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Internships on Campus

Internship definition from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE):  a form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory with practical application and skill development in a professional setting.

Internships are an important part of the educational experience.  Providing students with opportunities to apply their learning to real world projects and challenges adds tremendously to their classroom experience.  To offer such opportunities on- campus is a vital service we can provide for students.  However, all internships are not the same.  While many internships develop out of an organizational need, it is important, especially as an educational institution, to design internships that put student learning front and center.  To do this, careful thought should be put into planning and designing an internship position.

Designing Quality Internships

Before you proceed:

  • Think about why you want an intern and whether a temporary employee or work study student would be a better choice
  • Which academic discipline do you think would provide students with the skills you need to complete the work?  What are the minimum skills a student would need to succeed?
  • Do you have the time/bandwidth to mentor the intern?  Interns often need training and nurturing before they can be independent contributors.
  • Would the internship role you are envisioning provide enough hours to offer meaningful work that will grow in complexity over the internship?  As a base, 100 hours is a solid minimum number of hours for an internship. Would the internship last a quarter?  Longer?
  • How would you pay your intern, and how much?
  • Would you be open for the student to earn credit for the internship?  If so, your internship must align with the academic calendar and students must register for a course.  There will also be additional paperwork.  In the case of CWE Internship courses, much of  the structure is embedded in class assignments, so you would just need to complete the position description and contact the internship office before posting it on Handshake.

Once you have gone through a thorough consideration of the value of the internship you have in mind, the following steps will help you design a quality internship experience.

Write a Position Description and post

  • Write a clear position description that includes minimum qualifications, potential learning outcomes, beginning and ending dates (should last 1 – 3 quarters), weekly hour expectations, a list of primary responsibilities, and compensation. 
  • Make sure duties are no more than 1/3 low level clerical tasks; include steps toward advanced responsibilities over time.    Determine if credit will be available should the student want it.
  • Flexibility with variable student abilities and schedules is important.
    Have HR review your description if you plan to pay an hourly wage.
  • Determine the application process and submission materials (resume, cover letter, etc.)
  • When complete, post the internship position on Handshake, Canvas, and share with others one quarter in advance of the internship start.

Onboarding

  • Have a workstation prepared and the necessary equipment for the student on day one.
  • Provide an orientation of the position, the department, and expectations for work performance.
  • Introduce intern to other staff in adjacent departments they will work with.
  • Assign a permanent supervisor/mentor; a backup mentor for the intern is a good idea.
  • Discuss learning objectives for the internship that address student areas of study/interest.
  • Schedule consistent, regular meetings during the first 4-6 weeks of the internship.
  • Encourage questions with gradual movement toward independence.

Evaluation

Reflection

  • Provide the intern with an opportunity to write about or present their thoughts on the internship at or toward the end of the experience.
  • Schedule an exit interview for feedback from the intern on the value of the internship experience. This feedback allows you to continually improve the internship.

Contact NorthInternships@seattlecolleges.edu with questions or for further assistance