Field Work Term at Bennington
Bennington has always championed the value of learning in action. The College was the first liberal arts institution to integrate classroom study with annual field experience, and this vital practice still thrives eighty years later. Today, students choose from a robust array of annual field work experiences offering deep learning, reflective practice, and work-based competency development.
Through this annual learning lab in the working world, Bennington students acquire four progressive field experiences and a deep understanding of what they want to do. They develop a capacity to grasp and enter complex situations; the ability to work and think independently as well as to collaborate; and the confidence to be mobilized by ambiguities, trade-offs, and uncertainties–all qualities recognized by employers as essential for innovators in the emerging future of work.
How It Works
Securing an Internship
Students may secure an internship or job using the Field Work Term and Career Development Office’s database of more than 650 annual FWT job postings and 8,000 archived employer contacts. However, students are not required to find a position through the College and often secure positions independently.
6 Weeks, 200 Hours
Every student is required to complete 200 hours during Field Work Term over six weeks in January and February each year. This full immersion provides a deep, honest view of the work and tends to offer opportunities for students to take on serious responsibilities or larger projects, establish relationships, and reflect on many aspects of the work itself.
Evaluation
At the end of the six weeks, employers evaluate their Bennington intern’s work performance and provide feedback, and students return to campus and submit their own reflection of their time in the field in essay, blog, video, or presentation formats.
Future Employment
According to a national survey of 50,000 employers, the single most important credential for a college graduate entering the workforce is internship experience. Take it from employers, Bennington interns have what it takes.
Student Success
In each of their four FWTs, students bring their studies to the world of work, implementing knowledge, confronting challenges firsthand and refining their questions to further shape their studies when back on campus.
