Heather Beaver graduated in May 2007 with a major in History.
Ian Holland graduated in May 2007 with a major in Humanities. He is now employered CB Richard Ellis.
Michelle Lady graduated in May 2008 with a major in Human Development and Family Science. She accepted a job offer from her internship site, the Legislative Office of Governor Ed Rendell.
Sindhu Sagar is an Economics major who graduated in December 2007. She is now employed with Nationwide Insurance.
You are wise to consider an internship as part of your academic experience. Employers and graduate schools look for students with one or more career-related experiences. Along with the information provided on this webpage, you may find useful the Thinking Of An Internship? handout (PDF).
An internship is a semester-long, supervised work experience related to your major or career goal for which you earn academic credit. The work experience may be part-time or full-time, paid or unpaid, and primarily in an off-campus environment. Important elements structured into the experience which distinguish it from a short-term job or volunteer work are an intentional self-directed learning strategy, reflection - both verbal and written, discussion of faith integration, and an emphasis on professional development.
Internships for academic credit are available to juniors or seniors in the fall, spring, or summer and must be at least twelve weeks in length. By embarking on one or more of them, you will be able to sharpen your skills, begin a network of employer contacts, assess your strengths, and test classroom theories in real world settings.
Personally: Boost your maturity and self-confidence; improve your human relations skills; prepare for life after graduation; integrate your faith and values with work; enjoy a greater clarity about career decisions.
Academically: Integrate classroom theory with real-life experiences; understand the relevance of your course work; increase your motivation to learn; use resources that are not available on campus.
Professionally: Explore a potential career field; develop career-related skills and abilities, including effective job search, resume writing and interviewing techniques; establish a work history; observe professional people and behavior; build a network of professional contacts, potentially developing mentoring relationships; gain a competitive edge for employment or graduate school admission.
Financially: Approximately 50% of all interns receive some form of compensation. It is often used to subsidize tuition costs or help pay for transportation expenses.
Worth Noting: According to the 2005 Experiential Education Survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 45% of employer respondents said "they offer higher salaries to incoming hires with intern/co-op experience than they offer those without such experience...On average, converting from an intern or co-op to full-time hire means adding 6.5 percent to the starting salary."
1) Gain access to selective internship sites
2) Many sites require academic accountability
3) Think about, and develop, personal and professional skills which will help you succeed in your career and lifelong learning
4) Open doors to graduate school by having an internship recorded on your transcript
5) Protect yourself legally under the college's liability policy
6) Process opportunities and challenges through personal interaction with peers and faculty
7) Develop a Masterwork Portfolio, which highlights your self-directed learning ability - great for job and graduate school interviews!
Internships, in general, allow to
you to
Cultivate future job possibilities and...
Expand your professional career references for employment and/or graduate school
Messiah's internship curriculum combines experience and academic reflection. The experience must be at least 12 weeks in length and a minimum of 10 hours per week. The minimum number of credits you can earn is 4; the maximum is 12.
| Hours/Week |
INTE 394 / Internship & Monthly Class |
INTE 395 / Internship & Weekly Class
(not offered in Summer) |
| 10 |
4 Credits |
6 Credits |
| 15 |
5 Credits |
7 Credits |
| 20 |
6 Credits |
8 Credits |
| 25 |
7 Credits |
9 Credits |
| 30 |
8 Credits |
10 Credits |
| 35 |
9 Credits |
11 Credits |
| 40 |
10 Credits |
12 Credits |
Notes:
1) Internships are letter-graded (A-F).
2) No academic credit can be approved retroactively for any experience.
3) The only option for Summer internships is INTE394 (4-10 credits).
Students develop a set of learning objectives within the first two weeks of the start of the internship. These learning objectives become the basis for the production of a portfolio, a showcase piece which documents the learning that has occurred during your experience. Other requirements may include such items as readings, presentations, and short papers. (Examine a Sample Syllabus)
Eligibility
Those who meet the following criteria are eligible:
1) Enrolled full-time at Messiah College as a junior or senior
2) Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or above
3) Approved by the student’s academic advisor, including verification of fulfillment of departmental prerequisites
4) Able to provide their own transportation at the time of application
5) Be a responsible ambassador for Messiah College to the community
Your Contact In The Internship Center
Our professional staff serve as primary contacts for certain academic majors. Please click here - Contacts - to see with whom you should be in touch. Philadelphia students must first contact Mike True at the Grantham Campus.
Searching For Internships On Your Own
Go to our Web Resources page.
Internship
Apply - If You Need Assistance Locating A Site
First, contact your academic advisor to discuss how an internship would best fit into your curriculum plan.
Application Deadlines for Students Requesting Assistance Locating a Site:
Fall - April 15
Spring - October 15
Summer - March 15
Apply Online ...(do NOT do this if you have already secured an internship site. In that case, scroll down and Register for Credit) or print out the following and fax or mail Application for an Internship.
As soon as all the pieces of the packet are received by the Internship Center, you will be notified as to whether or not you have been accepted into the program. From that point, we will assist you with a variety of resources.
Note: You are not guaranteed acceptance into the Internship Program.
Note: We cannot guarantee that you will secure a site for any given semester, or that you will secure exactly the type of work/learning experience you desire. We will do our best, but we can make no guarantees.
The Process Following Application
Common Questions
Register for Credit - When You Have Secured An Internship Site
If you have already located a site on your own, you do not need to complete an Internship Application Packet.
Registration Deadlines for Students Securing Their Own Site:
Fall - September 1
Spring - February 1 (Philadelphia Campus interns - January 15)
Summer - May 1
1) Read the Internship Guidelines & Policies
2) Read the Student Internship Agreement
3) Register Online...remember to drop, if necessary, a class or classes in MCSquare to avoid going over the 18 credit limit
or
4) Print out, or stop by the Internship Center to pick up, a Registration for Academic Credit - Internship (PDF).
These pages provide greater detail with regard to the application and registration process, answer frequently asked questions, and offer a variety of other information. Click here .
Live and work in Philadelphia - one of our nation’s most historic cities. Complete an internship that will develop you personally and professionally.
You may seek to earn anywhere from 4-9 credits for an internship by gaining career-oriented work experience and participating in an integrated class. In addition, select one or two Messiah College Philadelphia Campus courses, and take an optional one credit urban cross-cultural course. To learn more, click here.
Live, learn, and work in London, England for a semester. Exciting opportunities await you in the British Isles. Through our arrangement with Arcadia University, you will live in the heart of London, study British culture and work life, and participate in an internship related to your major. To learn more, click here.
Professional Development Experience (PDE)
Apply - If You Need Assistance Locating A Site
Application Deadlines:
Fall - April 15
Spring - October 15
Summer - March 15
Examine a Sample Syllabus
INTE 291 - Professional Development Experience (1-3 credits)
This practical work experience will provide sophomore students with a means to gain initial exposure to career-related work settings under the professional supervision of Internship Center staff. This does not substitute for departmental practicum credit.
Apply Online ...(do NOT do this if you have already secured a site. In that case, scroll down and Register for Credit)
or print out the following and fax or mail PDE Application
INTE 391 - Professional Development Experience (1-3 credits)
This practical work experience will provide juniors and seniors with a means to explore career options and to enhance their skill set under the professional supervision of Internship Center staff. This does not substitute for departmental practicum credit.
Apply Online ...(do NOT do this if you have already secured a site. In that case, scroll down and Register for Credit)
or print out the following and fax or mail PDE Application
Requirements for PDEs:
1 credit (40 hours at your site) - Executive Summary
2 credits (80 hours at your site) - Executive Summary and one other assignment
3 credits (120 hours at your site) - Executive Summary and Masterwork Portfolio demonstrating achievement of one learning objective
PDEs at the Philadelphia Campus
PDEs can meet the Philadelphia Campus requirement to take a 3-credit Messiah College course, if the student is earning 3 credits and attends the weekly or monthly Internship class offered by the campus.
Register for Credit - When You Have Secured A PDE Site
If you have already located a site on your own, you do not need to complete an application.
Registration Deadlines:
Fall - September 30
Spring - February 28
Summer - May 30
1) Read the PDE Guidelines & Policies
2) Read the Student PDE Agreement
3) Register Online...remember to drop, if necessary, a class or classes in MCSquare to avoid going over the 18 credit limit
or
4) Print out, or stop by the Internship Center to pick up, a Registration for Academic Credit - PDE (PDF).
A Practicum must be initiated through your academic department, which may approve an experience from one to three credits. Academic departments have primary ownership and oversight responsibilities, but the Internship Center may assist with referral resources. Service Learning opportunities, both voluntary and for credit, can be explored in the Agape Center.
Practicum Registration Packet
Messiah College is committed to making reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For students planning an off-campus experience, such as a practicum or internship, the College does not have authority over cooperating agencies and cannot therefore guarantee that a student's unique needs can be accommodated. The College will make every reasonable effort to locate a suitable site that does offer the needed accommodations. Students for whom practica or internships are being requested must demonstrate an ability to meet the essential skills of a specific assignment, with or without assistive technology. For more information, please click here.
Resources:
Job Accommodation Network
www.jan.wvu.edu
Career Opportunities
www.cosdonline.org
U.S. Dept. of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy
www.dol.gov/odep/
The Internship Center is just one of the Centers for contextual learning under the External Programs Department. The Centers are under the leadership of Dr. Mary Ann Hollinger, Dean of External Programs.
Agape Center
Career Center
EpiCenter
Internship Center
Latino Partnership
Philadelphia Campus
"Contextual learning is reality-based, outside-of-the-classroom experience, within a specific context which serves as a catalyst for students to utilize their disciplinary knowledge, and which presents a forum for further formation of their personal values, faith, and professional development. Beyond the challenge of direct, meaningful experience, contextual learning requires reflection to build lasting cognitive connections. Contextual learning structures may include internships, service learning, and study abroad programs, among others."
Michael True
Director, Internship Center
Messiah College
May 9, 2002
