Joshua Frisby, LSSC BAS Strategic Leadership student, stands outside his workplace at First National Bank of Mount Dora.
Many people, especially high school and college students, lack certainty about the direction of their career path.
Among the many career readiness opportunities Lake-Sumter State College offers are internships for BAS in Strategic Leadership (BAS-SL) students, which for student Joshua Frisby was the “cherry on top” of his college education.
LSSC student Joshua Frisby, who successfully completed an internship in organizational management course this year, champions its benefits and recommends the course to every BAS-SL student.
In describing his motivation to enroll in the BAS-SL program and the internship, “My goal was to help myself professionally when I didn’t have a clear vision of what to do afterward.” Frisby stated.
BAS-SL students at Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC) may participate in the 150-hour course as one of the program’s capstone requirements. Students can choose any location to intern that aligns with their career goals.
The internship provides numerous benefits to students, such as learning opportunities, networking, resume enhancements, building soft skills, exploring career pathways, confidence building, job offers, industry insights, personal growth, and compensation.
When he first learned of the internship as a required elective option, Frisby’s first thought was that he could knock out two birds with one stone.
“I could receive professional development and gain a deeper understanding of the loan department that I’ve wondered about since my application here at First National Bank of Mount Dora (FNBMD),” he said.
Frisby originally applied for a position at FNBMD in the loan and accounting departments; after the interview, he was placed in accounting. He has since wondered what would have been if he received placement in the loans department.
Although the program can facilitate placement in an internship position elsewhere, many students choose the option of learning roles outside of their usual job description at their current employer. In Frisby’s scenario, this was the perfect opportunity to further hone his skills at First National Bank of Mount Dora, where he has worked since 2019 and is interested in a long-term career.
During the internship, Frisby was able to learn in-depth about the loan department and their daily tasks at each position. The internship program allows students to explore a career of their interest; in doing so, the experience offers clarity about what to expect and a better understanding of the necessary skills and requirements to fulfill those positions.
Frisby was able to give up his duties temporarily as an accounting specialist and intern throughout the loan department, learning tasks such as loan origination, document preparation and funding, booking on the bank’s core system, servicing, and reporting. Also, he sat in on a few executive meetings for high-profile loan management, including amounts above $250,000.
The experience Frisby had throughout the course ultimately quenched his relenting interest in the loan department and provided solace and appreciation for the accounting department, realizing his personality is better accentuated for a role in accounting than loans.
After the internship, he admits he is much more prepared to do a job in the loan department and is thankful for where he wants to take the next steps in his career post-graduation from the LSSC baccalaureate program, projected to be December 2023. This experiential learning provided new confidence in his accounting role and advancement within the banking industry.
Frisby also offered a piece of advice for students considering the program.
“Gather an understanding of how much time it will take to complete the hour requirements of the internship. Get the most out of the program as possible,” he said “Record everything, whom you met, where you were, not only for the required reflections, but to increase your knowledge in what is necessary to be successful in that area you’re interning.”
“The skills I learned throughout the coursework are a direct application to successful work in the internship environment. This internship was like the cherry on top; everything under one umbrella from the BAS-SL program was applied in the internship.” said Frisby.