To bolster opportunities for students, Truman created the position of director of internships and tapped Kim Sprought for the role.

Sprought has been tasked with enhancing, facilitating and promoting meaningful internships and enriching career-related experiences for Truman students. She will collaborate with students, faculty, employers, alumni and other stakeholders to create and sustain a diverse range of internship programs and external partnerships that support Truman’s mission and the career development of students.

“Internships are an invaluable component of a student’s education because they provide practical experience that can’t always be gained in the classroom,” Sprought said. “They allow students to apply their academic knowledge in real-world settings, develop professional networks and gain clarity about their career paths. Employers increasingly value candidates who have internship experience, so participating in one can make students more competitive in the job market after graduation.”

Much of Sprought’s career has been dedicated to developing systems and programs that enhance student career outcomes. Prior to Truman, she most recently served as director of the Dyson Career Management Center in the SC Johnson College of Business at Cornell University.

In addition to managing existing internship programs, Sprought will seek to build partnerships in key metro areas including Kansas City, St. Louis, Columbia, Jefferson City, Chicago and Washington, D.C. This should help strengthen enrollment, retention and post-graduate placement in those markets, as well as develop alumni, governmental and corporate networks.