Student Internship Program

1
Student Internship Program

• The Center for Small Towns has provided over 104
  students with internships between 1997-present.
• These internships have included
• Undergraduate Research
• Program Planning and Implementation
• Grant Writing and Management
• Publicity
• Web Page Design and Technology Training

2
Student Internship Training

• CST provides training to both the community and
  the student.
• For Community partner, we set up meetings and
  give those partners background of CST along with
  discussing roles and responsibilities in the
  program.
• For students, we conduct 3-4 trainings through
  out the year. Topics have included
• -Service Learning/Civic Engagement
• -Building intern connections, background
  information on the Center and discuss topics for
  future training.
• -Identifying personal traits and preferences.

3
Student Internship Reflection

• Students are asked to reflect on their intern
  position all through out their internship. This
  includes at trainings, through papers and ongoing
  conversation.

4
Assessment and Evaluation

• Students are assessed through a variety of means.
• Initial paper
• Bi-monthly reports
• End of year report
• Evaluations are conducted by both the student and
  the site-supervisor.

5
Students Internship Program

• Types of ways students work with CST
• Paid internship
• Volunteer
• Directed Studies

6
What Weve Learned

• Supervisors
• Train / Explain
• Understand Why the Intern is there
• Constructive Criticism

7
What Weve learned

• Students
• Creative Initiative
• Personal Responsibility
• Don't be Afraid of a Challenge
• Be Present - Mentally and physically.
• Communicate

8
How to fund Internships

• Cost Sharing
• Grants
• FWS

9
Difficulties

• Funding
• Staffing