In for-credit internships, the academic component must be an integral part of the work experience. It is designed by the faculty mentor in consultation with the student and, if possible, the employer. This component might include a paper, a journal, a portfolio, or written notes from a series of interviews. Readings, assigned by the faculty mentor and by the employer sponsor, are generally also required. The academic component must be specified in the internship contract.

Back to top

A student may enroll in an academic credit internship in any term after the end of the sophomore year. If conducted in the fall term or the spring term, the internship is the equivalent of two days’ work per week. If conducted during CentreTerm, the internship is full-time for four full weeks and is not done while taking another course. To accomplish the required four weeks, the internship will need to either begin before the actual beginning of the term or, more likely, last a week after the term officially ends. Internships completed during the fall and spring terms may provide a more comprehensive exposure to the sponsoring organization, while an internship completed during CentreTerm may be more intensive and more closely resemble the eight hour a day work schedule.

Back to top

Once an internship is arranged, several things need to be done:

• Arrange for a faculty sponsor for the internship. This person does not need to be your advisor but should be someone with a general understanding of the career field.

• Discuss your goals and objectives for this internship with the faculty sponsor and, together, determine the academic component of the internship.
2007-08 Deadlines for meeting with your faculty mentor are:
CentreTerm and Spring Term 2008 – November 20
Summer 2008 (academic credit internships only) – May 2
Fall Term 2008 – May 2

• In order to receive credit for the internship, you must register for INT 400 for that academic term. (Note: internships are normally for three hours credit. If you wish to register for more than three hours, you must petition the Academic Standards Committee with appropriate support from the faculty mentor and Career Services. Also, internships are generally not carried over into the next term. If you wish to do a second internship at the same organization, the internship must be a substantially different experience with significantly different duties.)

• Begin filling out an internship contract. This is available on this page (top) and is printable.
2007-08 Deadlines for turning in completed contracts are:
CentreTerm and Spring Term 2008 – November 30
Summer 2008 – May 7
Fall 2008 – May 7
Failure to submit a fully completed contract to the Associate Dean by the deadline will automatically result in loss of credit for the internship.

• Attend a required meeting prior to, or at the very beginning of, the internship. This meeting will provide an introduction to experiential education.

Back to top

First, the internship MUST be started during the first week of the term. (Note: if the internship is during the CentreTerm, it must last for four weeks. Therefore, it must either start before the term begins or last for a week after the end of the term. CentreTerm internships MUST begin by the first day of the term.) At the beginning of the term, students will attend a required group meeting with the other students enrolled in an internship. For CentreTerm, this meeting will take place at the end of the fall term.

Back to top

• A midterm class meeting is also REQUIRED. At this meeting, progress will be reviewed and work-place issues will be discussed. If the student has a full-time internship away from Danville, Career Services and the faculty sponsor will make other mid-term evaluation arrangements.

• Your on-site supervisor will also be contacted to provide a mid-term evaluation. Interns and their on-site supervisor will each submit an end of term evaluation.

• At the end of the term, the student will give a formal, fifteen-minute presentation. The faculty sponsor and other interns usually attend these presentations. If inviting others to attend, please inform Career Services to be sure that seating is available. If equipment is needed for the presentation, you must inform Career Services at least three days in advance.

Back to top

• Internships are generally not carried over into the next term. If a student wishes to do a second internship at the same organization, the internship must be a substantially different experience with significantly different duties.

• The student cannot designate a family member as an on-site supervisor nor can the faculty mentor and employer sponsor be the same person.

• The internship must be a semi-professional experience and not a typical summer or part-time job often performed by a college student (e.g., law firm runner, camp counselor, retail clerk).

• Acceptable performance will allow a student to earn a "credit" designation for the appropriate number of academic credits. This “credit” designation does not count for or against the requirements for a major program or the pass/fail option. Students who do not perform at an acceptable level in either area will be assigned a "no-credit" designation. This will appear on the student's transcript. Non-attendance for any of the required meetings (before the internship (for CentreTerm internships only), at the beginning of the internship, and the mid-term meeting), failure to complete the required internship hours, failure to participate in the on-line discussion group, or failure to do the presentation will result in a “no-credit” designation.

• During the CentreTerm, students who are working full-time for their internships may receive a board reimbursement or reduction. No reduction is available for room. The Business Office will handle all reimbursement requests. During the long term, reduction to a 10-meal plan may be possible. The student must discuss the particular situation with the Business office.

Back to top

Centre College provides matching grants for selected internships during the CentreTerm or the summer. These internships can either be academic-credit or non-credit internships.

How Does Internship Plus Work?
Internship Plus is a way for students to earn extra financial support for high-quality internship experiences. Career Services can help locate top-notch internships and can offer advice for students locating internships on their own.
• Once a student finds such an internship opportunity, the first step is to fill out the internship contract in the usual manner (as outlined above). The internship contract is required even for non-credit internships and should be submitted to Career Services.
• The second step is to apply for Centre Internship Plus. The student should complete a proposal, which a committee will review on a competitive basis. Neatness will be considered, and funding is limited.
• If the internship is to be for credit, the student will locate a faculty mentor and will complete an internship contract. The appropriate approvals must be obtained (see the internship contract for these approvals). If not for credit, the appropriate internship contract is still required, but the Associate Dean of the College will not need to approve the contract, and a faculty mentor will not be necessary.
• Regardless of whether the internship is for credit or not, it must conform to Centre College internship policies.
• If accepted, Centre College will provide $750 toward a CentreTerm internship and $1,500 toward a summer internship, minus taxes. The student is expected to ask the internship sponsor to provide matching funds in the same amount. A letter from the employing agency stipulating salary to be paid is required. If the internship sponsor is not willing to provide matching funding, the student must provide a statement from the sponsor to that effect. In rare cases, Centre College may waive the matching requirement.

Are there any fees?
• If the student wants to receive academic credit for a summer internship, the cost will be the standard cost per credit hour that is in effect at that time (now reduced to $340 for one credit hour, full tuition if you wish to receive 3 credit hours).
• If the student does not wish to receive academic credit, there are no fees to be paid.
• For a Centre Term internship, the tuition is already included in the student's tuition and fees.

What should the proposal include?
• A completed contract.
• A signed statement of responsibility.
• A resume. (It is recommended that you have your resume critiqued in Career Services before submission.)
• A statement explaining the relevance of the proposed internship to the career interest of the student.
• A description of the steps the student has taken to explore this career field as a potential future career for the student. (i.e. career research, shadowing, networking, summer jobs, relevant activities, etc.)
• A signed letter from the employer stating whether or not the internship will be paid and, if so, the amount the employer intends to pay the student. This letter should also include the student's required hours, the length of the internship, and the frequency of meetings with the supervisor.

How will the proposal be evaluated?
• The proposal will be evaluated on the quality and professionalism of the materials submitted, including neatness.
• It will also be evaluated on the level of connection of the internship to the career exploration the student has completed.
• The expected quality of the experience will also be a major factor in the evaluation of the proposal.  The committee will consider such things as the uniqueness of the experience, expected responsibilities, sense of adventure, costs associated with relocation/experience, and geographic location.
• The quality of the academic component will be considered in all decisions.
• Students whose projects will be funded from another grant source (such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation or REU) are not normally eligible for funding from Centre Internship Plus.
• The applicant must be currently enrolled at Centre College at the time the internship is being completed (i.e., a student is not eligible for funding the summer after graduation).
• In order to be eligible for CIP funding, the student must have obtained Junior status at the time the internship is to occur.
• Incomplete proposals will be accepted only in circumstances approved by Career Services.  Final awards will be contingent upon the completion and approval of the final proposal.
• Late proposals will be considered only after on-time proposals are reviewed (and only with the approval of Career Services). 
• Proposals turned in after the Centre Internship Plus committee meets will not normally be considered.

What are the deadlines to apply?
The 2007/2008 deadlines to submit a proposal for a Centre Term internship is November 20 and for a summer internship is April 14.

After completion of the internship, what is required?
• All Centre Internship Plus interns will prepare a presentation attended by an evaluating committee and to which the campus community will be invited. The committee will schedule the event early in the term following the completion of the internship (spring term for CentreTerm internships, fall term for summer internships).
• The student intern will fill out a written evaluation of the internship sponsor.
• The on-site supervisor will fill out a written evaluation of the student intern.
• Students who have completed all requirements will receive their checks at their final presentation.

Back to top

Alltech Biotechnology, Inc.
American History Museum
Berkshire Theatre Festival
Center for Disease Control
Central Baptist Hospital
Cincinnati Zoo
Congressman Ben Chandler's Office
Congresswoman Anne Northup's Office
Danville Advocate-Messenger
Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center
Farmers National Bank
Fowler Securities and Benefits
Heartland Veterinary Hospital
Hilliard Lyons
Host Communications
Johns Hopkins University

Back to top