A DESCRIPTION OF THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AT GROVE CITY COLLEGE GROVE CITY, PA The Department f Business Administratin at Grve City Cllege ffers an Internship Prgram t enable students t advance their prfessinal preparatin thrugh wrk experiences which cmplement the curse wrk in their majrs and fr which they earn academic credit. The benefits f the internship experience are: develpment f task skills in a specific functinal area; diverse real-wrld rganizatin-based experience in a wrk envirnment; develpment f interpersnal and prfessinal skills in the wrk place; the pprtunity t evaluate academic thery versus practice; and increased understanding f ptential jbs and career pprtunities. The Department f Business Administratin cnsiders bth frmal internships and qualifying jbs as candidates fr academic credit. An internship is s-titled by the hst rganizatin. This is a situatin in which the hst rganizatin has a structured prgram t teach the student abut its peratins and the business in which it perates, in return fr which the student perfrms specified tasks fr the hst rganizatin. Qualifying jbs are thse jbs thrugh which students will gain valuable wrk experience t cmplement their academic prgrams, but may nt be titled as internships. This dcument describes the internship prgram. It cntains infrmatin n: Eligibility requirements Hw t identify a ptential psitin Hst rganizatin requirements On-site supervisr requirements Student respnsibilities Financial matters Applicatin, perfrmance, and evaluatin prcesses Students interested in the internship prgram shuld first carefully read this dcument. If, after reading this dcument, they desire t participate in the prgram, they shuld fllw the guidelines and prcedures specified herein. Questins shuld be addressed t the Internship Crdinatr in the Department f Business Administratin. ELIGIBILITY Eligibility requirements t earn internship credit fr majrs in the Department f Business Administratin are as fllws. A student must: Have attained at least junir standing at the start f the internship (have earned 60 r mre hurs f credit). Have cmpleted at least 12 hurs f business and accunting curses. Have bth a CQPA and MQPA at a 2.00 r higher. Have a faculty spnsr frm the Department f Business Administratin. Have cnfirmed that he/she will nt receive cmpensatin, in any frm, fr this internship frm any agency f the gvernment f the United Sates f America. Have accepted a jb r internship which meets all requirements specified in this dcument.
The student earns ne credit hur fr each 80 hurs f wrk. N mre than six hurs may be credited tward graduatin requirements f 128 hurs. The student in crdinatin with his/her academic advisr shall determine hw the credit hurs are distributed using the fllwing guidelines: Three hurs as an elective in business r accunting and/r Up t three hurs, but n mre than three, as general elective credit. N mre than three hurs may be credited in each f the abve categries. Students may earn up t 12 hurs f internship credit if the hurs abve six are in additin t the 128 required fr graduatin. An internship which earns tw r mre credit hurs enables the student t fulfill the Business Department s experience requirement. HOW TO IDENTIFY A POTENTIAL POSITION Students wh are interested in btaining internships may get infrmatin abut the prcess fr finding internships frm the Business Department s Internship Crdinatr. The Department is nt a clearinghuse fr internships and, thus, des nt retain a listing f available internships. In mst cases students, thrugh their wn initiative, identify pprtunities. The Career Services Office is a valuable n-campus resurce t assist students in this prcess. Once an pprtunity has been apprved as qualifying fr academic credit by the Department, the student then prgresses thrugh the applicatin prcess. The general prcess fr a student t btain an internship r qualifying jb is as fllws: Identify a hst rganizatin that ffers an internship r qualifying jb that is relevant t the student s majr. Negtiate terms f the psitin with the hst rganizatin (e.g., pay, wrk hurs, tasks t be perfrmed, learning pprtunities, perfrmance expectatins). Determine the cmpatibility f the pprtunity with Grve City s requirements fr earning credit (see guidelines fr qualifying psitins belw). Determine the willingness f the hst rganizatin t participate in the internship prgram and t carry ut its specified functins t enable the student t earn credit. Many internships and jbs qualify fr academic credit; thers d nt. Belw are guidelines fr thse that d and thse that d nt qualify fr credit. Thse that may qualify fr credit are characterized as fllws: Respnsibilities invlve the intern s perfrming substantive business tasks that require decisins and independent wrk. Psitins prvide direct experience in ne r mre crprate functins, such as accunting, sales, marketing, human resurces, finance, r prductin. Interns are encuraged t take initiative and be creative. Psitins ffer pprtunities fr prgressin in respnsibilities and authrity t make decisins. Psitins ffer the pprtunity t learn via clse wrking relatinships with experienced supervisrs and c-wrkers. Psitins prvide expsure t multiple crprate functins thrugh direct cntact with persnnel in thse functins.
Characteristics f psitins that prbably d nt qualify fr credit are: Repetitive wrk with little pprtunity fr decisins, initiative, and independent thinking. Narrw fcus with little pprtunity fr a brader understanding f crprate peratins. Entry level with little ptential fr advancement (e.g., janitr, shrt-rder ck, fastfd server, lifeguard, full service gas statin attendant) The Cllege des nt grant internship credit fr any experience in which a student is paid by the federal gvernment, fr whatever reasn. Cnversely, if credit is granted by the Cllege fr an internship, then a federal stipend may nt be accepted by the student. In n situatin may a student accept federal mney related t participatin in an internship and receive academic credit, as this is prhibited by Cllege plicy. HOST ORGANIZATIONS The hst rganizatin is the lcatin f the internship r jb. Requirements fr the hst rganizatin are: Be able t prvide expsure t as many functins as feasible within the respnsibilities f the student s psitin (e.g., accunting, sales, marketing, finance, prductin). This expsure is intended t prvide the student with meaningful experience learning hw the varius functins wrk and crdinate in an rganizatin. Prvide the student with a psitin that will prvide meaningful experience t cmplement his/her academic studies. Prvide pprtunities fr the student t take initiative and make decisins. Expse the student t a variety f experiences, such as management meetings, client meetings, vendr meetings, sales calls, cnferences, training prgrams/wrkshps, public relatins events, and legal prceedings. Prvide a cnsistent wrk schedule t meet the needs f the rganizatin and the student, aviding as much as pssible extremely lng wrk days/weeks and extremely sparse wrk schedules. Allw the faculty spnsr and internship crdinatr, as apprpriate, t visit the rganizatin t bserve bth the rganizatin's activities and the student's perfrmance. Reimburse the student fr all wrk-related ut-f-pcket expenses. Permit the student t use the hst rganizatin's telephne, fax, e-mail, and mail systems t cmmunicate with the student's faculty spnsr. Make available a wrd prcessing system fr use by the student, if needed. Use an experienced and infrmed manager t be respnsible fr supervising and evaluating the student and fr crdinating with the faculty spnsr. Cmplete and submit t the Internship Crdinatr a Jb/Internship Descriptin Frm. ON-SITE SUPERVISORS The n-site supervisr will versee the student and will be the primary pint f cntact between the student s faculty spnsr and the hst rganizatin. His/her respnsibilities are t: Supervise the student as fllws:
Cmplete all advance preparatin. Intrduce the student t the rganizatin and the wrk envirnment, and make the student a wrking member f the rganizatin. Prvide meaningful instructin and wrk thrughut the perfrmance perid. Have meaningful interactin with the student in rder t give guidance, answer questins, slve prblems, and prvide feedback. Assist the student, as required, in maintaining a daily lg. Prvide guidance, as apprpriate, fr the student s final reprt. Cnduct peridic evaluatins f the student's perfrmance and prvide cnstructive guidance fr any needed imprvements. Near the end f the jb r internship, cmplete the Perfrmance Assessment Frm and submit it t the student s faculty spnsr. This assessment will be used by the faculty spnsr in determining the student s final grade. Interact with the faculty spnsr thrughut the perfrmance perid. This interactin will typically cnsist f tw r mre phne calls and/r visits. Ntify the faculty spnsr f any prblems. Prvide cnstructive feedback t the faculty spnsr and/r Faculty Internship Crdinatr abut the design and peratin f the internship prgram. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES Students wh are earning credit must recgnize that they are representing Grve City Cllege at their hst rganizatins. They must als recgnize that their perfrmance as a representative f the Cllege will be evaluated by the n-site supervisr and by their faculty spnsr. Students must: Perfrm all assigned tasks and functins t the best f their ability. Demnstrate cmmitment and invlvement in the wrk experience t the extent that they are willing, within reasn, t wrk abve and beynd the jb requirements. Be respnsive t the supervisr and any ther management persnnel with whm they may interact. Be punctual and dependable. Be alert t and ask t participate in special pprtunities n the jb. Seek ut learning pprtunities. Be apprpriately dressed at all times, cnsistent with the standards f the hst rganizatin. Cnduct themselves with integrity and hnesty. Maintain an attitude f curtesy and penness. Represent Grve City Cllege in a psitive manner. Maintain cmmunicatin with the faculty spnsr t discuss prgress, unusual situatins, uncmfrtable interpersnal relatinships, substantive deviatins frm the internship expectatins, and ther issues as apprpriate. Written requirements are: A lg f the experiences during each week. Entries in the lg will fcus n significant learning experiences. This lg may be reviewed peridically by the student s faculty
spnsr. It will be submitted t the spnsr upn cmpletin f the internship and will be used in determining the student s final grade. A reprt summarizing the student s experience. The faculty spnsr and student will determine the specifics f the reprt. The faculty spnsr will evaluate the reprt and use the grade in determining the student s final grade. FINANCIAL MATTERS It is the student's respnsibility t negtiate the terms f cmpensatin and benefits with the hst rganizatin. Other financial cnsideratins are: Students pay a flat fee fr all internship pprtunities between ne and six credits. Grve City Cllege prvides n remuneratin t students earning internship credit. Grve City Cllege prvides n insurance, ther than the Cllege health insurance plan. Students are respnsible fr determining the impact f internships n financial aid. A student may nt accept cmpensatin f any kind frm any agency f the gvernment f the United States f America fr an internship fr which he/she intends t earn academic credit. THE PROCESS Interested students shuld study the abve descriptins; determine if they qualify fr the internship prgram; identify a qualifying jb r internship; and determine that the hst rganizatin will participate in the prgram. In crdinatin with his/her academic advisr and the Business Department Internship Crdinatr, the student shuld then initiate the prcess described belw using the frms and additinal instructins which are available frm the Internship Crdinatr. 1. The student must cmplete the "Applicatin fr Internship," attaching a current resume and infrmal transcript t the applicatin. The infrmal transcript may be either a cpy f the student s curse histry frm the campus netwrk r an infrmal transcript btained frm the Registrar s ffice. Submit the cmpleted frm with the tw attachments t the Business Department Internship Crdinatr. The student must discuss the expected academic credits with his/her academic advisr t ensure that the credits fit apprpriately int the student s academic prgram. The advisr s signature is required n the applicatin. The student must select a faculty spnsr. In mst cases this is a member f the Department f Business Administratin whse academic expertise crrespnds t the type f wrk that the student will be ding. The spnsr is the verseer f the internship n behalf f the Cllege. He/she will crdinate with the student during the internship, cmmunicate with the student s n-site supervisr, evaluate the student s lg and final reprt, and determine the student s final grade. The student must ask the prspective spnsr t spnsr him/her, discuss the pprtunity with the prpsed spnsr, and have the spnsr sign the applicatin. 2. The student shuld send the "Rles f Hst Organizatin" descriptin and the "Jb/Internship Descriptin Frm" t the apprpriate persn at the prpsed hst rganizatin, requesting that he/she review the "Rles f the Hst Organizatin," and cmplete and return the "Jb/Internship Descriptin Frm." Althugh the Internship Crdinatr s address is n the tp f the Jb/Internship Descriptin Frm s that the cmpleted frm may be returned directly t the crdinatr, it is the student s respnsibility t ensure that this frm is prperly cmpleted and returned t the crdinatr either by the student r the emplyer.
3. The student shuld fill in the apprpriate infrmatin, sign, and have witnessed the "Release f All Claims Frm." 4. The student shuld have his/her parents read, date, sign, and have witnessed the "Parental Jinder and Cnsent." 5. When steps ne thrugh fur have been cmpleted and the frms submitted, the Department Internship Crdinatr will evaluate the infrmatin prvided and apprve r disapprve the applicatin. Factrs in this evaluatin will be: The student s meeting all eligibility and administrative requirements. The psitin s ptential t prvide a quality, relevant learning experience fr the student. Willingness f the hst rganizatin t participate in the prgram. The student will nt receive cmpensatin f any kind frm any agency f the gvernment f the United States f America fr the internship. 6. Upn apprval f the applicatin, the Department Internship Crdinatr will cmplete the registratin prcess with the Registrar s ffice. The student can begin t earn academic credit fr the internship nly after the registratin prcess has been cmpleted. 7. The Cllege will bill the student fr summer internship tuitin r any verlad fees. 8. During the internship the student must: Maintain a lg f activities fllwing the instructins prvided by the student s faculty spnsr. Cmmunicate with the spnsr as specified by the spnsr. Prvide the n-site supervisr with the "Jb/Internship Perfrmance Evaluatin Prcess" descriptin and the "Perfrmance Assessment Frm," requesting that the supervisr evaluate the student s perfrmance near the end f the internship and send the cmpleted "Perfrmance Assessment Frm" t the faculty spnsr r prvide it t the intern t hand-carry t the faculty spnsr. It is the student s respnsibility t ensure that the supervisr cmpletes the frm and submits it in a timely manner. Students are encuraged t stress the imprtance f the supervisr s submitting the assessment befre the student leaves the wrk site. Develp ideas fr the final reprt, cnferring with the faculty spnsr as apprpriate fr additinal guidance and the due date. Submit the final reprt and lg. 9. Benefits f the internship shuld be that the student: Gains experience lcating a psitin and negtiating the terms fr the psitin. This experience will help prepare students fr later jb searches. Learns the imprtance f adhering t a prcess (i.e., the ne utlined abve). Gains valuable experience perfrming specific tasks in preparatin fr jbs and a career. Develps transferable jb skills (e.g., cmmunicatins, negtiating, wrking in teams, cping with cnflict, decisin making) t supprt specific task skills. Is challenged t learn, develp, and mature. Develps wrk place savvy, imprving his/her ability t respnd t a variety f wrk place challenges. Has the pprtunity t imprve based n evaluatins by his/her supervisr? Imprves his/her understanding f the relatinships between academic thery and practice. Imprves his/her abilities t rganize and present infrmatin in a frmal reprt. Has an enjyable multi-faceted experience.