Furman University

Employers

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FURMAN INTERNSHIP PROGRAM SITE GUIDELINES

• What does Furman look for in an internship?
• Skills of Furman Students-Some Examples
• Furman Internship Office Services
• Time Table for Recruiting
• Guide for Internship Supervisor/Intern Interaction

What does Furman look for in an internship?

An internship that is a supervised work or service experience which includes:

• the opportunity to apply academic studies to the work experience

• the evidence that the internship will result in a meaningful experience in which the intern is involved in significant professional work

• the ability for the intern to learn about potential career paths

• the opportunity for the intern to meet specific learning goals and to reflect actively on what she or he is learning throughout the experience.
  
• the chance to work off-campus to understand the daily responsibilities in a work environment.
  

Internships vary in duration from 8-10 weeks, can be part-time during the academic year or full-time during the summer, and are either paid or unpaid.  They may be part of a course of study and evaluated for academic credit by the faculty or individual non-credit internships.

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Skills of Furman students-Some Examples:

Survey implementation/analysis:  Including employee attitude surveys and customer or marketing surveys.

Research:  In policies, law, demographics, government records, field research, laboratory studies, comparative reviews, financial data,  etc.

Database maintenance and reporting:  Setting up databases, maintaining data and preparing and analyzing reports.

Process review/update: Reviewing procedures and processes and making recommendations for improvement:  document review, data collection, supply chain, for example.

Writing and/or Graphic Design:  Press releases, web-sites, brochures, presentations, newsletters, articles, promotional items.  Plus writing grants, reports, action plans, training procedures, etc.

Events/Programming:  Developing programs, logistics, promotions, donor relations, etc.

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Furman Internship Office Services:

• Works with organizations to identify internship opportunities that meet our criterion and match the skill sets and interests of our students.

• Meets with Furman students in workshops and on a one-to-one basis to identify their skills and areas of interest and to help them prepare for the application process and interview. 

• Works with faculty to confirm that internships meet the academic standards and to get assistance in recruiting students

• Communicates the internship opportunities to the students  through database postings, direct e-mail and through faculty contacts.

• Facilitates campus meetings and/or interviews to assist the hiring organization.

• Assists students in applying for our Furman Advantage Program, where competitive stipends are available to students who obtain a full-time summer internship which meets the program requirements.

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Time Table for Internship Recruiting:

Fall Part-time Internships:
MAY-JUN	Employers notify Furman Internship Office of new fall opportunities or update current fall internships.  Students begin their search in mid-July through mid-August.
Spring Part-time Internships:
SEP-OCT	Employers notify Furman Internship Office of new spring opportunities or update current spring internships.  Students begin their search in mid-September through October.
Summer Full-time Internships:
OCT-FEB	Employers notify Furman Internship Office of the summer internship opportunities.  Students begin their search for summer internships October through February.
DEC-MAR	Employers offer internships.  If student applies for the Furman Advantage program, Employer and Student complete the Furman Advantage application.  The Furman Advantage Program is a competitive program offering stipends to eligible students who obtain internships which meet the criterion.
MAY-JUN	Internship begins.
JUL-AUG	Internship ends:  Employer and student complete an evaluation form and submit it to the Internship Office.

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Guide for Internship Supervisor/Intern Interaction during the internship:

1. Provide orientation to the intern upon arrival at the site, including an agreement between the supervisor and the intern on the learning objectives (and time lines) of the internship. 

2. Provide a location for the intern to work with the necessary access to phone, computer, and other resources to be successful in the job.

3. Introduce the intern to the staff and let them know the types of responsibilities and projects that he/she will be assigned.  Explain to the intern how the department fits into the organization as a whole.

4. Provide periodic feedback/meetings, using the learning objectives of the internship as a guide. 

5. Give the intern opportunities to attend meetings whenever possible.

6. Explain to the intern how decisions are made.  What are the options?  How did the supervisor draw certain conclusions?

7. Give the intern opportunities to provide input and ask questions about the processes and decisions.

8. Assign a project to the intern where he/she can have ownership of the progress and results if possible. 

9. Discuss career opportunities in the field and the career paths of college graduates and provide contacts in the field for networking.

10. If there is a problem, speak directly to the intern.  If the supervisor is unsure how to deal with a particular situation, please call the Internship Director.

11. At the end of the internship, complete an evaluation form to provide formal feedback about the intern.  Provide the intern with a letter of recommendation (if appropriate)