Gustavus Adolphus College

Career Center Intern Assignments

Reflection Questions Interim Experience 2009

Students participating in an interim career exploration are required to complete a series of reflection questions for the career center. These questions involve 12 Essential Competencies that employers look for in college graduates. The core competencies will help you articulate the value of your career exploration experience and relate what you have learned to your future vocation. The core values are focal points from which you learn about yourself in relation to your career exploration and the world around you. Your career exploration should help you become more aware of your sense of work and help you identify your gift and talents. To help you accomplish this, you will respond to four sets of reflection questions that involve the following 12 Essential Competencies:

Working in a diverse environment, Acquiring knowledge, Communicating effectively, Managing time and priorities, Thinking critically, Solving Problems, Contributing to a team, Performing with integrity, Balancing work and life, Navigating across boundaries, Developing professional competencies, Embracing change

Career Exploration Reflection Questions Interim 2009- Due January 30th

Week One- Answer on Wednesday, January 7th, 2009

What is the your organization’s mission statement? How does this mission align with your own values and the lifestyle you may want in the future?

What steps have you taken to adjust to interning full-time during January? In what ways are you embracing the people and environment around you?

What things do you need to learn to be successful at this experience? How do you define success?

What is the biggest challenge you are now facing? What will you do to solve/deal/manage these challenges?

Week Two- Answer on Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

Describe the types of work styles that you have observed (both positive or negative) in others at your organization?

How has this affected your own sense of work styles?

In what ways do you effectively communicate with your internship site supervisor regarding your work?

Describe how you are contributing to the work of the team or organization: What skills from experiences in clubs or organizations otherwise have you been able to utilize?

Week Three-Answer on Wednesday, January 21th, 2009

What is your current perspective of this career field? Can you envision yourself working in this type of environment full-time? Why or why not?

In what ways have you been forced outside of your comfort zone during your career exploration? What did you learn through these experiences about yourself and others?

(Diversity, Embracing Change)

Describe how you have worked in a diverse environment: What types of diversity have you encountered? How did you feel about these and how have this affected your experience and understanding of others?

Week Four-Answer on Wednesday, January 28th, 2009

In what ways have you discovered that this career may or may not fit with your vocational callings?

How have you found that it is important for you to spend your time while not working?

Describe what you thought you were going to learn vs. what you actually learned during your career exploration:

 

                

Students should update their profiles on G-Net to view listings. Internship information sessions, deadlines, etc. can be viewed on the Career Center Events Calendar. More recommended Internship Listing

• The Nancy Pautz Memorial Career Exploration Award is open to students of all majors exploring vocation through a month long, off-campus, full-time, experience. The primary goal of this program is to help students participating in an Interim Career Exploration engage in substantive reflection on issues of vocation, lives of service and how a career reflects the larger sense of self, purpose, and contribution to society. This program awards a small number of students up to $300 to cover expenses incurred while participating in an Interim Career Exploration. Students demonstrating financial need, commitment to genuine exploration, and the ability to participate in required program components are given priority consideration. Application here.

 

As part of an internship or career exploration you are required to complete a series of reflection questions. The reflection questions are sent to both the faculty sponsor and the internship director. Typically, answers are three to five sentences in length. Questions are emailed to students every third Friday during the semester.

In addition, students are to complete at least two informational interviews. Think of specific questions related to your future career options and do not ask questions that can be easily obtained from the organization's website or other sources. The point of the informational interview is to learn more about this career path & discover the true nature of the work and determine if it could be a viable future option for you. Informational interviews are also a great way to develop your network and career mentor base.

Informational Interviews Sample Questions

• How did you obtain your position?
• What do you enjoy most about this position?
• What are the biggest challenges of your position?
• What is a typical day like?
• What are the entry-level opportunities in this field?
• What are the trends in this field?
• What skills & personalities do you look for?
• What advice do you have for me?

   

• How do I register for a Semester or Summer internship?

Registration for semester & summer internships requires a completed internship description form (pdf version) signed by the site supervisor at the host organization. After career center approval, the student receives the full semester/summer registration form via campus mail. This form is completed with a Gustavus faculty sponsor and returned to the Career Center before the deadline. Students must attend an orientation, wrap-up reflection session, and complete all assignments prior to receiving credit. Typically, internships fulfill elective credits only and are on a pass/no pass basis

How do I register for an International Internship?

Students planning to participate in an internship abroad are required to complete application and orientation with the Office of International Education. In addition, please note the early deadlines for internships abroad: October 1 for January Interim Experience 2008; October 1 for Spring Semester 2008; October 1 for Summer Internships 2008; March 1, 2008 for fall 2008. Please note that passports can take up to 14 weeks for processing. Visas can take even longer and may require in-person arrangements at the appropriate embassy (typically Chicago or Washington DC) See http://embassy.org/embassies/ for a list of embassies. The International Internship Form is required of all students. Gustavus will not sponsor an internship in any country with a current travel warning. See State Department Website for a list of countries with advisories. Be wary of frequent changes and updates. International internship links below.

Reflection

Reflection is an essential component of any internship. Ideally, reflection begins before you start your internship, continues during the experience, and culminates with a reflection session at the completion of your experience. The reflection sessions are held most semesters and will be scheduled by the career center. To prepare for the reflection sessions, you will answer questions during your experience and identify skills, values, and articulate how your experience has helped shape your career path. Also, these questions serve as a guide for the small group reflection sessions that will take place at the end of your experience.

If you do not have access to email while you are at your internship or career exploration, please contact the career center to receive your questions in advance.

Site Visits

Faculty are encouraged to visit students at the internship site whenever possible. Site visits can be done at any time during the internship or career exploration. You will be reimbursed for mileage and expenses. Preferably, you should reserve a college vehicle to conduct site visits. To make reservations for a College vehicle please call Telecommunications by dialing “O”. Vehicle expenses can be covered by the Career Center.

If you take a student and their site supervisor to lunch, the Career Center will reimburse you. Because of our limited travel budget, we will limit that reimbursement to a maximum of $15 per person. All charges made on your Gustavus credit card should include details of the purchase. In addition to the itemized receipts, the College requires that you include each individual's name and the name of the organization(s) you visited.

Information for Faculty

As faculty sponsor it is expected that you maintain weekly contact with your student intern and, if practical, visit the student at their organization. Most faculty assign a summary paper, selected readings, and two or more informational interviews. Grading is pass/fail and submitted by faculty the the Registrar's on-line at the end of the experience. Currently, a faculty based Internship Advisory Committee is being formed. Contact the Career Center for more information.

Evaluations

The Career Center sends a final evaluation to the site supervisor approximately two weeks prior to the end date of the internship. This form may be copied and shared with other staff that have worked with the student within the organization. Site supervisors should complete the evaluation(s) and have the student sign the form before returning to the Career Center. Also, the evaluation can be used as a guide to offer students feedback and conduct an exit interview as appropriate.

Information for Internship Site Supervisors

A complete guide for site supervisors is available in pdf here. As site supervisor we look to you to create an environment where students are challenged and supported throughout their experience. As site supervisor you serve as a mentor and your openness and accessibility are extremely important to the success of the internship program. The following suggestions may he helpful as you work with student interns:

1. Offer students orientation & training opportunities to explain your organization's expectations regarding work hours, dress, confidentiality, etc..
2. Be prepared to invest time in interns, particularly in the first few days. Ideally, set a daily or weekly meeting time to "check in" and answer questions.
3. Engage students in pre-professional activities; limit clerical or menial tasks such as filing, copying and answering phones as much as possible.
4. Assist students with learning about the larger issues of your work, including how their work fits in with the mission statement of your organization.
5. Provide students the opportunity to network with people within your organization to learn more about related career options.
6. Ask students to offer a final presentation or summary report of their experience.

Featured programs & recommended internship listings

• MN Council for Non-profit Very current internship & job listings for MN non-profits. Other career resources included too
• University of St. Thomas internship listings
• HECUA-Paid summer internships in MN, WI, and IA. City Arts, Metro Urban Studies Team and other opportunities in Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the US.
• Washington Internship Institute-Innovative internships in the nation's capitol
• Idealist.org-Action Without Borders. Widely respected organization. Search worldwide listings for all majors. Paid & unpaid listings. Look for annual conference too.
• Lutheran World Relief LWR partners with over 50 countries worldwide to help people grow food, improve health, strengthen communities, end conflict, build livelihoods, and recover from disaster. Features include a Fair Trade Coffee J-term position in Nicaragua. Other internships in Columbia, East Africa, West Africa, Asia, India, Europe, Central and South America, the Middle East, Philippines. Now offering e-internships (student based on-campus) working with public policy.
• World Camp (programs in Malawi, Honduras, and India)
• Going Global
• Internabroad.com
• Australearn.com
• USAID Student intern positions in the Bureau for Legislative Affairs, Public Affairs, and the Office of General Counsel. 3.0 GPA and early application required.
• TravelTree Internship programs abroad searchable by country or subject. Great resource for anyone looking for internship experience abroad.
• Global Citizens Network- Short-term volunteer teams to Guatemala, Kenya, Nepal, Peru, Tanzania, Thailand, and Mexico. Domestic opportunities in AZ, KY, NM, WA.
• INROADS-Paid internships for ethnic minority students (must had two summers remaining while at Gustavus)
• Directory of Nonprofit Organizations of Color in MN- Great resource listing non-profit that primarily serve communities of color. Recently updated!
• Birkbeck, University of London Internships for all majors in England.
• MN House of Representatives Internships
• Government Job and Internships
• Human Rights Campaign Internships for GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender) students
• Eco.org-The most respected environmental internship program in the US
• Please contact the career center to have a copy sent to you. Read information about internship fairs, other internship listings (below), practice interview program, and resume and cover letter tips.

• The Nancy Pautz Memorial Award Winners Announced!

  Congratulations Winners

   

  • Goinglobal.com (see Brian in the Career Center for temporary password)
  • Internabroad.com
  • Australearn.com
  • BUNAC.org
  • HECUA-Paid summer internships in MN, WI, and IA. City Arts, Metro Urban Studies Team and other opportunities in Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the US.
  • Idealist.org-Action Without Borders. Widely respected organization. Search worldwide listings for all majors. Paid & unpaid listings. Look for annual conference too.
  • Lutheran World Relief LWR partners with over 50 countries worldwide to help people grow food, improve health, strengthen communities, end conflict, build livelihoods, and recover from disaster. Features include a Fair Trade Coffee J-term position in Nicaragua. Other internships in Columbia, East Africa, West Africa, Asia, India, Europe, Central and South America, the Middle East, Philippines. Now offering e-internships (student based on-campus) working with public policy.

  The Practice Interview Program (PIP)

  The Career Center Practice Interview Program is designed to help students prepare for an interview. The program offers practice interviews for jobs, internships, graduate school and health professions. The Career Center offers trained interviewers who will ask common questions, help you formulate your responses and provide evaluation feedback. The interview is videotaped and confidential. To schedule a practice interview call the Career Center at 933-7586 or contact Heather Banks for additional information.

Basic Information

An internship is one form of Experiential Learning. Internships provide you with a way to learn about career fields and develop skills through direct work experience. Internship tasks should challenge you in new ways and should not involve more than 30-40% clerical work. Gustavus interns are expected to perform pre-professional activities that contribute to the host organization in a positive way.

Other forms of Experiential Learning include, Community Service, Service Learning Class projects as well as Study Abroad.

Are you Ready for an Internship?

To determine whether an internship would be right for you, ask yourself the following questions.

1. I would like to extend my learning beyond the classroom.
2. I sometimes wonder how my classes apply to the world of work.
3. It would not be necessary for me to earn money for an internship.
4. I have no idea whether I will attend graduate school since I don't know what I would study.
5. I would like to "try out" a particular field of work to see if it might relate to my major.

I Don't Know What I Want to Do!

• Make a list of classes, activities, and jobs you have enjoyed. Look for patterns or themes.
• Browse Internship postings on eRecruiting or in the Career Center.
• Visit the Career Planning page.
• Bring a list of ideas to the Internship Director to discuss your options.

Which Careers? Which Majors?

Internships are available in ALL career fields.

Look for internships that overlap with your major. This is a great way to check out other career fields that relate to your interests.

Will I be Paid?

Many internships are paid work and others are unpaid. In some cases, you may receive payment for an internship at a non-profit organization through the Federal Student Employment Program. See the director for details.

Though the short-term financial sacrifice may be difficult, we hope the long-term benefit to you is the practical work experience which will go on your resume and may get you your dream job!