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July in the David Lam Library – July 10, 2009
Posted by: Jan Wallace | July 10, 2009 | Comments Off on July in the David Lam Library – July 10, 2009
During May, June and July, the Library databases get taken out, shaken up, stirred and turned inside out by our MBA interns. You might say the same thing happens with the Lam librarians, as they perform their brain acrobatics, swiftly moving from one industry to another, one topic to another to support the intern research.
Virtually every MBA internship involves extensive research – market research, competitive research, venture capital research, M&A research. This is when we find out who was really listening in our library orientations and classes. Some projects are familiar, when employers hire interns every year. For these, we turn to the online industry guides which we created in previous years, and update them for the current need. For example, two years ago, an intern researched his company’s potential expansion into the US; this year’s intern is researching a European expansion.
During May, June and the first week of July, we responded to over 100 requests for research assistance from our MBA students. These consultations are rarely straightforward, and usually involve a broad-ranging list of questions that result in complex interactions that take place over several days or weeks. Themes we’ve noticed this summer include alternative energy, social enterprises, and healthcare management.
The students love their real world internship experiences, and the employers appreciate the valuable information and data which the students bring to their projects. Information that’s shaken, stirred and turned into very well-made projects.