Fresno State business student Jana Macklin didn’t expect to spend her last spring break of college working.

But that was the first of things she didn’t expect to happen. Her life was changed by the opportunity to intern for Joni and Friends, a nonprofit disability outreach program that works with the Craig School of Business in hiring interns.

During spring break of her senior year, when many other students were sunning themselves on a beach, Macklin was working at a four-day Joni and Friends family retreat at Wonder Valley Resort in the Fresno County foothills.

Not only did the internship provide good work experience, she discovered a career path she wanted to follow.

She was offered a job at Joni and Friends and is now a part-time project coordinator. Her tasks include organizing a fall fundraiser with speakers, volunteers and video production.

“This is what I really love to do,” said Macklin, who graduated in May 2007 with a bachelor of science degree in business administration (entrepreneurship option).

Macklin is one of thousands of Craig School students who, over recent years, have participated in the internship program. In 2006-07, a record 317 students were placed in internships.

“The connections for placing interns are easy here because of the supportive business community,” Debbie Young, intern coordinator for the Craig School.

According to the year-end report on the internship program, 97 percent of the student-interns said they would to their internship again if given the opportunity. Macklin is one of them.

Employers also were pleased, giving high marks to the student skill levels, Young said. All of the Fresno State students scored above 4 on the scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the top. Other high marks were earned for honesty, integrity and ethical behavior.

The internship program is so popular with employers, Young said, “There has been a greater demand for student-interns than there are interns.”

Overall, 68 percent of interns from all academic options in the Craig School completed paid internships. The number of paid internships increases each year because of the competition for interns, Young said. According to students, pay and time necessary to participate in an internship are factors in keeping them from participating.

For more information on the Craig School of Business Internship Program, contact Debbie Young at 278.4985 or visit www.craig.csufresno.edu/internships.