There are several stakeholders involved in the total internship experience – understanding everyone’s role will help you better understand your own.
Academic Advisor
Faculty Supervisor
•Seek out a faculty supervisor
•Talk with students early in their academic career about internships and timeliness of arranging the experience
•Meet with the site supervisor prior to the internship to clarify expectations and responsibilities
•Discuss with the student intern how internship credit could fit into their program of study
•Knowledgable about the field in which the internship is requested •Help the intern integrate the internship into his or her total academic experience •Discuss the student's goals in locating and completing an internship •Serve as a resource for the student in locating and evaluating the appropriate internship •Help the student in defining academic requirements for the internship such as a journal, paper, relevant research and/or project •Maintain appropriate contact with the student throughout the internship to give direction and support •At the end of the semester, meet with the student intern to review the academic projects, to review the experience and evaluate the learning derived •Assign and submit course grade
Student Intern •Select the internship that best fits academic, career and personal needs
•Complete academic assignments as assigned by the faculty supervisor •Maintain high standards of professionalism while at the internship site •Following the internship, send thank you notes to those who were instrumental to the expeirence •Evaluate the internship site and overall experience •Share the good news of your internship expeirence with other SFA students!
Site Supervisor •Has experience/expertise in the internship area •Determine qualifications for the position, interview and orient interns to the organization, and supervise work •Serve as a mentor, sharing the pros and cons of a career in the field and giving suggestions for entering the profession •Meet with the intern on a regular basis to guide performance, answer questions, and provide background information and resources related to the intern's work •Provide an evaluation in written form at the end of the internship •Recommend ways to enhance the intern's professional and academic development
Rusk Building, 3rd Floor 936.468.3305 careerservices@sfasu.edu www.sfasu.edu/careerservices