As Director of Experiential Education, Peter Nunziata, MBA, Endorses the "Little Things"

With real-world internship experience being such a crucial aspect of the modern college journey, internships are prominently woven into a student’s time as an undergraduate at Emmanuel College.

100 percent of Emmanuel students complete an internship as an undergraduate – and that’s because internships are made a core part of the curriculum across the College’s five schools. Within the School of Business & Management, for example, students complete 150 hours of an internship within the specifications of their major, so they are able to gain practical experience out in the field they are studying.

Offering support along the way in that experience is Director of Experiential Education and Lecturer of Management, Peter Nunziata, MBA.

In his speech at Emmanuel's annual Sophomore Pinning Ceremony, Nunziata shared some key advice with students: success is on the other side of fear, the importance of the liberal arts, and don't forget to deliver on the "little things," because they make a big impact.

This September will mark a full year in the new director role for Nunziata, through which he acts as a professional mentor for School of Business & Management students, teaches an internship course, and works directly with department chairs and Emmanuel’s Leslie Ferrick McCafferty Career center to provide the best internship experience possible for Emmanuel undergraduates.

The internship course, which runs simultaneously while students participate in their internships, aids students when it comes down to locking down a job and working alongside the Career Center, Nunziata explained, as well as preparing for the elements of the professional world and the day-to-day of their ongoing internships.

Emmanuel’s strong relationships with local organizations and high-touch Career Center approach are key to facilitating quality internship opportunities for students, and in turn, Emmanuel connects those employers with dedicated students who are driven to succeed. And since the College is right in the heart of Boston, Nunziata said, student interns are often right where they need to be - no shuttle buses or long commutes needed.

“We have all these companies that keep coming back to us for more interns because of how well they’ve done…that says a lot,” Nunziata said.

Nunziata (left) chats with Joseph R. Nolan Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer at Eversource, at the College's recent Emmanuel Business Collaborative (EBC) Speaker Series.

Nunziata – who has a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and has a career full of experience with start-ups and multi-billion-dollar international companies – frequently taps into his professional network to bring in experts to share their insight with students.

They discuss best practices in interviews, for example, and how they can pitch themselves to a supervisor or recruiter in a way that sets them apart from the rest. It’s the things that seem so simple, Nunziata said, like the audio or background of a Zoom interview, that are hugely important. That’s the message he always imparts upon the students.

“It’s all the little things – you may not realize it, but all those things add up – they’re what sets you apart,” Nunziata said.

As he continues to grow into the role, Nunziata and the School of Business & Management are keeping an eye on creating more experiential learning opportunities for students on campus. One such example is the Cardinal’s Nest Café, which is entirely student-run and operated through the Emmanuel Business Collaborative (EBC).

Posters from the School of Business & Management Internship Poster Expo on April 7th.

Opportunities like the Cardinal’s Nest allow students to directly practice the essentials of running a business – all the management, products, budgets and marketing involved – while having a true stake in the business since it’s on the Emmanuel campus and catering to their peers.

Learning from peers about internship experience is a key piece of the puzzle too. On April 7th, School of Business & Management students participated in the annual Internship Expo, during which 47 students currently in internships shared their experiences and presented informational posters to their peers in attendance.

It allowed students to see the work that their fellow students are doing, as well as get a better idea of the many internship offerings that exist near Emmanuel and in its surrounding areas.

Students pictured in the auditorium with their internship posters.

With such a wide variety of approaches – community engagement, faculty mentorship and peer-to-peer connections – valuable workforce experience through internship opportunities remains at the core of the college journey not just for the School of Business & Management, but as a whole at Emmanuel.

“Across campus,” Nunziata said, “everyone’s here to support students and help them succeed.”