Ferris State University students gain valuable work experience through internships. Internships also can confirm or redirect career decision-making, provide marketability, develop people skills and enhance classroom learning. Many academic programs require one, but the experience is encouraged regardless to provide students with a better understanding of what will be expected of them in the workplace.
Many students are participating in myriad internships this summer. Meet: Jeff Sukes
He is: A senior from Rochester Hills, Mich., majoring in Television and Digital Media Production
Internship: Fission3, in Grand Rapids, Mich., a company that specializes in video and multimedia production. Jeff’s three-month internship wraps up in August.
What he’s learning: Jeff has played a role in many of Fission3’s projects, from editing a video for an App developer to shooting a video for another client.
“Every day I am able to come in and do real work for real clients,” Jeff said. “What I am learning here will benefit me now and in the future by giving me that real-world experience in production.”
He credits his Ferris education with preparing him for the position.
“If it wasn’t for my TDMP professors and the great courses that they teach, I don’t believe that I would be able to excel at this internship like I am currently,” he said. “I definitely owe a lot to my professors for helping me along the way and really pushing me to succeed.”
Favorite experience: Jeff said he enjoyed working on production of a promotional video shoot.
“There were some crazy hours – I think we were on set from 5 a.m. to midnight one day, then from 6 a.m. to noon the next day,” he said. “It was a great experience for me being able to be right there and play a role in the production of the video along with getting to handle some top of the line camera gear.”
His plan: When Jeff completes the internship with Fission 3, he will begin one in September with Gorilla Pictures, another Grand Rapids-based business.
“I feel extremely lucky to have both these internship opportunities,” Jeff said. “I believe the choice to split my internship time between the two will really pay off for me.
“I feel that my internship with Fission3 will help advance my editing and post-production skills, while my internship with Gorilla Pictures with help me advance my shooting and other production-based skills. I have been really enjoying my time so far and am very excited for the coming months.”
After he graduates in December, Jeff plans to seek a job in the film industry in Grand Rapids or “possibly somewhere out West.”