INTERNSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

An internship is required for all Communications majors.  In order to secure an internship students must have completed their sophomore year and have a 3.0 GPA in both their major and overall.  Students must also have a resume and cover letter (go to Career Services, Kellenberg 003 for assistance.

Students preparing to apply for their internship should review the following check-list:

1. Students should meet with the Internship Director, Dr. Janice Kelly, to review their career goals and placement opportunities.

2. Students should have taken a public relations or video production class prior to applying for an internship.

3. Meet with the Internship Director to review your resume and cover letter.

4. Interns work a minimum of 10 hours per week for 12 weeks of a semester or 8 hours a day for 15 to 17 days of the internship or summer semester.  Attendance and punctuality are important grading components of the internship.

5. Interns must follow all the rules and regulations of the company or agency hosting the internship.

6. Interns must maintain a weekly journal describing their internship activities.  The journal is an analytic tool designed to help interns think through aspects of the position and should not be used to merely record events of the day.  The journal may be hand-delivered or emailed to the Internship Director at appointed times throughout the internship.

7. The internship requires a final analytical paper (6-10 pages) relevant to the work experience.

8. Complete a mid-term internship progress report and a final evaluation report.

9. If applicable, maintain copies of all work done or participated in (e.g., news releases, articles, video or new media productions) and submit them with the final evaluation report.

10. The following learning outcomes should be each student’s objectives while undertaking their internship:

· Time management: arrive on time and meet deadlines.

· Organizational skills: ability to prioritize work and organize tasks

· Dependability: supervisors and colleagues can count on you to deliver agreed upon tasks/projects.

· Self-motivation: understand the tasks/projects to be completed (ask questions if necessary) and show initiation in completing those tasks. Follow through on unfinished or ongoing projects.

· Oral and written communications: contribute to meetings and exercise opprotunities to express yourself in spoken and written form.

· Interpersonal skills: show ability to work well with others and in teams and be prepared to accept criticism.

· Professionalism: dress and behave according to the company's culture and norms.

· Technical skills: learn on-the-job skills helpful to your chosen career path (public relations, feature writing, videoography, editing, etc.)

An internship is a commitment to a particular organization. You are entering into a contractual obligation that must be honored.  Please download and complete the Internship Agreement form prior to meeting with the Internship Director. You can download the form by clicking here. (.doc)

If you have questions about internships or wish to set up a meeting, please contact Dr. Janice Kelly, Internship Coordinator:

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it (516) 678-5000 x: 6703