Emily Komornik
  • History,English
  • Class of 2016
  • Shelton, CT

Eastern Student Emily Komornik of Shelton Achieves Successful Internship

2016 Jun 20

A number of Eastern students commit to student internships as an on-site practical work experience with a company or organization that can provide them with firsthand knowledge of a career field. The internship is usually related to the student's major or is directly related to the student's career interest. They often complement the student's coursework, can incorporate skills and classroom experience into the workplace and assist the student in developing new abilities and skills.

Emily Komornik '16 of Shelton performed an internship with a law firm. Komornik's major is History.

According to Komornik, "Law firms rarely post internships, so I had to be proactive in searching for a position like this. I functioned as a paralegal and helped sort data, prepare cases and provide support wherever necessary. My main goal for this internship was to gain the basic understanding of a law office to see if I liked this type of work."

At Eastern, Komornik was assistant for the Polish American Studies Journal and was responsible for publishing historical journals. "I have always been interested in history and publishing, which is why I wanted to gain exposure in the law industry," added Komornik.

Komornik's favorite part of her internship was getting the chance to utilize her writing skills. "I spent years honing my skills throughout my courses and I finally had a real-world experience to draw upon my writing background."

Komornik is currently interested in a career in law that is focused on defending women in sexual assault cases. "I believe women need more advocates, so my goal is to get my J.D. and either work closely with police departments or within an established firm to represent women who have suffered in these circumstances."

Komornik believes internships are very important for students. "One of the biggest components is getting your feet wet and finding out whether you like the work. You might think you like your major, but the work actually related to the field may be different than what you thought. That is huge."

Komornik's suggestion to other students is, "Use the resources around you; try anything. I found that you need to experience your major before you commit to a career in it. I started off as a education major but didn't fit well with teaching. I believe the earlier you discover whether you like the work in your field/major, the better off you'll be. Take advantage of opportunities around you and be willing to try multiple things."