How to ... Create effective internships

Samantha Scott wanted to help the next generation of public-relations professionals. So the president of Pushing the Envelope Inc., a Fort Myers-based marketing communications firm, began to offer internships at her company.

What started with just one intern a year has since grown to three to four interns a semester.

That expansion came after the company reached out to local universities to learn how to tailor their internships to meet students' needs and expectations. “It can be a little daunting when you think about how much time or money it will require,” says Scott. “But it's worth it for your business and your interns.”