The Center for Career and Professional Development

Academic Internship Program

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Table of Contents Internship Program Glossary……………………………………………………………………………...………2

What is an Internship?.............................................................................................................................................3

Requirements and Qualification…………………………………………………………………………………..4

Students’ Internship Responsibilities…………………………………………………………………………5 – 7

Student Guide for the Internship Program………………………………………………………………………...8

Student Internship Paperwork Breakdown………………………………………………………………………..9

Faculty Guide for the Internship Program…………………………………………………………………...10 – 12

Appendices………………………………………………………………………………………………….13 – 30

CCPD Internship Program – Manual

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Internship Program – Glossary

CCPD – The abbreviation of the Center for Career and Professional Development used throughout this manual.

Faculty Coordinator – The Faculty Coordinator is the instructor for the academic portion of the internship experience. The CCPD has a few assignment requirements for 100% of internship students, but your respective Faculty Coordinator dictates the majority of the classwork. This instructor is assigned to you by the CCPD in conjunction with Department Chair, based on your major and the type of work you will be completing at your internship site. This individual is responsible for collecting and grading your assignments, and will determine your final grade.

Internship Site – The Internship Site is where you will be working as an intern.

Work Supervisor – Your Work Supervisor is the individual who you directly report to at your Internship Site. This person should be in close contact with you throughout the entire experience, and is responsible for providing your training and orientation, high-impact work assignments, and regular feedback and evaluation.

Internship Application – This form is the first of three items that you must fill out and submit to the CCPD, in order to have your internship position be considered for acceptance into the for-credit program. It details student and employer information, and indicates how many credits you are applying for.

Internship Checklist – The checklist is an abridged version of this Internship Manual. It outlines all of the required steps each student must take as part of the application process. This form must be signed and submit to the CCPD along with the Internship Application.

Student Welcome Letter – Students receive this letter from the CCPD following enrollment. It briefly reviews important introductory information, informing the student of their course number (INTE ###), the name of their Faculty Coordinator, and the due date of the Learning Objectives Form.

Employer Agreement – This form is sent to the Work Supervisor, upon students’ enrollment. It informs the employer of enrollment, details employer responsibilities, and is signed and returned to the CCPD.

CCPD Internship Agreement – Sent to students in the confirmation email. Details student responsibilities, and is signed and returned to the CCPD/uploaded onto Cabrini Learn (see appendix #4).

Learning Objectives Form – This is the first assignment due. Students write measurable and achievable goals they will strive for throughout their internship. More details on page #. Returned to CCPD/uploaded onto Cabrini Learn (see appendix #5).

Assessment of Employer – Students’ final evaluation of their internship experience and Work Supervisor. This is uploaded as an assignment and additionally viewed by the CCPD.

Student Performance Evaluation – Employers’ final evaluation of the students’ performance and growth on the job. Employer’s submit this to the CCPD, and CCPD shares it with Faculty Coordinators for grading.

High-Impact Experience – An internship that provides students with high-value, professional work loads that actively develop necessary knowledge and skills to be successfully utilized in the post-graduation work world. Read more about High Impact Practices at https://www.aacu.org/leap/hips.

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What is an Internship?

Students of Cabrini University dedicate such a large portion of their time and energy to their studies,

attending numerous classes to learn sets of professional skills that they will one day transfer to the professional

work world. However, the first transition from classroom to workforce can be more challenging than expected.

Cabrini and the Center for Career and Professional Development (CCPD) works to ensure each and every

student is granted the opportunity to pursue temporary professional experiences, or internships, that will bolster

their Career Readiness and better prepare them for their first professional destination following graduation.

Internships are educational/academic courses that offer a quality learning experience, worthy of academic

credit. They afford students the invaluable opportunity to apply their holistic classroom learning to a

professional learning experience, that is directly correlated both with their major and desired career path.

Internships are used to build and enhance technical and industry skills, and gain real world experience, while

establishing your professional network with contacts in your field. All of this, plus incorporating the

internship(s) on your résumé, boots students’ marketability upon graduation.

Why Participate in an Internship?

The easy answer: Some academic majors now require that each student complete at least a 3-credit internship. Particular majors house their own internship program within that academic department (see appendix #10 for list of majors who utilize CCPD for internship credits)

The better answer: Gain the experience! Learn new, relevant skills! Apply classroom theory to actual work! Meet professionals and display your value directly to them! Earn pay and/or academic credits! The list of benefits can go on:

• Explore career options. Internship positions are available at companies and organizations representing the private sector, non-profit institutions, and government agencies, all at the local, state, and federal level.

o There are countless career options out there. Internships allows you to “dip your toe in the water” to test your personal comfort levels within a given role, organization, or industry.

• Earn 2 – 6 credits per semester (up to 12 general elective credits total) o # of credits is based upon the number of hours worked within a given semester’s timeframe.

• Obtain quantitative and technical abilities. Skills that may be required for the entry-level position! o Although jobs are titled “entry-level”, a lot of them required skills and experience that a new

graduate may not possess. Participating in an internship builds general Career Readiness, but also grants specialized opportunity to develop these skills. Hence, marketability increases.

• Improve your leadership and communication skills. Realize your capacity to be adaptable and professional. Develop your ability to work in diverse teams.

• Earn income (most internships include pay)

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Requirements and Qualifications

Student Requirements

Students should have a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Typically, the CCPD will approve internships for-credit for students that are at least at the sophomore level (minimum of 45 completed college credits). If you are under the minimum completed credits requirement, the CCPD will evaluate your application on a case-by-case basis, and will require additional approval by the respective academic department chair, and the Director of the CCPD.

Students must submit all required paperwork, filled out entirely and signed by each necessary party, by the designated semester deadline. See page # for more details.

Upon approval and subsequent enrollment in the Internship Program, the student will be enrolled in their respective internship course, INTE ###. Students are required to complete all course requirements dictated both by the CCPD and the Faculty Coordinator (the internship course instructor), in order to earn the credits at the end of each semester.

Internship Qualifications

A majority of opportunities that are as students’ internship experiences are marketed as ‘internships’ positions. However, almost any job can be utilized to earn the internship credits. The CCPD reviews each job description prior to approval, to ensure that the students’ internships reflect a HIGH-IMPACT EXPERIENCE.

• Internships MUST provide quality work assignments, allowing for professional development and leadership opportunities.

• Internships MUST provide close supervision, feedback, and evaluation from existing staff. The supervisor must possess expertise in the relevant area of students’ career interests/major.

• Career Readiness – NACE Career Competencies MUST be actively developed and strengthened throughout the internship experience (see appendix #8).

Internship Employers must also sign an agreement form, acknowledging their role as the students’ Work Supervisor as well as all of the responsibilities involved within that role. The CCPD will contact Work Supervisors to verify employment as well as the details of the submitted job description.

Students must work the minimum number of hours, within the timeframe of a given semester, in order to earn academic credits. The number of credits earned correlate with the number of hours worked.

• 2 Credits – 150 hours worked • 3 Credits – 225 hours worked • 4 Credits – 300 hours worked • 5 Credits – 375 hours worked • 6 Credits – 450 hours worked

Students’ Internship Responsibilities

Securing an Internship Experience

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The CCPD does a lot for Cabrini students’ career development, but through coaching, not placing. The ultimate responsibility of landing an internship position lies solely with the student. But, the CCPD will gladly assist you through each step if you choose to utilize our services!

How to Find an Internship?

There are many fantastic resources at your disposal throughout your internship search. Check out the CCPD website (www.cabrini.edu/career) to view them all! Handshake and CareerShift (use ‘Cabrini’ for Group on bottom of registration page) are our biggest internship search resources. Students are encouraged to schedule appointments with the Assistant Director if they need guidance using these resources, or perhaps need to discuss the search at other levels (such as, what interests me, what types of jobs should I look for, is my résumé strong enough?)

Use LinkedIn! If you do not already have a LinkedIn account, make one! Stop by the CCPD for assistance. LinkedIn is another fantastic career development site, and it is free to use. LinkedIn offers tons more benefits, allowing you to easily network with professionals in your field, and educate yourself on up-to-date industry trends.

Tap into your own Network. Even if you have not held a job or internship yet, you still have a network. Speak with your family, friends, and faculty about your internship search. You never know who will have a promising lead! Of course, the CCPD is constantly building our own employer relations, so do not forget to check in with us too! Other sources of internship positions could include:

• Cabrini University- Faculty & Staff • Church or Volunteer Institutions • Local / Community Organizations • On-campus Organizations and Clubs • Job Fairs, Newspapers, Other Online Job Search Sites

Last, you may want to ask yourself, “I am working at _______ currently. Can I use this as my internship?” You absolutely can! The CCPD will work with you and your current employer, to develop a high-impact plan to transform your job into an internship experience. The opportunity to increase your current responsibilities, learn higher-level aspects of the job, develop leadership and/or managerial skills, and strengthen NACE Career Competencies related to your major and career path MUST be present in order for a current job to be approved.

What is the Duration of an Internship?

The duration of an internship experience is one academic semester. Students must complete the minimum number of required hours within any given semester to obtain the respective number of credits at the conclusion of that semester. If the Internship Site re-hires you immediately, or they don’t terminate the position based on semester length, you are allowed to re-apply and use that same experience for internship credits in the following semester(s). However, if you return to the same Internship Site for subsequent semesters, your Faculty Coordinator will expect you to take on either more responsibility at work, and/or develop new and higher-level Learning Objectives. If you are doing the exact same thing, it may not be approved for additional credits.

Students’ Internship Responsibilities

How Do I Apply for Internship Positions?

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Internships are typically posted in the same manner that full-time jobs are. If you locate a posting, ensure that your resume is fine-tuned for the position, write an outstanding cover letter, and go ahead and apply directly on whatever site you located the job on. If a position was merely discussed with you in conversation, or during networking, you will want to follow up with the individual you spoke with, and inquire about how to apply.

Once I Secure my Internship, How Do I Apply for the CCPD Internship Program?

It is important to note that simply being hired at an Internship Site is not all that you need to do in order to receive academic credits for that experience. Once you are hired (congratulations!), then you can begin the formal process with the CCPD. It is the students’ sole responsibility to follow the process in order to apply for the Internship Program, and have their experience be considered for academic credit. Students must fill out all necessary application paperwork and submit information about the job itself to the CCPD for approval. The student step-by-step process is covered later in this manual. Once approved, the CCPD enrolls the student into their respective INTE course, through the Registrar’s Office.

Deadlines for CCPD Internship Program

Securing an internship, and applying for the experience to be used for credit through the CCPD Internship Program, must be done by the ADD/DROP date of any given semester. Internship is a course, and therefore students must be registered for it prior to the Registrar’s closing of the ADD/DROP period. This is typically within the first two weeks of the semester. It is extremely important that all students begin this process very early. Finding and securing an internship can take a lot of time. Start early!!!

Responsibilities Post-Enrollment

Students in the Program are enrolled in an online course, INTE ### (depending on year, semester, and major). Upon enrollment, all internship students have the responsibility of completing all assignments given by the Faculty Coordinator, by the designated due dates. Assignments vary by major, and Faculty Coordinator, so it is critical that you check your Cabrini email daily for updates and information, and/or log onto Cabrini Learn to access the online class portal, if your Faculty Coordinator chooses to utilize that platform. Failure to complete required assignments may result in student receiving a grade of No Credit, or Fail (depending on major)

Additional Student Responsibilities

While at work, students must remember to be professional, keep excellent attendance and punctuality, and must not quit their job during the semester. Furthermore, students must abide by all employers’ working hours, rules, and regulations. In the case of a layoff, strike, or termination, the student must notify the CCPD. Failure to do so may result in no academic credit being awarded. If a student is terminated, pursuit of another internship will be decided by the Faculty Coordinator and the CCPD.

Students’ Internship Responsibilities

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To summarize, please review the collective Student Internship Responsibilities below:

• Observe and follow all rules, policies, and procedures of the organization (Internship Site), including

any rules regarding confidentiality

• Cooperate with Work Supervisor, asking assistance when needed, and treat the entire experience in a professional manner

• Report any serious problem (safety, tasks you are untrained in, personnel issues) to an organization supervisor, your Faculty Coordinator, and the CCPD

• Complete all CCPD and INTE course assignments as outlined in the Internship Agreement, and instructed to you by your Faculty Coordinator

• Document all tasks, projects completed during your internship, and keep a weekly log of your work and progress (most majors require this)

• Track your schedule and hour logs independently, reporting discrepancies immediately to your Work Supervisor and the CCPD

Withdrawal

The CCPD and the Faculty Coordinator are able to administratively drop students from the INTE course, based on some circumstances:

• Unforeseen circumstances that prevent the student from beginning the internship experience. If a student cannot begin, or an organization cannot uphold their offer, this information must be communicated with the CCPD immediately, and the student must DROP the course

o Internships dropped after the ADD/DROP period will receive a “W” on their transcript

• Student exudes unprofessional and/or unethical behavior at the Internship Site, or in the INTE course

• Student’s failure to meet the prerequisite academic requirements determined by the CCPD, and without proper approval

• Student is being asked to perform unethically, or asked to complete tasks that require certification/training that has not yet been obtained by the student

• Any good cause including but not limited to any medical emergency

If a student wishes to DROP or WITHDRAW from the Internship Program, they must inform the CCPD, their Faculty Coordinator, and the Registrar’s Office. If the student dropping/withdrawing is continuing to work at the Internship Site, they must inform their Work Supervisor that they will no longer be receiving academic credits for the experience.

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Student Guide for the Internship Program

The following guide will detail the entire process of the Internship Program for interested students. Please visit the CCPD at any time if you have any questions regarding this process or about internships in general.

First Steps

• Meet with your academic advisor o Confirm that you are in a major that utilizes the CCPD for internship credits. Not all do! o Determine eligibility for the program o Discuss academic plan (# of credits, # of semesters, fit into schedule, etc.)

• Attend a Mandatory Internship Information Session. These are held each semester at the CCPD. Although this guide is readily available online, it is important to attend this session, as they will give the most up-to-date information on the process. Attendance at a session deems eligibility to apply for Internship Program for 2 subsequent semesters (Attend in Fall ‘18 = eligible to apply for Spring ‘19 & Summer ’19)

o Information on dates and times will be available on CCPD website and Handshake.

Next Steps

Don’t have an internship secured yet? That’s okay! See page 5 and visit the CCPD if you need assistance!

Secured an internship? Congratulations! It is time for the next steps in applying for entry into the Internship Program

• Fill out the Internship Application. All requested information must be included on the form, and signed by the student, as well as the student’s academic advisor.

o Schedule another meeting with your advisor, to get their signature on the Application. Contact the CCPD if there are any issues in obtaining the advisor signature.

• Read and sign the Internship Checklist. This checklist reviews the process once more, and the student signature acknowledges this process and procedure.

• Obtain an official Job Description from your Work Supervisor at your Internship Site. This is a crucial part of the CCPD’s vetting and approval process. Contact the CCPD if there are any issues in obtaining the job description.

• Update your resume! • Submit all of the required paperwork (Internship Application, Internship Checklist, Job Description, and

updated Resume) to the CCPD before the internship’s Add/Drop deadline, in order to be considered for acceptance into the Program.

Paperwork is Submitted. What Happens Next?

Sit back and relax! The CCPD will vet each experience submitted, contact the internship employers for verifications, and will decide on approval. Depending on how close to the deadline students submit everything, this process can take between 1-3 business days (if submitted closer to deadline, turnaround will be slower).

• Once the CCPD approves an experience, they will contact the Registrar and enroll you • Check your Cabrini email daily, for a confirmation email sent by the CCPD. This email will have all

next step instructions, and important paperwork for you to retain and use toward assignments. • Then, you’re in! Go be the best intern at work, and the best intern student in class! Enjoy the experience

you will gain and be ready to learn and grow from it!

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CCPD Internship Paperwork Breakdown

The next section contains important information regarding all of the CCPD Internship Paperwork that students will need throughout the application process and the internship program course. All of these forms will be

available for download on the CCPD website, under the Internships tab, and are also available within the CCPD office. If your course utilizes Cabrini Learn, copies of everything will also be provided there, as well as through

the confirmation email sent by the CCPD. Sample forms are shown in appendices.

• Internship Application o Details student & employer information. Needs accurate Work Supervisor information, start

date, # of credits requested, and student & academic advisor signature. Retain a copy for yourself.

• Internship Checklist

o Outlines process. Sign bottom of page in acknowledgement. There is no need to physically check off the boxes on this form.

• Student Welcome Letter

o Confirms your enrollment, your Faculty Coordinator, and the due date for your Learning Objectives. Retain a copy for yourself.

• Internship Agreement Form

o Details the student academic requirements throughout the duration of the internship experience/course. Must be signed and submitted. Retain a copy for yourself.

• Learning Objectives Form

o First page provides detailed instructions on how to complete this assignment, and how to properly use the form throughout the semester. This form is re-visited on two additional occasions during the course. Requires signatures from student, Work Supervisor, and ultimately the Faculty Coordinator upon grading.

• Assessment of Employer

o Student evaluated the Internship Site, Work Supervisor, and Achievement of Learning Objectives. Submit to CCPD and Faculty Coordinator.

• Student Performance Evaluation

o Work Supervisor evaluates the student’s overall job performance and achievement of internship goals and projects. These are shared between the Work Supervisor, the Faculty Coordinator, and the CCPD, and will impact students’ final grade.

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Faculty Guide for the Internship Program

This section of the Internship Program Manual is primarily for Cabrini Faculty members’ reference, as this Internship Program has gone through much rebuilding and redesigning over the last academic year. The Program will be ever evolving and adaptive, so please never hesitate to reach out to Mark Choquette, Assistant Director of the CCPD, at ext. 8305 or mark.choquette@cabrini.edu, if you have any questions or concerns about the Internship Program, or if you would like to learn more about how you can get your major involved, if it is not already.

If you are unsure of whether your academic department houses its own internship for-credit program, or if your students go through the CCPD’s program, you may refer to Appendix #10 for up-to-date information from all department chairs. If you are a department chair, and are interested in shifting your in-house internship program to the CCPD, the CCPD will happily schedule a meeting with your department to discuss the possibility.

If your department uses an in-house program for internships, but would like to take advantage of the CCPD’s employer partnerships to expand the number of opportunities that your students can explore, please reach out to the Assistant Director for Employer Relations at ext. 8594.

Academic Advisors

As an academic advisor, your role in the internship process is in the students Internship Program application phase. It is your responsibility to meet with your student, to discuss eligibility and schedule fit.

• Eligibility o 45 College Credits completed by start of internship o 2.0 GPA

• Schedule Fit o Discuss student’s plan and intended internship work schedule (hours-credits breakdown

is on bottom of page 4) o Students are allowed 12 total internship credits during their time as a Cabrini student o If adding INTE course pushes student over the 18 credit maximum, it is their

responsibility to drop a course, or request permission for overload and pay for the extra credits

As the student’s advisor, it is also your responsibility to review the job description with the student, prior to signing off on the Internship Application. Ask the student the tough questions:

• What will they gain out of the experience? • Does the Work Supervisor have the proper expertise in the work and interest area of the student? • Is the experience major and/or career path oriented? • Does the student possess the right amount of maturity and professionalism to undertake an

internship experience? • Can they handle the work hours along with their other scheduled courses?

This will ensure your students are receiving a true, high-impact experience. It also will benefit the student in getting mentally prepared for taking on their internship, keeping professionalism, goals and career readiness, and coursework in the forefront of their minds.

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Faculty Guide for the Internship Program

Faculty Coordinators

The selection of Faculty Coordinators is done by the Department Chair of each major. If you are a Faculty member and are interested in serving as a Faculty Coordinator for internships within your major, contact your Department Chair to discuss.

If you are a Faculty Coordinator, how you communicate with students and collect/grade assignments is your decision. As part of the re-design of the Internship Program, the CCPD has worked to streamline the academic process to Cabrini Learn. Certain majors have been on boarded to this streamlined process, but not all, so if you choose to simply use scheduled meetings and email correspondence, that is acceptable until a 100% process overhaul. Any changes will be actively communicated with Faculty members.

Duties & Responsibilities of Faculty Coordinators

1. Assist in the recruitment of students for the CCPD Internship Program

2. Recommend employers and work sites for the CCPD Internship Program

3. Advise students assigned to them through the CCPD Internship Program

4. Contact student enrollees on at least three separate occasions during the semester

• First Contact – Assist assigned student(s) in preparing their Learning Objectives assignment. Review Duties (what will be done), Conditions (how it will be done), Criteria (measure or evaluation of accomplishments), and Limits (deadlines).

• Second Contact – Meet with assigned student(s) around the mid-semester point, and receive an oral progress report on the students’ job experiences. This may also be an on-going process in the form of a log or journal that will be emailed between student and Faculty Coordinator.

• Third Contact – Evaluate the Learning Objectives final assignment (Achievement of Goals), review the Student Performance Evaluation data, discuss any reports or issues that may have arisen, or discuss/collect/review additional assignments given by the Faculty Coordinator

Grading Internship Students

As a Faculty Coordinator for students in all Communications majors, or the Religious Studies major, you will deliver a letter grade to your internship students.

As a Faculty Coordinator for students in all other majors, you will deliver a credit/no credit grade.

Until a fully streamlined process is implemented through Cabrini Learn, all Faculty Coordinators will fill out a Grade Sheet for each of their internship students, and submit it to the Assistant Director of the CCPD. This individual will input the grades through Cabrini One for you.

Faculty Coordinator Pay

The Faculty Coordinator will be paid $80.00 per student under his/her advisement. The CCPD will fill out a Supplemental Pay Sheet near the end of each semester for you.

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Faculty Guide for the Internship Program

Learning Objectives Assignment

Within the first week on the job, the Intern will consult with his/her supervisor to determine tasks and responsibilities to accomplish during the internship period. The Intern will enlist their supervisor’s help in creating Learning Objectives. The Intern prepares preliminary Learning Objectives that the Work Supervisor will approve (signature). The Intern then meets with his/her Faculty Coordinator for comments, changes and final approval of the Learning Objectives (signature). Interns are provided a due date for their Objectives by CCPD when registered. The student will furnish the Assistant Director, the Faculty Coordinator, and the Work Supervisor with copies of the approved Objectives by the end of the second week at work (date assigned).

It is important for the Faculty Coordinator to review the Intern’s Objectives with a critical eye. The Objectives must be robust, measurable, and possible to accomplish within the given semester. Faculty can be immensely helpful in guiding students’ goals to demonstrate a quality learning experience, to be productive, fulfilling, and reasonable.

Student Performance Evaluation and Assessment of Employer

Near the midway point of the semester, the CCPD will send the Student Performance Evaluation to all internship employers. They will be asked to complete it for the interns, and the data will be collected by the CCPD and distributed to all Faculty Coordinators. These reports should be utilized as part of the intern’s grading. The CCPD will follow up with employers who do not fill this report out on time.

In the final two weeks of the semester, students should be completing the Assessment of Employer Form and submitting that directly to the Faculty Coordinator. This is great data to have, as it gives us a better idea of the student’s true experiences, and highlights successes and shortcomings of Internship Sites. Please ensure that this data is shared with the CCPD as it comes in.

Other Assignments

Aside from the all of the signed primary forms, the Learning Objectives, the Student Performance Evaluation, and the Assessment of Employer, assignments are created and dictated by the Faculty Coordinator. Typically, weekly logs or written journal entries are collected, or perhaps official hour log sheets can be distributed. What else you would like to include for the academic portion of the Internship Program is up to you, beyond the CCPD required assignments listed above.

We appreciate your dedication and the great amount of time and energy that is required for this role.

THANK YOU FOR SERVING AS A FACULTY COORDINATOR!

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Appendices

1. Internship Application

2. Internship Checklist

3. Student Welcome Letter

4. Internship Agreement

5. Learning Objectives

6. Student Performance Evaluation

7. Assessment of Employer

8. NACE Core Career Competencies Sheet

9. US Department of Labor – Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act

10. Major/Departments Internship Reference Sheet

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1. Internship Application (2 pages)

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2. Internship Checklist

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3. Student Welcome Letter

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4. CCPD Internship Agreement Form

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5. Learning Objectives Form (4 pages)

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6. Student Performance Evaluation (2 pages)

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7. Assessment of Employer (2 pages)

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8. NACE Core Career Competencies Sheet (2 pages)

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9. US Department of Labor – Internship Programs Under The Fair Labor Standards Act

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10. Major/Departments Internship Reference Sheet