Value of engagement: Factors influencing how students perceive their community contribution to public relations internships

The purpose of this 3-year study is to assess how using what students (n = 203) learn in the classroom during internships influences their attitudes toward certain civic engagement issues. Results demonstrate that having more opportunities to use what they learn while on the job significantly predicts who the students believe benefit most (themselves, supervisor, the organization, the community, target public/s), how valued they believe their contributions are to their employers as well as to them personally, and career choices. Recommendations for public relations educators are suggested.