The ideal method for motivating student involvement in internships is to integrate the internship experience into the department's existing curriculum. This ensures the participation of the student and creates the ideal learning environment as the student is able to more fully link academic learning with real-life situations and experiences in a structured manner. Encourage student participation through an ongoing campaign that educates students on the value and timing of an internship. Some tactics follow, though this is in no way a complete list of options.
To Increase Student Participation...
Class presentations Posters in building hallways, bulletin boards, offices, common areas, classrooms, TVs, etc. Add department internship information into student orientation materials or presentations. Develop a department internship website with information about participating in an internship and links to Jobs4Jacks and/or Career Services website. Issue department emails each semester (or as often as appropriate) encouraging internship involvement. Develop t-shirts with your department's internship slogan or tagline and give to all students who participate in an internship. Post internship success stories on departmental bulletin boards, website, etc. Encourage students to attend Career Services’ Career Expo to locate internship opportunities. Add the department's internship information/philosophy into the General Bulletin. Have department academic advisors encourage students to complete an internship during their time at SFA. Include an "Internship of the Week" column into a departmental newsletter with an internship opportunity that would be applicable to many students. Maintain a list of department-specific internship opportunities.
Adapted from Brigham Young University’s Encourage Internship Involvement.
Rusk Building, 3rd Floor 936.468.3305 careerservices@sfasu.edu www.sfasu.edu/careerservices