Contributing to the field: Internship opportunities for Bachelor and

Shawnté M. Elbert, MA, CHES, TTS
Health Educator
Center for Wellness Promotion
UNC Charlotte


[email protected]
704-687-5884
Gaining Student Skills, Energy, and Creativity

Explain the process of recruiting and hiring undergraduate and
graduate interns.

List skill development opportunities made available to interns.

Discuss how the internship is evaluated.
A temporary work experience wherein a student performs preprofessional work in support of an organization’s goals.
Internships can provide:





Opportunities to try a new role
Opportunities to develop new skills
Opportunities to enhance the skills that
they have
An “inside view” of a job/agency
A great job reference


Identify, Create, Market

New skills and ideas for the organization

Increased staff for small programs/projects

Enhanced campus and community public relations

Potential candidates for graduate school
o

MPH, Health Administration
PRIORITY DECISIONS:
o Identify needs/opportunities within the organization
o Capacity
o Time
o Long-term investment
o Application development





Areas in need of development
Projects put on the “back-burner”
“Start to finish” projects
Overhaul/updates of current programs/projects
Examples include:
o Design of promotional materials
o User surveys, demographic surveys
o Improvements to processes
o Design and implementation of systems
o Program/Event development and presentation
o Research projects and written reports (Graduate)

The majority of an intern’s tasks should involve professional
activities, providing the student a solid learning experience.

A good job description will:
o Outline responsibilities/activities
o Required qualifications
o Specify outcomes, “deliverables”
o Identify learning opportunities for student
o Describe compensation(if any), benefits
o Determine hours/time commitment

Employer determines reporting lines and direct supervisor

Supervisors should be:
o Enthusiastic and passionate about program
o Willing and able to spend time with interns
o Interested in teaching, working with interns
o Knowledgeable in technical areas
o Comfortable providing on-going feedback
o Committed to Student Development




Policies differ by institution, no guarantee intern will receive
credit.
Credit may or may not apply to overall graduation requirements.
Most interns who receive academic credit will incur related
tuition and fees.
Required amount of hours weekly/entire internship.

Presentations to campus…

Contact Career Center and Universities to advertise opportunity

Create centralized method for students Application submissions
o Website, Centralized email

Receive and evaluate resumes, cover letters, and 3 references of
interested students
o Selection Criteria

Interview candidates of interest
o Phone, Skype, Face-to-Face

Offer position to selected candidate


Interview and On-Board



Reviewing Application Submissions
Notification of Interview/Not Interviewing
Formal Interview Outline and Questions
o Nugget of Advice



Voting/Selection of Interns
Notification of Selection and Feedback for those not selected
Formal Letter sent requesting biography for website and
availability for a full day of on-boarding

Formal Agenda
o

Introductions, Strengths and Apprehensions, Topics of Interests
Packet of Documents
o
o
PowerPoint (Departmental Overview, Tabling 101, Program Planning)
Job Responsibilities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Policies and Procedures
Intern Manual
CWP and Intern Calendar
Forms (Confidentiality, Internship Agreement, Checklist)
**Portfolio**
Meetings
Bulletin Boards
Marketing & Social Media

Major & Mini Projects

Mandatory Trainings and Due Dates
o
GEM Car; HIPAA; BBP; Office Safety; Slips, Trips & Falls; Sprains & Strains

Q&A

Picture for the website

Pre-Selected Mini Projects
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o

Go Red Day
Display for National Condom Week.
Assist in facilitating night programs for Residence Halls, Athletics, Greeks.
Decorate Bulletin boards each month.
Develop a Monthly Newsletter for CWP.
RA Bulletin Board Competition
Deliver Stall Street News
Make CARE packages
Wellness Wednesdays
3 Prong Major Project
o Social Media Development (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
o Health and Wellness articles
o Sexual Health Program or Fair (Day/Night program with an educational table)
•
•
Sexual Responsibility Week/Condom Awareness Week
Sex On The Table
o Wellness Month Programs
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Human Trafficking Event
National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week
NOPE Candlelight Vigil
Great American Smokeout
Safer Spring Break
Kick Butts Day
Alcohol Awareness Month
NINER Nutrition
Take Back the Night
Sexual Assault Awareness Week
o Vagina Monologues
o De-Stress Fest
o NINER Trivia Night

A memorandum of understanding or agreement between the
student and the organization

Weekly/Bi-Weekly Meetings
o Monthly questions
o Project Updates
o Nuggets
o Concerns

CWP Staff Meetings

Weekly Reports
 Internship
history
 Proof of competence
 Shows accomplishments
 Demonstrates potential
 Self-assessment

Title Page

Company Overview
o

1) Company Profile 2) Organizational Chart 3) CWP Welcome Letter
Summary of Internship Experience (minimum of 3 pages in length; not a formal paper)
o
Overview (1 page minimum)
•
•
•
o
Skills/Competencies (1/2 page minimum)
•
o
o
Describe how the internship has prepared you for employment in public health.
As a result of the internship experience, describe the type of public health jobs you would be most interested in working.
Mini Projects
Major Project (1 page minimum)
•

List one or more track specific competencies your work included. Be specific.
• In what areas of responsibility of public health/Health Communications, did you feel unprepared?
• Describe the skills you developed through your internship.
Career (1/2 page minimum)
•
•
o
List your major responsibilities (get this from Fact Sheet and Internship packet).
Provide an overview of what you did during your internship to fulfill your responsibilities.
Describe to what degree you accomplished the major responsibilities. If you were not able to accomplish all of them, explain the
circumstances that prevented you from doing so.
Internship Photos - Include a description of what’s going on in the picture.
Weekly Reports
• This should be done weekly and sent via email to the site supervisor.
• Make sure to total your hours at the end of your work week (on the report).
• Weekly logs should be written using professional language, and be descriptive of what you have done throughout your internship.

Copy of Mid-Internship Evaluation and Final Evaluation


Evaluations and Improvements


Resume/Cover Letter Review
Formal feedback in an evaluation
o University required Evaluations
• Midterm and Final
o CWP 360 Evaluations
• Peers
• Staff
• Departmental (Exit Interview)

Staff Evaluation Meeting

Supervision (approaches)
Health Ed./Public Health Majors versus Health Comm./Adm. Majors
Non-Traditional Students
Part-Time versus Full-Time Interns
Staff Agreement
Extending experiences to other Public Health areas
Extended On-Boarding and Training
Mentoring / Facebook Group

New Initiatives:







o Training another CWP Staff Member
o Mentoring/Supervision by Graduate Assistants
Questions?

