Internship guru has affection for central Pennsylvania

Mike True is the internship guru — or at least that’s how he’s perceived by the more than 425 colleges and universities that rely on his wisdom, experience and manual,“Starting and Maintaining a Quality Internship Program,” to guide and direct their internship coordination efforts.

True, who has worked at Messiah College’s Internship Center for 20 years, enjoys the fact his job allows him to connect with students, faculty and a variety of regional businesses, organizations and government agencies.

As director of Messiah College’s Internship Center for more than 10 years, True and his team assist about 250 students each year, most of whom participate in a credit-bearing internship related to their major. The number of students seeking internship experiences is growing, he says, because students recognize they need experience to be considered a viable job candidate in this difficult economy.

Based on his 20+ years experience, True knows students are more likely to succeed in their internship if they are equipped with professional skills, as well as classroom knowledge. His new book,“InternQube: Professional Skills for the Workplace,” addresses everything from email and phone etiquette, to networking, to problem solving in an attempt to help potential interns know how to make a good first impression and maximize their
experience.

“InternQube” will serve as a textbook for the internship course that True and his colleagues teach each semester. The course supplements the student’s actual experience and emphasizes the practical skills necessary to be a successful intern and employee.

A native of Lebanon, Pa., True was assistant to the president at Evangelical School of Theology in Myerstown before coming to Messiah College. He has lived all across the country — including South Carolina, Texas, California and Illinois.

“Every time I went away, I wanted to come back,” True says about his affection for central Pennsylvania. True and his wife of 32 years Gail, have two grown children, Philip and Kristin, and are grandparents to one-year-old Tabitha. The Trues enjoy dining out and have favorite restaurants in Harrisburg and Hershey. They adore Cape May, N.J. and spend at least a week there every summer.