Building the future: how internships prepare USC students for career success
By Chase Bussell, busselld@sc.edu
At the University of South Carolina, learning extends far beyond the classroom. For students preparing to enter an increasingly competitive workforce, internships and other hands-on experiences provide an important opportunity to apply what they have learned, develop new skills and explore where their degrees can take them. For three students working with USC’s Technology Commercialization Office (TCO), that experience is providing a firsthand look at how research, law, intellectual property and industry collaboration come together to move university discoveries toward real-world impact. Emma Keahon, Olivia Wozniak, and Courtney Carter each came to the office with different academic backgrounds and career interests. Their experiences demonstrate how internships can complement a student’s education while helping clarify career goals, strengthen professional skills and build confidence for what comes next.
Turning classroom knowledge into practical experience
For Emma Keahon, a second-year law student interested in contract negotiation and transactional law, working with TCO has provided an opportunity to put legal concepts into practice. Through the office, she reviewed agreements, communicated with researchers and outside organizations, and gained firsthand insight into how legal principles support university research and collaboration.
From her first week, Keahon was trusted with meaningful responsibilities and opportunities to contribute to real agreements and projects, strengthening both her professional communication skills and attention to detail.
“Working with the Technology Commercialization Office has given me valuable hands-on legal experience and shown me how the law supports research and innovation,” Keahon said. “It’s strengthened my confidence as a future attorney and helped bridge the gap between the classroom and legal practice.”
That bridge between academic learning and professional application is an important part of the internship experience. Students are able to see how the concepts they study are used to solve problems, facilitate partnerships and advance projects in a professional environment.
Exploring where science, law and business intersect
Olivia Wozniak, also a second-year law student, is pursuing a career in patent law and hopes to combine her engineering background with her legal education. Her work with TCO has given her practical experience reviewing and negotiating nondisclosure agreements and material transfer agreements, analyzing invention disclosures and communicating directly with faculty and external parties.
The experience has also introduced Wozniak to the commercial side of intellectual property. By drafting technology spotlights for potential licensing opportunities, she has learned to move beyond strictly technical writing and communicate the commercial value of new technologies to prospective industry partners.
For Wozniak, that exposure illustrates one of the greatest benefits of an internship: the opportunity to explore how different disciplines connect before entering the workforce full time.
“Working at TCO has provided me with a well-rounded experience in contracts and IP law,” Wozniak said. “I have been able to take ownership of tasks from the get-go, and I know this experience will serve me well for the rest of law school and beyond.”
Discovering a new path for a scientist
For chemistry Ph.D. candidate Courtney Carter, working with TCO helped reinforce a career direction that looks different from the one she originally envisioned.
Carter came to USC on a volleyball scholarship and was drawn to the Honors College and opportunities to conduct undergraduate research. Those experiences eventually led her to remain at USC to pursue her doctorate in chemistry. Although she initially planned to enter research and development, her graduate experience sparked an interest in scientific communication and careers in technology transfer and intellectual property.
Through a flexible shadowing experience with TCO, Carter observed patent examiner interviews, invention disclosure meetings with faculty and weekly team meetings. Those experiences gave her a closer look at the day-to-day work of technology transfer and reinforced her interest in pursuing a career in intellectual property.
She is now interested in becoming a patent agent, patent examiner or technology transfer associate—roles that would allow her to use her scientific expertise while helping inventors protect and advance new technologies.
“Graduate school at USC has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life, and my recent experience with the TCO has been an important part of that journey,” Carter said. “It has reinforced my passion for intellectual property and given me the confidence to pursue a career helping translate innovative research into real-world impact.”
Preparing students for what comes next
While Keahon, Wozniak, and Carter bring different academic backgrounds to TCO, their experiences share a common thread: meaningful experiential learning can help students better understand how their skills translate into careers.
“Over the past 12 years, I have had the privilege of working with exceptionally talented students from the USC Joseph F. Rice School of Law,” said Tiffany Beverly, associate director of the Technology Commercialization Office. “Their professionalism, energy and dedication strengthen our ability to support USC researchers, build meaningful partnerships and advance the university’s research mission. Their contributions make a real impact across USC.”
Together, these experiences underscore the value of internships and experiential learning as part of a USC education. By giving students opportunities to take on meaningful work, interact with professionals and explore career paths, these experiences help students develop more than technical knowledge. They build communication, problem-solving and relationship-building skills while gaining a clearer understanding of where they want to go next.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of our work in technology transfer is helping students see the many career opportunities that exist beyond traditional pathways,” said Chase Kasper, director of the Technology Commercialization Office and deputy director of the Office of Economic Engagement. “Through hands-on involvement in intellectual property, licensing, contracts and industry engagement, these experiences allow students to explore how their talents can contribute to innovation while creating lasting societal and economic impact. We are always on the lookout for talented students who are interested in exploring technology transfer and expanding their horizons.”
For students preparing for life after USC, that combination of knowledge and experience can make an important difference—turning what they learn in the classroom into the confidence and skills needed to take the next step in their careers.