PURPOSE/SCOPE

1. To gain practical work experience in your field of study
2. To apply classroom knowledge to actual work situations
3. To help focus your career goals
4. To establish contacts with professionals outside the University
 
 

PRIVATE COMPANIES	SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
- Environmental consulting firms	- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service
- Environmental law firms	- Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute
- Service firms	- Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species (CRES), SD Zoo
	- Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR)
K-12 EDUCATION	- Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO)
	- University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
- Sea Camp	- San Diego State University (SDSU)
- Stephen Birch Aquarium-Museum	- School for Field Studies (SFS)
- Aquatic Adventures Science Education Foundation	- EarthWatch Institute
- K-12 School	- Leon Raymond Hubbard Jr. Marine Fish Hatchery, Carlsbad
	- Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC)
MUSEUMS AND PARKS	NONPROFIT, POLITICAL, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
- City of San Diego, Park and Recreation Department	- I Love a Clean San Diego
- Torrey Pines State Reserve	- San Diego CoastKeeper
- County of San Diego, Department of Parks and Recreation	- Surfrider Foundation
- Tecolote Canyon Natural Park & Nature Center	- The Green Restaurant Association
- National Park Service	- Friends of Famosa Slough
- San Diego Natural History Museum	- San Diego Stream Team
- Stephen Birch Aquarium-Museum	- Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation
- Pacific Estuarine Research Lab - Tijuana Estuary	- Student Conservation Association
- SeaWorld	- Congressional Offices

REQUIREMENTS

1. Work at an internship site for a minimum of 45 hours per unit of credit.  You will need to have a work site supervisor who is willing to monitor your progress, verify your work hours and complete the final evaluation form.  Your work time needs to be documented and approved by your supervisor and should be handed in by the end of the semester.  In addition to your hours on site you should expect to spend an additional 5-6 hours per unit of credit each semester completing assignments for your internship class.

2. Turn in a filled out, signed INTERNSHIP AGREEMENT FORM before the end of the second full week of the semester.

3. Maintain a journal following guidelines outlined below.  At least six entries are expected per unit of credit.

4. Write two biographies (3-4 pages each) based on personal interviews with professional mentors from your internship site.

5. Visit Career Services and write a resumé and cover letter for a future job and/or internship.

6. Attend scheduled group meetings and individual meetings with the instructor.  During meetings we will discuss journal entries, resumés and cover letters, research conference presentations and other issues.

7. Have your internship supervisor turn in an evaluation of you and your internship.

8. Present the results of your internship at the USD Creative Collaborations Conference in April.

All materials are due by the last day of class each semester.
 

JOURNAL GUIDELINES

    You should complete at least six journal entries for each unit of credit you take.  A journal entry is not just an account of the work you completed in a particular time period.  Each entry should be a written reflection that focuses on some aspect of your internship experience and includes some analysis of that aspect.  You may compose your entries on a computer or by hand, but each entry should involve at least 20-30 minutes of focused writing on a particular theme.  Journal entries should be completed DURING the course of your internship, not at the very end.  The following questions are designed to help you select topics about which to write.  Some topics may require additional research by you to find out about various aspects of the organization for which you are working.

A. Am I a good fit to this job/career?

• Describe the environment and culture of your work site.
• With which aspects of that environment/culture are you comfortable?  With which aspects are you uncomfortable?
• Which activities do you enjoy most?
• Which activities do you enjoy least?
• Which activities seem to come naturally for you?
• Which activities are most challenging for you?
• Have you discovered any new talents or interests as a result of this experience?
• How does your internship experience differ from your expectations of how it would be?
• Describe a "great day" at your internship and explain what makes it great.
• Describe a "lousy day" at your internship and explain what makes it bad.
• What are your greatest rewards with your internship?
• What are your greatest frustrations with your internship?
• What new things have you learned about yourself as a result of this internship?
• How has this experience changed or reinforced your view of the type of work environment or career you wish to pursue?

• What is the stated mission of your organization?
• From where does your organization get its money and how is that money spent?
• What is the history of the organization?
• Describe the organizational structure of the organization.
• What is the role of your department/office/section in the overall organization?
• What is your specific role as an intern?
• From your experience as an intern, do you perceive that the organization is accomplishing its mission?
• How does the stated mission differ from what really goes on?
• From your perspective as an intern, what could the organization do to improve the successful execution of its mission?

• What is the nature of your relationship with your supervisor?
• What is the nature of your relationship with your coworkers?
• How do interns interact with other workers in the organization?
• Describe the personality and style of a coworker or superior and identify aspects of their approach to interpersonal relationships that you might emulate.  Describe aspects you would not emulate.

This page and all content copyright 2004-2008 by Ron Kaufmann and Sarah Gray
All rights reserved
Last modified 5 May 2008 by Ron Kaufmann