Telephone:
651/646-8831
Toll-free:
800/554-1089
Fax: 651/659-9421
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Welcome
to HECUA. We're delighted that you've agreed to supervise one
of our interns. By doing so, you join with HECUA faculty and
staff in providing a semester's learning experience for a college
student. In return, we believe that our students may help your
organization in many ways, including the actual work he/she
may be able to perform, the challenge of having someone with
a fresh perspective contribute to the daily activities of your
workplace, and the opportunity for you to help shape a potential
future member of your professional community. We also hope you
will become familiar with our overall program, and we solicit
your suggestions and contributions toward making our urban studies
semester productive for both the students and our Twin Cities
community.
The
following information is provided to help you understand what
we are all about, and what we are asking from you.
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Frequently
Asked Questions about MUST
Frequently
Asked Questions about Internships
The
HECUA Twin Cities Internship Process
Responsibilities
of MUST Internship Supervisors
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Questions?
Contact
Martha
Malinski
Internship
Coordinator
Phone:
651/373-0776
E-mail:
[email protected]
or
Katy
Gray Brown
MUST Assoc. Program Director
Phone: 651/373-0781
E-mail: [email protected]
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| Frequently Asked Questions
about MUST... |
1.
What is MUST?
MUST
is one of several urban studies semesters offered to college
students by HECUA, a cooperative venture of 15 colleges and
universities in the Midwest. The MUST program focuses on issues
of poverty, inequality and social change and is offered during
fall and spring semesters.
2.
Who participates in MUST?
The majority of MUST students are enrolled at one
of the institutions affiliated with HECUA, occasionally students
from outside the consortium join us. Students are typically
juniors and seniors, and represent a variety of academic majors.
3.
What else does my intern do in the MUST program?
Since MUST participants receive a full semester's
credit from their college, the program keeps them very busy.Students
are required to keep a journal, do field projects, and submit
written assignments.
4.
What do students hope to accomplish during their MUST semester?
Participants desire to explore career possibilities
or to learn to feel more comfortable in the work world outside
the college campus. Students may wish to develop and apply skills
such as research and writing, to deepen their understanding
of a particular social concern or issue, or to test out the
kinds of graduate work they may wish to pursue.
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| Frequently
Asked Questions about Internships... |
1.
How many hours a week can students work on the internship?
MUST participants are expected to work in the internship
placement for a minimum of 200 hours, 16-20 hours per week for
12 weeks. Students work Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to
fulfill their required internship hours. Note: In addition to
their student internships, many students often work at a wage-earning
job (typically 10 hours a week).
2.
Can the days be changed?
A student may be excused to do internship-related
work on a Tuesday or Thursday, but since half of the credit
they receive for the semester is based on field work and seminars,
they cannot afford to miss many group experiences. Some evening
and weekend hours may be arranged.
3.
Does the internship cost me anything?
The cost of HECUA internships takes shape in your
investment of the time devoted to orientation, supervision and
mentorship of your intern. HECUA does not require monetary compensation
for interns. However, we hope that students will be reimbursed
by your organization, as a regular staff member would be, if
their internship duties involve expenses to them.
4.
What happens if this internship doesn't work out?
The interviewing process is designed to help you
and the intern make a good decision. However, if problems emerge,
please consult with MUST faculty.
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| The
HECUA Twin Cities Internship Process |
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1.
Organizations interested in mentoring a HECUA intern should
fill out an application. Available here (above)
or on request.
2.
Completed applications will be compiled into a resource file.
3.
One month prior to the program (January or August), HECUA
program faculty meet with students. At this meeting, students
will develop and define their learning goals and browse through
the resource file to identify organizations that they are interested
in exploring further.
4.
Students will follow-up with internship site supervisors to
schedule an on-site visit/interview. These interviews provide
students and prospective internship supervisors an avenue to determine
whether it is a "good match" for both parties.
5.
Site supervisors offer the position directly to the student,
but should keep the HECUA faculty informed. This communication
is helpful. Because all students are looking at multiple sites
� communication is crucial in directing students.
6.
Once both parties have decided to work together, students
and supervisors are encouraged to begin working on a learning
agreement (a statement of mutually agreed upon goals and responsibilities).
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| Responsibilities
of MUST Internship Supervisors |
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Orientation
to the Work Site & Duties
Please provide the intern with a thorough orientation
to your organization and to the duties he/she will be asked to
undertake. Students also seem to fit in more quickly if they have
a work space assigned to them, where appropriate. We hope you
will have discussed these things during the interview process,
and that you and the intern have chosen wisely so that his/her
expectations for the semester work fit well with your needs.
Consultation
on a Learning Agreement
The student is asked to develop a learning agreement
in consultation with you, describing the specific skills or knowledge
she/he hopes to develop on the job. The agreement also should
state goals for the internship experience. This document should
facilitate mutual understanding of what is expected and what is
possible through this internship.
Since
the learning agreement articulates your mutual expectations for
this relatively brief internship period, we urge you to carefully
review and respond to the draft learning contract prepared by
your intern. You might want to consider at this early stage, the
kinds of information or activities that would help integrate your
intern into your world of work, particularly with reference to
the intern's interests.
Evaluations:
Written & On-Site
You (and the student) will be asked to complete a midterm
evaluation form at approximately the sixth week of the internship
to assess the intern's work performance as well as progress toward
learning goals. Adjustments to the learning agreement can be made
at this time. We also will provide a final written evaluation
form to be completed. Additionally, MUST faculty will schedule
a site visit during the semester to check in on the student's
performance. Your evaluations and supervision provide constructive
feedback for the student as she/he prepares for a place in the
world of work.
Communication
Ideally, communication channels should be open between
you and the intern at all times. We suggest that you set aside
time, at least weekly, to provide feedback for each other during
the semester. If you feel communication is lacking, please act
immediately to remedy the situation, either by requesting a meeting
with the intern or contacting HECUA.
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Copyright
(c) 1999, Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs, Inc.
Last updated 02/22/01
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