Jacobsos,
I am graduating from SIUC in a couple of weeks and wanted to let you know that SIU is a great choice for a school. I came in with my private pilot license 4 years ago and am now leaving with 950 total and 110 multi. I'm not going to do an internship, but if you want to do one they can help you in the long run. I do have some suggestions to mention.
If you can afford it, and I know some people can't, get your flight training done first!! Many people, even the ones that can afford a lot of flight training bills, take their time because they enroll in their Gen-ed and management courses. But what does that leave you with when you graduate? Well, if you don't instruct at SIU, you're looking at around 200-300 total hours.
I came in with my private and completed all my ratings up to CFI and Multi in my first 2 years. What that has allowed me to do is instruct as a part-timer for SIU these last 2 years while finishing up my management degree. Hopefully, my last day of instructing will be the day before I graduate
Another suggestion is to get involved in the organizations there. For example, The Flying Salukis Flight Team is a great way to build your knowledge and flight time (I know I benefited from that). There is also an aerobatic club that has been doing excellent in their recent competitions. Besides these, you have others such as the Aviation Management Society, Alpha Eta Rho, Aviation Ambassadors, and many more which can help you make contacts for when you graduate.
Also look into building your multi time while you're there. I built mine through SIU's Executive Air Transport course. I paid a lot of money (about $12,000), but looking at my hourly cost, I paid $133/hour to fly a Cessna 340 & 421 IFR while carrying passengers. Now if you ask me, I think that experience was well worth the cost.
Anyways, I hope I've been helpful. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.