Transcript Internships and Co-ops

Experiential Education
at Ursuline College
Internships and
Co-operative Education
Meegan Cox
Coordinator of Experiential Education
Overview
 This presentation will:
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Define the types of experiential education
programs available at Ursuline College
Explore the benefits of participation in these
programs
Briefly summarize the Office of Counseling
and Career Services’s (OCCS) policies and
procedures
Provide Student and Employer Testimonials
What is Experiential Education?
Experiential education is
“any form of education that emphasizes
personal experience of the learner rather than
learning from lectures, books, and other
second hand sources.”
(McBrian & Brandt, 1997, p 38)
Experiential Education at Ursuline
Departments offering experiential education:
Nursing – Clinicals and Practicum
Education – Student Teaching
Long Term Care – Field Practicum
Social Work – Field Experience
OCCS provides opportunities to all other majors through:
 Internships
 Cooperative Education
What is an Internship?
 Internships:
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Meaningful temporary work experiences directly
related to the student’s academic major
For juniors and seniors with significant progress
in their major course work
May be paid or unpaid
Academic credit is always awarded
Learning objectives/goals relate work
experiences to academic discipline
What is a Co-op?
 Co-ops:
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Longer term work experiences in the student’s
major (at least two semesters)
Always paid
Not for credit
Available for Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors
Student is hired as a co-op on a part time basis
 Related semesters of work in the co-op
position will allow the student to work towards
increasingly more meaningful and in-depth
assignments
What’s the Difference?
Internships:
 Paid or unpaid
 Usually part-time
 Always for academic
credit
 Short term
 Often project based
Co-ops:
 Always paid
 Full or part-time
 Not for credit
 Long term or
recurring, but must
be related
semesters
 In-depth
What’s the Same?
 Participating in either of these
programs will:
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facilitate student learning in the major
and in the career
allow students to make intellectual
connections between course work
and on the job assignments
boost student resumes
increase professional competencies
define career goals
often lead to full time job offers upon
completion
Benefits of Participating in an
Internship or Co-op: Employment!
 60.2% of co-op students are offered employment
upon completion (NACE, 2004)
 57.6% of student interns are offered employment
(NACE, 2004)
 85.5% of employers report higher retention rates of
hires from their own co-op or intern programs as
compared to other college hires (NACE, 2004)
 Students with job related experience spend less time
in the job search (2.5 months) than those without
(6.3 months)
(Kysor & Pierce, 2000)
Benefits: Higher Salaries!
 49.7% of employers say that they offer higher
salaries to new college graduates with internship/coop experience (NACE, 2004)
 32.5% say they offer higher salaries to students from
their own internship/co-op program (NACE, 2004)
 These students tend to receive promotions and
higher merit pay increases in their first job than
students without experience
(Kysor & Pierce, 2000)
What are the Benefits to Ursuline
Students?
Of the Ursuline students who participated in an
internship in the spring semester of 2005:
 38% received job offers, promotions, or increased
responsibility as a result of their internship
 89% reported that their internship experience was
high quality and would recommend the experience to
other students
 All received career and resume boosting experiences
including networking opportunities with professionals
in their field
What are the Common Concerns
of Students?
 For many students an internship or co-op is their introduction
to a professional work setting and they may experience
disillusionment (Sweitzer and King, 1999)
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Students may fear that the internship they chose is not in
a career track that they want to follow
They may be disappointed when the internship that
seemed so exciting on paper involves some not so
exciting leg work
Students may need coaching in professional behavior
(punctuality, dress, demeanor, email and phone etiquette)
The staff of the OCCS have experience helping students
with all of these issues, please do not hesitate to contact
us at 440-646-8322 for guidance
Academic Requirements
 All internships are facilitated through the Office of Counseling
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and Career Services
Faculty and Coordinator of Experiential Education approval of
internship or co-op job description
Must be related to academic major
Internships are always for credit
Two site visits, one by the coordinator and one by the faculty
advisor
Evaluations by the supervisor of the student’s professional
development and by the student of the work site
 Complete requirements are available in the Internship and Co-
operative Education Guides available in MU130 or at
http://www.ursuline.edu/career_serv/index.htm
Now The Fun Part . . .
Student and Employer Testimonials . . .
Che’ Paskert
Fashion Merchandising
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Exhibitions Intern
“Some of the artifacts I was able to handle
were amazing...things people dream of
touching! Such as The Supremes gowns
and Ray Charles' sunglasses.
I designed and made a pair of curtains for
the "Tommy: The Who" exhibit and some
stage skirting for the Ray Charles Exhibit,
which many higher ups said "Really made
the exhibit."
I am currently applying for assistant
designer positions across the U.S. where I
can utilize the great experience I have
attained at the Rock Hall.”
Kendall Christian
Chief Preparator
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
“I have found that when
interns are trusted and
given challenging work,
they rise to meet their
responsibilities with
flying colors. Che’ was
a perfect example of
how an intern can be a
real asset to the team.
I’m confident that her
experience with us will
benefit her in her job
search.”
Jennifer Risch
Business Administration
Jacobs Field/SportService Intern
“My internship experience at Jacobs Field
has given me an opportunity to put all
my studies to use. Working for
SportService, I am surrounded by
professionals in my field who are
eager to share advice with me and
help me with my entrance into the
business world.
SportService has hired me as a full-time
supervisor now that my internship is
complete, and I will be applying for an
assistant manager position at the end
of the season.
I am very satisfied with my internship
opportunity, it has provided me with
great experience to support the
education that I have received over
the past four years.”
Rob Strosnider
Jacobs Field/SportService Manager
“Jen adapts well and fits
into our structure very
well. She helps our
management group by
displaying
professionalism as well
as bringing a positive
and enthusiastic
attitude. Jen is a ‘can
do’ individual and a nice
addition to our team –
we’re glad she is
aboard.”
Linda Belcher
Interior Design/Graphic Design
International Women’s Air and Space Museum
Interior Design Intern
“The goals of my internship were to create
space plans to convert a non-functional
multi-purpose space into a storage space
for the expansion of the museum’s
extensive collection of artifacts and
records. I also had learn and comply with
ADA requirements.
Joan Hrubec and Linda Belcher
The internship gave me opportunities to
exercise my Auto CAD skills, network,
make decisions, assist in selecting and
purchasing office furnishings, supervise
volunteers and staff, do field work, and
handle and preserve artifacts.
The skills I gained from Ursuline College
allowed me to successfully complete the
tasks that were set before me.”
Joan Hrubec
Curator
International Women’s Air and Space Museum
“Having a summer intern is a new
experience for the IWASM. Fortunately
we found that Linda brought to us
talents that we could really utilize. She
has designed our new storage room to
best fit our collection and files, making
the best use of the space available.
Working a large number of components into
our limited space was a challenge, but
she met it with enthusiasm,
Joan Hrubec and Linda Belcher
determination, and professionalism.
She has also brought a lot of details to
our attention that we would not have
considered ourselves. Working with
Linda has been an educational and
pleasant experience.”
What are Employers Saying?
“The work our intern did in the office was
invaluable to us, and I noticed a marked
improvement in her interpersonal skills too.
When she first came to us she was very
quiet, by the end of her internship she was
able to attend and participate in meetings and
work with clients as a professional. She was
also able to make contacts with 200 of the
local agencies that we work with, allowing her
to actively network for her next job.”
Sheila Lee, Assistant Director, RSVP Cleveland
What are Employers Saying?
“Darlene’s help has been invaluable and her
willingness to learn and effort toward
accomplishing her goals is refreshing. It is clear
that Darlene’s commitment to HELP goes above
and beyond that of a normal employee, her care
and concern for all consumers is evident in her
excellent work.”
Joan Ackerman, Director of Development, HELP
Foundation Inc.
What are Employers Saying?
“Heather is a pleasure to work with. She is a
‘quick study’ and very reliable with the
assignments she has been given. She
maintains an enthusiastic and professional
demeanor.”
Joanne Rogers, Director of Staff Development,
University Hospitals Home Care Services
What are Employers Saying?
“Jason has done an outstanding job as an
intern and an employee, his professional
demeanor, his ‘can do’ attitude, and problem
solving skills are excellent.”
Caroline Zito, Bailiff, Summit County Court of
Common Pleas
Student Quotes
“Everything I learned in my classes regarding
ethics and protecting the privacy of
clients/patients came to the forefront, my
ability to be caring and objective about
peoples’ situations was helpful. My
organizational and strategic planning skills
were well used, also I was independently able
to set priorities and accomplish assigned
tasks.”
Joyce Hullett, Family Studies, Greater
Cleveland Habitat for Humanity
Student Quotes
“This internship has glued together the pieces
of the puzzle from my education and previous
work experience to provide me with a base to
grow and prosper from. I am continuing to
learn and am confident that my future
success will be a result of my educational and
professional building blocks.”
Cindy Mackow, Accounting, Ro-Mai Industries
Student Quotes
“I truly have developed my academic skills
while working on this project and will continue
with a better awareness of technology
development.”
Cheryl Dickerson, Business, Student
Technology Assistant Intern
Questions?
Make an appointment to learn more:
Call Meegan Cox at 440-646-8321
Or email [email protected]
References
 Kysor, D. & Pierce, M. (2000). Does intern/co-op experience
translate into career progress and satisfaction? National
Association of Colleges and Employers Journal, Winter 2000,
25-30.
 McBrien, J. & Brandt, R. (1997). The language of learning: a
guide to education terms. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
 NACE Research (2004). 2004 Experiential education survey
executive summary. The National Association of Colleges and
Employers. Retrieved May 26, 2004, from the NACE Web site:
http://www.naceweb.org/
 Sweitzer, H. & King, M. (1999). The successful internship:
transformation and empowerment. Pacific Grove Books.