Senior Sarah Lambert is this year’s $1,500 grand prize winner in the Baker Organizational Observation for Knowledge Program, better known as the BOOK Program, which prompts students to get the most out of their internships.

“I chose to participate for the opportunity,” said Lambert. “It gave me the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and develop my public speaking skills.”

Lambert interned at Commerce Bank in downtown Kansas City this past summer. She appreciated the networking opportunity and encourages other students to participate.

Seniors Gavin Webster and Andrew Dare and junior Spencer Brown also won prizes from the BOOK Program.

“It forced me to be more involved than I would’ve been otherwise,” Webster said. “I discovered that many functional areas work differently than expected.”

Webster and Dare applauded the program for the emphasis on networking and learning more from their internships.

“It was an easy way to learn and gain a better understanding of the organization,” Dare said. “My favorite part was getting a deeper look and being rewarded for doing so.”

Director of Career Services Susan Wade describes the BOOK Program as an intensified learning experience during an internship. Wade emphasized the additional knowledge students gain from the program.

“It pushes students past their comfort zones,” Wade said. “By doing the extra areas, they understand [their field] more.”

The program takes students who do a summer internship and gives them the opportunity to make a 30-minute presentation in front of Baker professors and alumni.

The presentation focuses on six main areas: history, mission, structure, products and services, finances and management. Each of these topics has sub-categories.

Wade encourages all students to participate in the program. She characterized the program as beneficial to all students in all majors.

“Any internship changes a student,” Wade said. “They mature and fit into the world differently. BOOK gives students confidence for the future.”