Sac State Communication Studies students paired with local, woman-led startups for paid internships
By Jonathan Morales
January 13, 2023 - Sacramento State Communication Studies students need practical experience. Sacramento’s women entrepreneurs need help getting their ideas off the ground.
Pairing the two made perfect sense to Cheng Hong, an assistant professor of Communication Studies whose research interests include helping organizations communicate their values to stakeholders.
Assistant Professor of Communication Studies Cheng Hong worked with Carlsen Center partner FourthWave, which supports women-led Sacramento businesses, to pair six students with seven local startup companies for paid internships. (Courtesy Cheng Hong)
“I'm doing research about it, and then I realized, maybe I could also get students involved through internship programs,” said Hong, who is also a faculty-in-residence at Sac State’s Carlsen Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. “It's all kind of connected. It's all kind of cohesive.”
She worked with FourthWave, an organization that supports women-led Sacramento businesses and Carlsen Center partner, to pair six students with seven local startup companies for paid internships that provided them with valuable, career-ready skills.
A Sac State Anchor University Grant funded the internships. The grants are awarded to students, faculty, and staff working in the community to advance Sac State’s Anchor University initiative.
“We are based in our community,” Hong said. “We are trying to connect our students with the community, with the Sacramento area, the entrepreneurship ecosystem. So, I think that's in line with what Anchor University is about.”