Internship Best Practices: A Comparative Analysis of a Small Private University (Tiffin University) and a Large Public University (Kennesaw State University)

Authors

Kellie McGilvray, Tiffin UniversityFollow
Randy Stuart, Kennesaw State UniversityFollow

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

Spring 2026

Abstract

The balance of scholarship and professional practice is a hallmark of career preparation in higher education. While classroom instruction is essential for building foundational knowledge, experiential learning through internships allows students to apply theory in authentic professional contexts.

Are the requirements and administration of internship experiences the same at a small private university (Tiffin University-TU) (student population 3,726/687 business majors) as at a large public university (Kennesaw State University-KSU) (student population 50,000/10,000 business majors) and what best practices can be learned from both organizations? This paper will compare and contrast the practices at both schools and recommend best practices to encourage internship experiences for university students.

Recommended Citation

McGilvray, Kellie and Stuart, Randy, "Internship Best Practices: A Comparative Analysis of a Small Private University (Tiffin University) and a Large Public University (Kennesaw State University)" (2026). AMTP Proceedings 2026. 42.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/amtp-proceedings_2026/42