuable skills,” says Stein. “I have been able to spend some time working on elder abuse cases, which is probably a large part of what I will be doing in my career.”

For Jim Allison, executive director of the Career Center, Stein’s experience demonstrates the value of CCIA. “Michael embraced all aspects of the program and did all the groundwork to find an internship that would provide him with the experience needed for the career path he plans to take. I’m happy to know that his experience has validated what he plans to do.”

To learn more about the Career Center Internship Award program email Kristin Wichmann, associate director for experiential learning, at wichmannkm@cofc.edu. The deadline to apply for the 2023-24 Career Center Internship Award program is Aug. 1, 2023.