End of Semester Presentations: Help your Intern Shine
As their first semester capstone assignment, interns deliver a formal presentation to instructors, fellow interns, their manager and other teammates.
The Format:
8-10 minute Presentation
2-3 minutes Q&A
Formal presentations can be nerve-wracking – especially for first-timers!
By helping your student improve their presentation skills, you’re equipping them with skills they’ll carry into their future careers. From presenting to executives to defending dissertations, mastering this format is a critical milestone.
How Intern Managers can help their Intern prepare
The mid-way point in their internship is a perfect time for interns to step back and reflect. They have successfully acclimated to the workplace. They’ve transitioned from learning to doing. Now, they’re looking ahead to the opportunities and growth awaiting them in the second semester!
As their manager, here’s how you can help them succeed:
Step 1: Review their Plan ✍🏼
Ask your intern to create a weekly workplan that outlines specific tasks, such as drafting slides, rehearsing key sections, and refining their Q&A responses.
Step 2: Give Feedback 🗺️
Offer constructive feedback on their content, make suggestions on their slides, and roleplay how they will deliver the presentation!
Step 3: Show up and Celebrate 🎉
Once your intern has their presentation timeslot, invite team members to attend and cheer them on!
Tips for giving feedback to your High School Intern
We asked our instructors for tips on giving impactful feedback to high school students. Here’s what they said:
Make your feedback bite-sized and actionable!
Be direct with your feedback - you are helping them grow!
Be clear about WHAT they can improve. Then, offer specific suggestions on HOW to make those improvements. For example:
The WHAT: "You need to be more confident when you present."
The HOW: "Convey confidence by projecting your voice through the end of each sentence and maintaining eye contact."
Have them apply or practice the feedback right away to maximize the impact/effectiveness.
Have questions about preparing your intern? Reach out to the Prelude team for additional resources!
See you there!
Members of the Prelude team will attend all presentations virtually and/or in-person. We look forward to celebrating the students together! And most of all, we appreciate your investment in your intern’s success.