Corey Clancy

As a student at BHC and the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, Corey Clancey has had three internships under his belt already. His charismatic personality and diligent attitude definitely helped him in securing those opportunities, but there’s a lot more to his current success.

To Corey Clancey, networking is “incredibly important” for securing an internship. He recalls for all three of his internships, he needed to network with professors, people within the hospitality sector, or leaders at Disney or UCF. To start, you just have to start talking, Corey believes. He explains that you never know who is whom, who knows whom, or what they know, so you should always put your best foot forward! However, talking to people isn’t the only factor that leads to a strong and broad network. In this age of technological advancement, students would be remiss not to have a LinkedIn account where they connect and engage with other students, industry professionals, and professors!

Corey believes you should consider seeking internships around your sophomore year. He thinks you should leave your freshman year open to get acquainted with college life and the overall UCF experience. Once you are settled in, you then proceed to research opportunities. For Corey, who is a student at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, he is required to have three internship experiences as part of the undergraduate program. However, he knows that not every major requires three, so students should reach out to academic advisors, professors, and mentors for advice! When it’s time to apply, “APPLY,” Corey exclaims. “Get on Indeed, Handshake, and LinkedIn…Do not worry about over-applying.”

Recalling his past internships, Corey believes collaboration to be the key component. There will be disagreements and disputes, he explains, but “the key is to make sure everyone understand that they are all there for a common purpose. Always keep the common purpose at the forefront of your mind.” In addition to talking about the essential nature of collaboration, he also takes time to explain that “an internship is an internship for a reason.” You are there to learn and grow, and mistakes are usually made when you’re learning and experimenting with various ideas. It is entirely okay to make mistakes and just to be a human. Corey also brings up that students should research and pick wisely for which internship to accept. “Choose internships that are in line with your career goals,” Corey stresses. "Don’t go into an internship without knowing the requirement and expectations!"