ON POINT
Quality internships help 2011 business grads succeed in finding jobs A recent survey of 2011 graduates of Longwood’s College of Business and Economics shows that 83 percent are employed. Half of these students indicated that their internships helped them secure their current positions, adding that their internships also gave them an advantage in landing jobs in businessrelated fields.
Sociology professor Jake Milne ’97 gave up soccer refereeing to spend more time with his family. ‘Ironically, I am my own statistic,’ he says.
Hanging Up the Whistle Research shows it’s not the physical abuse they suffer but their own personal issues that make soccer refs quit
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“An Identity Theory of Role Exit among Socearly 90 percent of soccer referees cer Referees.” have been physically abused on the “Ironically, I am my own statistic,” said field, but that’s not what’s making them hang up their whistles, according to the Milne, who reffed for 20 years before hanging up his whistle last year. “I would leave Sunday findings of a research study by a Longwood for Richmond at 6 a.m., ref all day and not resociologist, himself a former ref. turn until 5 or 6 p.m. That cut into my family “I wasn’t surprised at all by the level of time. As an assistant professor, I have to worry physical abuse. It’s more common than you would expect,” said Dr. Jason “Jake” Milne, about getting tenure, and rising gas prices were eating up my budget. It just wasn’t worth it anyassistant professor of sociology, who defined more. Many refs quit when they start a family or physical abuse in the study as any form of for work reasons. It’s called ‘role conflict.’ Somephysical contact between a player and a refthing has to give. For me, reffing had to give.” eree, such as a putting his finger on the ref ’s In recent years, much of Milne’s refereeing chest. “I was hit twice in my reffing career. was in Richmond on Sundays, when he would Once I was pushed. The other time I was typically work three games. “It took a huge slugged in the shoulder— he missed my face time commitment. Each game took about and hit my shoulder. I’ve also been spat at. two hours, and I had to be there 45 minutes “However, quitting doesn’t have a thing before the first game.” to do with abuse,” he said. “It has to do Does he miss refereeing? “There are days with identity — how committed are you to I miss it. But when I watch the Redskins’ the role.” About half of all soccer referees in Virginia games with my son, who is 2-1/2, I don’t miss it,” he said. “For years my license plate said quit within two years. According to Milne’s ‘DR REF,’ so you can see it was a big part of findings, they leave mostly because of issues having to do with family and work. His results my life. But then it became not as important as my family or my job. A lot of soccer refs rewere published in the fall/winter 2011 issue turn to it when their kids are grown, and I anof Sociation Today, the online journal of the ticipate I will probably go back. I enjoy being North Carolina Sociological Association. on the field.”—Kent Booty The article grew out of Milne’s dissertation,
‘ Working with Longwood University for our internship program is a great collaboration.The university’s McGaughy Internship Program does an excellent job with developing students to be an effective part of a team.’ —Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Students in the College of Business and Economics, like all undergraduate students at Longwood, are required to complete an internship, research or other hands-on learning experience, which sets Longwood apart from most universities. CBE students scored top-notch internships that turned into full-time positions at organizations including the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Gantt Insurance Agency and Norfolk Southern.Their supervisors at these organizations have high praise for the students and the internship program. “Working with Longwood University for our internship program is a great collaboration. The university’s McGaughy Internship Program does an excellent job with developing students to be an effective part of a team,” said a representative of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. “And, with our important work for America’s economy, we need those highcaliber students who are well-prepared and able to exceed expectations in the workplace.” A spokesperson for Gantt Insurance Agency said the agency’s intern from Longwood was impressive. “From day one, he has shown up with a go-get-it attitude. I have put him through some difficult and challenging situations, and every time he has come through with no problems. … It is very evident that Longwood has done a great job teaching their students and preparing them for the real world.” —Lauren Gabor
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