With the new era of higher education centered on reshaping curricula in community colleges, educators and researchers are left with the task to develop innovative ways to keep students focused. The perceived best practices to educate students are always changing and with the millennial generation geared more towards participatory and hands on learning, experiential learning seems to be one of the trends researchers find significant. Students involved in experiential learning courses and programs leave their normal classroom setting to solidify their knowledge with real world experiences. Several research studies have indicated the benefits to service learning in terms of students' growth in leadership, civic responsibility and attitudes about academics. However, limited research is known about the benefits of academic internships and practicums as it relates to students' personal development, academic performance and career readiness. This qualitative research study used narrative inquiry coupled with criterion sampling to explore how academic internships and practicums influence students' personal development, academic performance and career readiness among thirteen junior and senior students at a Historically Black University (HBCU) in Louisiana. The study, guided by the works of Kvale (1996), Cronon (1992), Archakis and Tsakona (2012), examined the receptiveness the two recommended practices have on student outcomes. The students reflected on the experiences they valued, how they aligned with in class learning to support their practicum and internship experiences. The study used data from demographic surveys, journal entries and interviews. The findings of this study reveal that students value experiential learning experiences that improve their personal growth, academic performance and offer salient knowledge for their careers. The study also indicated that students believe that they need experiential learning experiences to be successful in the both career and professional growth. Student also noted that support from teachers or practitioners as well as aligned and effective placement allowed for greater mentorship, teachable moments, best practices, reflection and learning, while students who were placed in areas that were not directly aligned to their area of study found the process cumbersome and lacking any benefit. The collection of information and evaluation from this research can provide implications for universities and schools who wish to have a thorough evaluation for their practicum and academic internship programs. The knowledge gained could also aid administrators and instructors to create a reformed learning model that can be applied to academic internships, practicums and other experiential learning programs that could easily be adopted by educators within the higher education realm. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]