Faculty Sponsor Information

Quick Links for Roles and Responsibilities

The Faculty Sponsor

The Faculty Sponsor provides guidance to the student and oversight of the individual academic internship. The role of the Faculty Sponsor is to review the proposed internship for quality and rigor at the 300 level, help students develop learning goals, set academic means of evaluation, follow up with the student throughout the internship, and assign the P/F grade at the end of the term. Faculty Sponsors are also asked to schedule a site visit (in person or through other means where possible). 

Expectations of a Faculty Sponsor

The role of a Faculty Sponosor is to ensure that the internship is a valuable learning experience for the student. Faculty can do this by completing the following essential duties at key points in the Academic Internship processes: 

1. Registration Review and Approval Process:
   1. Course Designation and Credit: Academic Internships are designated as major or elective credit (NDL). Based on the description of the internship, work with the student to determine if the experience should be counted as major or elective credit. Verify that the indicated credit load (between 0.5-3 credits) is allowed by the department. 
   2. Internship Description: Review the duties of the internship to determine experience quality and intellectual rigor. Academic Internships are credited at the 300 level. Request revisions or clarification where needed. 
   3. Learning Outcomes: Review and provide feedback on the student’s Learning Outcomes and Tasks. Determine appropriateness of Learning Outcomes for the 300 level internship course and registered number of credits.
   4. Students will submit their academic internship form via Handshake, Career Development's online platform
      1. This form will require students to provide the following details: responsibilities, learning outcomes, faculty and site supervisor. Learning outcomes should be reviewed and approved by faculty sponsors prior to submitting the electronic form.
   5. Designated faculty sponsors will receive and email from Handshake titled: An Experience Needs Your Approval
      1. Faculty should review the form and click approve or deny. If denied, students can edit the form and resubmit for corrections. All forms are reviewed by Career Development prior to approval requests from faculty or site sponsors.

Click here to view a video on the Faculty Sponsor Academic Internship approval process via Handshake.

1. Evaluation: 
   • Academic Assignments: To assess the connection of knowledge developed in the classroom to a professional setting Faculty Sponsors are asked to set academic work as a component of the internship.
   • Types of Assignments: Assignments from Faculty Sponsors can consist of one or more of the following: topic or reflection paper; journaling; selected readings; portfolio; other assignment as determined by the Faculty Sponsor. Faculty Sponsors are asked give one or more of the following assignments: a summary paper, journal assignments, and selected readings. 
   • Site Supervisor Evaluations: At the end of the internship, evaluations can be requested from the Site Supervisor which will be shared with the Faculty Sponsor
   • Grading: All academic internships are graded on a pass/fail basis and should be submitted by the deadline established by the Registrar.
2. Communication:
   • Student Contact: Regular, consistent engagement and contact with student throughout internship is expected.
   • Site Visit: Around the middle of the term Faculty Sponsors are asked to schedule a site visit (in person or through other means where possible) to meet with the student and the Site Supervisor to discuss the internship and assess the value and quality of the experience. Career Development will conduct site visits on the behalf of the Faculty Sponsor as needed. Mileage and parking expenses will be reimbursed for all site visits.

Additional Expectations: For a complete list of the faculty's expectations for faculty members who serve as Faculty Sponsors, please refer to the Faculty Sponsor Vision Statement .

Internship (Summer and Semester)

For more information on policies regarding Academic Internships, see the Internship Program section of the Catalog. 

Student Registration

1. Obtaining an internship: It is the responsibility of the student to search and apply for internships. Gustavus Career Development provides various resources for students including Handshake, an online job and internship database to discover an internship, and resources by interest area.
2. Completing the registration form: Students who seek to earn academic credit for an internship must initiate and submit the required completed registration form by the applicable deadline to Career Development for final review and approval for registration. The Registration form must be completed via Handshake,this videoprovides instruction for students to complete the online form.
   1. Additional information on Academic Internship Registration can be found here.
3. Fees: For Fall and Spring Academic Internships, there are no additional fees to the student as long as the total credits are not above the maximum. Summer Academic Internships have an associated fee set yearly by the College's Board of Trustees.
4. Registration Deadlines: See Academic Credit Information
   

 5. Time Requirements and Credit Information: 

Click here for more information regarding the student's registration process for a Semester or Summer Academic Internship.

Site Supervisor

The Site Supervisor will be the individual who the Gustavus student reports to at the internship site and the point of contact for the Faculty Sponsor. While a student can work in a relative's office, that family member cannot be the student's Site Supervisor. 

For more information on the role of the Site Supervisor, click HERE.

International Internships

Registration:

Students who register to earn credit for an internship at any site located outside of the United States must complete the Semester and Summer Internship Registration Form and also complete registration through the off-campus study online application system through the Center for International and Cultural Education (http://gustavus.studioabroad.com/). Additional fees will apply. 

Deadlines:

The registration deadlines for international academic internships are earlier than those for domestic academic internships. See the Registration Deadlines section above for specific deadlines.

Career Exploration (January Interim)

Requirements

J-Term: Internships or shadowing experiences must total 30+ hours. Timelines and perimeters must be approved by the Career Office and Faculty Sponosor prior to start of internship or shadowing experience. The Interim Career Exploration requires at least sophomore status in order to receive academic credit. The student must intern for 30+ hours per week, and will receive one Interim academic credit at the 200 level for the experience. 

Faculty Sponsor: In the Interim Career Exploration Program, a limited group of faculty from pre-designated departments, as arranged by the Office of the Provost, are assigned the role of Faculty Sponsor. Students are placed with faculty sponsors based on discipline and consideration is taken to disperse students as evenly as possible between Faculty Sponsors.

Registration Process

1. Pre-Registration: During Interim registration (late October or early November) students should register for NDL-068 in order to reserve a place. This should be done instead of signing up for a class, even if the student does not yet have a Career Exploration site finalized. 
2. Registration/Application Form: Once the student has a commitment from a site for the Career Exploration, the student will complete the Career Exploration Application Form and submit it, by the registration deadline, to Career Development.
3.  Approval: Career Development and the assigned Faculty Sponsors will determine the process for review and approval of requested Career Exploration experiences. January Interim Faculty Sponsors for Career Explorations are listed here, or visit the January Career Exploration page. 

Registration Deadline information can be found here.

Career Development 

The role of Career Development is to assist the student at key points in the Academic Internship and Career Exploration process:

1. Search: Provide advice and assistance with resume and cover letter writing, manage the identification of prospective employers (including maintenance of the Handshake database), and assist with interview preparation.
2. Registration: Provide reliable information by the most accessible means available, work in harmony with the Registrar’s Office, enforce registration deadlines and requirements firmly, consistently, and fairly.
3. Orientation: Provide reliable information and encouragement to enable students to commence their Career Explorations or internships with confidence, and set high expectations for professionalism both on campus and at internship site.
4. Employer Relations: Promote Gustavus to employers, cultivate and maintain relationships with employer partners, risk management, site evaluation, and troubleshooting.

You are encouraged to contact Career Development at any time if you have questions or concerns.

Updated 7/29/19 JF