Employer F.A.Q.

Are the interns part-time or full-time?
Our interns are part-time and work an average of 25-30 hours per week. Some students are able to work 40 hours per week.

How long is the internship program?
Typically, our students work 11 months of their 1-year program. Depending on the company’s need, some interns may work more than 11 months. We ask that employers keep their interns for 11 months so both the employee and the employer are able to benefit from the program.

Am I required to take an intern?
No, you are not required to take an intern if you do not find a good fit from the resumes or interviews.

Can I review multiple batches of resumes before selecting an intern?
Yes, you can review as many resumes as necessary to find the right fit. Just let the internship coordinator know and more resumes will be provided to you.

Am I expected to offer full-time employment at the end of the internship?
No, our goal is one of two items 1) a stellar letter of recommendation or 2) an offer of employment. Both of these are based on the performance of the intern and the capability of the company.

How does the review process work?
Employers share a job description or short details of the position with the Internship Coordinator, who then reviews and pulls the resumes of the best-fit students. Once you review the resumes, please let the Internship Coordinator know who you would like to interview.  The Internship Coordinator will reach out to those candidates, either letting them know a representative of the company will be reaching out to set up the interviews or to help arrange the interviews. Once interviews are conducted, please inform the Internship Coordinator if an offer will be extended or if additional resumes are needed. The offer will come directly from you. They will be your employees and are expected to follow the company policies and procedures.

Who decides the intern’s schedule?
The schedule is decided between the intern and the supervisor. Our students work during regular business hours. They do have class three days a week, starting at 6 pm.

What is the pay rate? Who pays the intern?
On average the pay is $25,000 for the 11 months which works out to be about $17 an hour. Some companies are able to pay more and some pay less.  The intern is paid directly by the employer.

The intern is not working out—do I have to keep them? What are the next steps?
If the student is not meeting your expectations (e.g. working on homework without permission after completing a project, not completing assigned projects) you are not obligated to keep them. We ask that you first speak with the intern and allow them to make improvements. If, after you talk with them and the behavior is still the same, please reach out to us. We will work with you on the next steps if the termination of the intern is necessary.

I’m not sure I can sponsor an international student. What is CPT/OPT?
Because our MSBA program is STEM-designated, our international students are able to work up to 11.5 months under CPT (Curricular Practical Training) during the program and 3 years of OPT (Optional Practical Training) after the program without a sponsorship. You can train and engage these students for 4 years without sponsoring them.

What expectations are required of me?
We ask that you provide the intern with meaningful, challenging work that benefits your organization’s goals and the career interests of the student. We also ask that you complete 2 electronic evaluations of student performance, mid-way through and at the end of the internship, based on MBA/MSBA program requirements and employer expectations during the internship period. These interns receive course credit for the internship and your feedback can affect their grades.

When is the pool of candidates available?
We are rolling admissions so we accept students year-round. We normally have a good pool of candidates and can begin the resume-sharing process by April. The majority of interviews take place from May-August.  As the internship process is competitive among students, it is also beginning to become competitive between companies. The earlier/quicker the selection process occurs, the better opportunity you have for gaining your top candidate.

Are these students’ resumes shared with multiple companies at one time?
Because there has been more interest from our internship-seeking students, we do share their resumes with multiple companies at a time, if they are a good fit.

Are all the students’ resumes shared with every company?
No, we only share the resumes of those students who may be a good fit for your organization with you. All of the students’ resumes are not shared with every company.

I would like to support an intern but I am not local to Louisville.
That’s ok, we have sent our interns 40-60 miles outside of the Louisville area. We also offer distance internships for our MSBA students. These students work remotely and are fully technology-supported by the University, including Zoom and GoToMeeting.