Paid internships offer transformative opportunities for UTSA students

"Paid internships are more than just work experience; they serve as a vital resource for many students, offering both career development and essential financial support," Shipley said. "This dual benefit empowers them to excel academically and make meaningful contributions to their families, their communities and the economy."

According to UTSA's Employer Engagement team, 100% of the university's corporate partners offer paid internships. Mario Vela, assistant vice provost of career engaged learning, says that corporate partners who want to recruit UTSA students are strongly encouraged to offer paid internships.

"These efforts are designed to eliminate financial barriers, allowing all students the opportunity to gain meaningful work experience and accelerate their career trajectories," Vela said. "I've seen firsthand how these opportunities transform students' lives, giving them the tools, networks and confidence to transition from education to meaningful, well-paying careers."

Morales benefited from the resources provided by the University's Career Center to find an opportunity at Procter and Gamble. His original application for an exclusive four-day experience at the company's facilities in Utah turned into an internship offer for the following summer.

Despite interest from other employers, the UTSA undergraduate was able to assess his value as a prospective employee.

"The offer was way better than what most companies were offering because what I saw in their offer was complete support," Morales said. "Not only was it a paid internship, but they also had health benefits, relocation assistance, as well as vehicle transport."

Morales spent 12 weeks in Corinne, Utah at the company's Box Elder Plant. There, he worked as a manufacturing intern assessing inventory, learning about logistics and troubleshooting. He was also given the opportunity to take a business trip to P&G's corporate headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio.

"The dedication, money, time and resources they put into their employees, even if they're only interns, was incredible."

An invaluable experience with a lasting impression. This is just one of the many vital benefits of a paid internship, according to associate professor of educational leadership and policy studies Vanessa Sansone.

"Paid internships give students an opportunity to understand what they want to do that they love," she said. "Often times, we are led by money but, ultimately, we would be better off if we had prepared students to understand 'is this something that I love?'"

As much as Procter and Gamble made an impact on Morales, the UTSA student demonstrated his value. He has been invited to return as an intern in the same business unit next summer.