Thank you for your interest in serving as an intern supervisor for our URI students. If you have any questions about the form, please contact Sarah Miller at sgmiller@uri.edu.
The Center for Career and Experiential Education (CCEE) has many resources that can assist you with creating a position, as well as helping you find a student.
Development | We can guide your placement site through the development of an experiential opportunity that is mutually beneficial for both you and your student. |
---|---|
Visit | Upon request we will conduct a site visit to your organization to better understand your office environment, get an idea for what tasks you have available for the student, or even help you design or make changes to your experiential opportunity. |
Promotion | We can promote your placement site through the office as a spotlight placement and during advising or information sessions. We would love to help you in any way with finding the right student for you. |
Correspondence | Contact with the placement site prior to working with a student, we can provide feedback and support while working with your student, and follow up to prepare for future opportunities. |
Our primary concern is providing our students with a professional learning experience. In order to do this we ask the supervisor and placement site to:
-
Provide the student with a hands-on learning experience that combines practical application, observation, professional opportunities and mentorship.
-
Provide feedback on the student goals and assist the student in meeting the objectives.
-
Provide adequate supervision in a safe environment with the necessary tools and equipment to perform intended services.
-
Be willing to provide more autonomy and responsibility as the intern demonstrates competence.
Past students have indicated that regularly scheduled meetings with the supervisor to discuss work assignments and performance greatly enhances the student’s experience as well as productivity.
There are many different tasks for students that may or may not be appropriate for a student who is earning credit. The majority of work should be beneficial for the student and enhance their career goals or objectives. If you are unsure of whether something is appropriate or inappropriate contact the CCEE. Here are some examples of each:
Appropriate Work for a Student | Inappropriate Work for a Student |
---|---|
• Development, assessment, or evaluation of programs | • Personal errands for employer |
The Department of Labor holds that if all six of the following conditions are met, the student is not considered an employee and not entitled to at least minimum wage and overtime:
-
The training, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to that which would be given in a vocational school.
-
The training is for the benefit of the trainees.
-
The trainees do not displace regular employees, but work under close observation.
-
The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the trainees, and on occasion his operations may actually be impeded.
-
The employer and the trainees understand that the trainees are not entitled to wages for the time spent training.
-
The trainees are not necessarily entitled to a job at the completion of the training period.
Preparing for Your Student
- Upon arrival your student will need an introduction to your organization, including the structure, policies (both formal & informal), dress code, agency mission, clientele, and confidentiality issues.
- Consider the necessary resources and prepare a workspace for the student to do the job successfully.
- Determine what time and when you will be available during the week for your student to access you.
- Consider responsibilities that are career related, challenging, and realistic for your student to complete.
At the Start of the Experience
- Clarify the agency’s mission, clientele, and confidentiality issues.
- Orient the student to their new work environment and safety issues.
- Discuss what roles and responsibilities the student will have.
- Provide supervisor contact information including phone and email.
- Outline agency policies including dress, parking, and hours.
During the Experience
- Conduct an orientation and training session.
- Clarify the access a student has to a supervisor during the week.
- Assign duties that are career related, challenging, and realistic.
- Provide the necessary resources to do the job successfully.
- Use the company’s best people as supervisors and mentors.
- Include student in daily activities – including lunch!
- Provide detailed explanations of projects students are starting.
- Provide timely feedback regarding student’s job performance through the evaluation process and daily interaction.
- Offer compensation when feasible and appropriate.
- Encourage networking by creating opportunities for the students to interact with key people within the organization.
- Offer real, meaningful work to the interns that they can showcase in their professional portfolio.
Many academic departments use the following best practices to ensure a successful experience. To learn more about these practices, contact the Center for Career and Experiential Education.
Seminar
In addition to the experience itself, many students enroll in a seminar through the Center for Career and Experiential Education. Seminars focus on the student’s learning experiences, as well as professional and career development. The seminar makes the connection between academic background and practical experience. In seminar, the students create a learning contract. This acts as a road map for the student’s learning experience and serves as the outline for their final project, the portfolio. The Learning Contract will determine:
What the student wants to learn, accomplish, and experience (learning objectives)
This is a non-binding application. If you decide the ITR Internship Program is not the right fit for you, please notify your Career Education Specialist (CES).
How the student will prove in his/her portfolio the objectives have been met
Learning Contract and Portfolio
The learning contract serves as the academic and professional road map for the student’s semester. The learning contract clearly identifies the student’s learning objectives and how they plan to accomplish them, as well as the work place requirements, intern responsibilities, and hours. Students must submit their learning contracts by the third week of the semester. We ask our supervisors to take the time to meet with the intern during the first week of the placement to discuss and negotiate this very important requirement. At the conclusion of the internship, the student creates a professional portfolio based on the content of the Learning Contract.
Mid-term and Final Evaluations
At the mid and final points of the semester we recommend supervisors complete evaluations on their student’s performance. We encourage supervisors to take the time to discuss the evaluation with the student and provide feedback on their performance. These evaluations will help in determining if the student is productive at the mid and final points of the semester. Students appreciate this feedback from you and it is part of their learning to understand where they are proficient and where they can improve.
How Do I Get Started?
The Center for Career and Experiential Education uses RhodyNet, a software system which allows employers to post job and internship opportunities, as well as register for career fairs. RhodyNet will allow you to market your openings to URI students seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Students will then have the ability to view the opportunity and apply directly to you via the contact information you provided.
-
Go to RhodyNet
-
To create an account for your organization, click on Employers, select “Register” (under the login boxes), complete contact information and follow the instructions to create an account.
-
Once registered, click the “Post a Job” and select the appropriate position type to post the position. Note: Be sure to complete all mandatory fields (indicated with an *).
-
After a quick approval from the Center for Career and Experiental Education, your position will be live on the site. You can also view and register for job fairs under the Career Events tab.
-
For sample internship descriptions, please visit: http://www.internships.com/employer/resources/internships
-
It is our goal to recruit and refer students to the opportunities listed on RhodyNet. However, due to the elective nature of the program (experiences are not mandatory), the CCEE cannot guarantee students for any particular semester.
-
In addition, if you chose to select a specific student and would prefer not to post on RhodyNet you can bypass the RhodyNet process. Please contact the CCEE for further assistance.
Fall/Spring Internship Hours & Credits (13 wks) | Summer Internship Hours & Credits (10 wks) |
|
---|---|---|
Field Experience ITR 302 Pass/Fail credit 35 hours per credit | 3 cr – 105 hrs | 8 hrs/wk | 3 cr – 105 hrs | 11 hrs/wk |
4 cr – 140 hrs | 11 hrs/wk | 4 cr – 140 hrs | 14 hrs/wk | |
5 cr – 175 hrs | 13 hrs/wk | 5 cr – 175 hrs | 18 hrs/wk | |
6 cr – 210 hrs | 16 hrs/wk | 6 cr – 210 hrs | 21 hrs/wk | |
7 cr – 245 hrs | 19 hrs/wk | 7 cr – 245 hrs | 25 hrs/wk | |
8 cr – 280 hrs | 22 hrs/wk | 8 cr – 280 hrs | 28 hrs/wk | |
9 cr – 315 hrs | 24 hrs/wk | 9 cr – 315 hrs | 32 hrs/wk | |
10 cr – 350 hrs | 27 hrs/wk | 10 cr – 350 hrs | 35 hrs/wk | |
11 cr – 385 hrs | 30 hrs/wk | 11 cr – 385 hrs | 39 hrs/wk | |
12 cr – 420 hrs | 32 hrs/wk | 12 cr – 420 hrs | 42 hrs/wk | |
Seminar ITR 304 Letter Grade | + 3 credits | + 3 credits |