Zhang Career Center

Students at externship event with Tony the Tiger

Business Externship Program

At the Haworth College of Business, we emphasize experience-driven learning, giving you the chance to take your skills outside the classroom. One of the ways we do this is through our Business Externship Program (BEP). 

What is a business externship? A business externship is a career exploration opportunity that connects students in Western Michigan University's Haworth College of Business with mentors, many of whom are WMU alumni. Being able to interact with professionals in your chosen career path gives you firsthand experience in your field, giving you a chance to see day-to-day operations at different organizations. 

By visiting companies and interacting with mentors, you are able to get an up-close look at the types of skills needed in your chosen career, valuable insights about the best fit for your career path, as well as advice from professionals in the field.

Haworth College of Business
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5457 USA
(269) 387-5050

FAQs for students

A business externship gives you a unique opportunity to get a glimpse into your chosen field. Your externship could consist of a variety of activities including:

  • A visit to a local company to observe day-to-day activities in a professional work environment.
  • Informational interviews with your professional mentor or other staff members.
  • An opportunity to attend business meetings or lunches.
  • Participation in a short-term project with the employer you match with.
  • The chance to experience various corporate cultures and work environments. 

The length of each externship will be determined by your professional mentor. A typical externship will range in length from one to three days.

Most externships will occur immediately following the conclusion of spring semester, which is usually the first three weeks in May. Professional mentors may wish to select a date outside of this period and will arrange the date directly with the student extern.

Externship Timeline

January

  • Business Externship Program showcase and Go Live Day!
  • Externship opportunities are available for viewing by students on Handshake.

March

  • BEP student applications due.
  • Matching process is completed by Zhang Career Center staff and employers.
  • Match Day! Students are notified of externship match(es).
  • Enrollment period; Students accept match(es), select workshop dates and complete profile.
  • Pre-externship professional development workshops and resume critiques with your peer mentor.

April

  • Externship requirements due. This consists of 50 informational interview questions and company research worksheets.
  • All externship dates are scheduled.

May

  • Three-week externship "hot spot." All students will participate in their externship/s during this time frame.

September

  • Post-externship professional development workshops.
  • Business Externship Celebration—employers and externs are invited to a celebratory event on campus. 

You first need to apply for the Business Externship Program here. Once you have applied, the staff at the Zhang Career Center will work to match you with an employer.

We will notify you via email about your match or matches on Match Day, which is in March. Once you are notified, you will then have a set period of time to accept an externship match and select a workshop date. You then must deliver your enrollment form to the career center in person.

After you have delivered your enrollment form, you will complete an online extern profile that will be shared with your professional mentor. 

Yes! In order to participate in the Business Externship Program, you must attend two professional development workshops coordinated by the Zhang Career Center. 

Workshop One

This workshop will prepare you to be successful at your externship and will cover topics including:

  • How to introduce yourself professionally.
  • How to conduct an informational interview.
  • How to research a company effectively.
  • Business communication, business etiquette, corporate culture and work environments.
  • Post-externship requirements (evaluation, thank-you note, etc.). 

You will also receive documents about your externship including the professional behavior policy, learning contract and liability release and confidentiality agreement* (*Signature is required to participate in the Business Externship Program.)

To apply for the Western Michigan University Business Externship Program, a student should:

  • Intend to select a specific business major and have registered as a pre-business student in the academic advising office.
  • Have pre-business status regardless of class standing.
  • Attend and participate in two professional development workshops, one before and one after your externship(s).
  • Demonstrate a high level of professionalism and commitment to the program.
  1. Explore the externship opportunities and select up to five. All opportunities are viewable beginning mid-January in a hard-copy catalog available in the Zhang Career Center.
  2. Create or update your resume. If you need help with this, please visit us during drop-in hours or schedule an appointment with a career development specialist or Business Externship Program peer mentor.
  3. Compose your application letter. It should be typed and be converted to a PDF file. Make sure your name is on all pages of your letter. 
  4. Complete the online application; you will upload your resume and letter at the end of the online application.

I participated in the Business Externship Program, which is a resource that I believe every student should use to get in-depth experience on a career path they are interested in before committing to a major. The program provided me with a great opportunity to meet professionals from a variety of different career fields I was interested in and helped me narrow down my career choice.

—Wes Nichols

FAQs for employers

  • Build a pipeline to identify potential student candidates before your competitors.
  • Develop your employees' mentoring, coaching and leadership skills.
  • Brand the organization by introducing students to your company culture.
  • Showcase the daily activities, challenges and requirements of your profession.
  • Demonstrate how your profession aligns with a specific business major.
  • Participate in a unique program that gives Haworth College of Business students a competitive advantage.
  • Host a student or students at your workplace by serving as an externship coordinator and/or professional mentor.
  • Recommend an alum or friend of the college who might be interested in participating in the program.
  • Employers register online; it is best to complete the registration steps all at once. Once registration is complete, employers will receive the externship planning guide by email.
  • Employer registration for the current year will open in September.

Once you have registered and receive the externship planning guide, we recommend you begin planning for your externship. The externship planning guide includes sample agendas, activities and contact information for employers willing to share their own experiences in planning a successful externship.

Most externships take place immediately following the conclusion of the spring semester at Western Michigan University, which is usually the first three weeks in May. If there is a conflict for your organization with that time frame, we can work with you to select an alternate date.

Although the program launches in May, preparations take place throughout the year. See the timeline below for additional information.

September
  • Employer registration opens
November
  • Employer registration closes.
January
  • Business Externship Program Showcase is held at the Haworth College of Business
  • Go Live Day! Externship opportunities are available for viewing by students on Handshake.
March
  • Student applications are due.
  • The matching process takes place.
  • Match Day! Students receive their externship matches.
  • Enrollment period—Students accept matches, select a workshop date and complete their profile.
  • Employer notification day—Employers are notified of their matches.
  • Pre-business students in the Haworth College of Business are eligible to participate. Generally, students are rising sophomores and juniors when they participate in the program.
  • As part of the application process, students prepare a resume and application letter.
  • Prior to the externship, students are required to complete a training hosted by the Zhang Career Center.
  • Matching is completed by Zhang Career Center professional staff.
  • Students and mentors are matched based on three criteria: interest areas, career pathways and externship sites of interest.
  • After students receive their match, they have a few days to enroll in the program. They may accept or decline an externship.
  • Students who enroll in the program complete an extern profile to help professional mentors get to know them.
  • The extern profile is sent to the professional mentor.
  • Professional mentors are asked to provide a profile for their student externs.

Geralyn Heystek, director of the Zhang Career Center, oversees the Business Externship Program. She can be reached via email or phone at (269) 387-2759.

Sponsorship opportunities

Our sponsors make the Business Externship Program possible. All sponsorship levels provide student support for the following:

  • BEP Celebration
  • Travel to sites for externs

In addition, all sponsors will receive recognition in the following ways:

  • Signage in the Zhang Career Center.
  • Your logo on marketing materials for students.
  • Presence on the Zhang Career Center website.

To learn more sponsorship and what each level offers, continue reading below.

Three students working together at a white board
Learn more about sponsorship