Ed Kelley helps increase student internship opportunities as the director of experiential learning in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication.
An editor at The Oklahoman for more than 36 years, Kelley started working as the director of experiential learning with Gaylord on May 26. The Gaylord administration is very excited that he joined the team because of his experience and talent, Gaylord dean Joe Foote said.
“President Boren said that he was going to make him available to us if we could use him," Foote said. "So we jumped at the opportunity to bring him on."
As director of experiential learning, Kelley said he works with faculty and staff to increase internship opportunities for students. He also said that they will work to have appropriate oversight over the experiences of the students at the internships and strengthen relationships with employers. Kelley explained that a better relationship with an employer could result in more internship opportunities for Gaylord students.
“We hope that the employers feel like sending Gaylord students to them has been a good thing and that they’ll want to bring more back in the future," Kelley said.
Kelley said he also helps advisors place students in the internships that they both want and need. He said that internships are important because they go beyond the classroom and enhance learning. He also said that it allows students to make sure that they are in the correct career path.
“I am a big believer in internships," Kelley said. “It can do two things: one confirms for most of [the students], 'hey, this is what I want to do.' But then for a smaller, but no less important group, it confirms for them that, 'hey, this is all great, but not sure this is what I want to do in my career."
Many of the internships available to Gaylord students are in Oklahoma, Kelley said. However, they do offer internships nationwide. He said that on average, 80 students have internships during the summer and about 50 students have internships in the fall and spring semesters.
“We have a fair amount of internships right here in our own back yard here in Oklahoma, particularly in the Oklahoma City area, but we do have interns in Washington D.C., we have interns in New York, we have interns usually on the West Coast," Kelley said.
With Kelley on the team, Foote said he hopes that Gaylord will increase the satisfaction of both the students and employers during internships. He also said that he hopes Kelley will find areas of the program that need improvement.
“In the short term, we hope that students have a better experience ... and that we maintain better oversight over those experiences," Foote said. "In the long term, we hope that with [Kelley's] experience that he can target some areas for improvement in the program that those of us close might not see."
Kelley also said that everyone at Gaylord is looking to increase the value of a Gaylord degree. Kelley said that these efforts result in more employment opportunities for students.
“I think that everybody at Gaylord wants to provide more opportunities for students, and to make sure that there is a real value to an OU degree, and particularly a degree out of Gaylord," Kelley said.
Kelley said that he is very excited to be part of Gaylord once more, before as a student, but now as part of the administration. He said he hopes to stay in Oklahoma for a while.
“Coming here is coming home," Kelley said. "It feels good to be here."
