Internship Requirements

I. Course Title: Internship in Park and Resource Management/Environmental Education

Course Number: 71-750 Credit: 3-6 graduate credits

Course Description: A supervised off-campus work experience in an appropriate area
of the Park and Resource Management or Environmental Education program. This
course is open to all PRM/EE students who have completed at least one semester of
coursework in the program and who are in good academic standing. Placements are
sought in both the public and private sectors, in and out of Slippery Rock area,
depending upon students’ home community or travel capabilities.

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II. Course Objectives

A. General

1. To expand student knowledge of discipline academic theories by a program of
field study supervised by a non-academic advisor.

2. To provide an opportunity to assist students in the acquisition and application of
skills by observing a professional in the course of everyday operations, and by
receiving hands-on experiences.

3. To enable both the student and academic advisor to identify strengths and
weaknesses in the student’s preparation for professional responsibilities.

B. Specific

1. The intern should become knowledgeable about the field supervisor’s operation.

2. The intern should become knowledgeable as to the job responsibilities of the
individual workers managed by the field supervisor.

3. The intern should become proficient in as many performance areas as the
internship permits.

4. The intern should develop the ability to interact with people found at the host
setting.

5. The intern should display the ability to synthesize information during the
completion of the internship project.

6. The intern should be responsible for completing the internship contract.

7. The intern should demonstrate the ability to plan and organize his/her
responsibilities at the site.

8. The internship experience should instill in the student a positive attitude
concerning professionalism.

9. The internship should assist the student in formulating career objectives.

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III. Internship Site Requirements: All internships must be oriented toward the goals set
forth within the PRM/EE programs. All sites must offer specific opportunities for
hands-on experience in park and resource management, park administration, outdoor
leadership, park planning, interpretation, outdoor education, and/or environmental
education instruction and administration.

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IV. Internship Credit Hour Determination: Six credit hours of internship experience are
required of all PRM students who elect the non-thesis option. Students who elect
the thesis option (as well as students in the EE program) may take internship as an
elective part of their coursework. EE students seeking certification must take three
credits of internship as part of the certification requirements. With the consent of the
students academic advisor, PRM and EE students may intern after satisfactorily
completing one semester of coursework. After completion of this initial semester,
internship credits may be earned in a single semester or divided among two semester
(three credits each). Academic advisor consent is required for any internship option
selected.

Students electing the non-thesis option must complete a minimum of 360 clock hours
of intern experience prior to graduation. Each of the required six credits of
internship equals 60 clock hours of hands-on experience. Students should make sure
that they can accomplish the required number of hours with the desired agency
during the semester for which the contract is signed (see Part VII). Students electing
to do a three credit internship must complete a minimum of 180 clock hours of
hands-on experience.

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V. Application Procedure

1. Responsibilities of academic advisor, faculty internship supervisor and the student
plus procedures to be followed will be explained to each student indicating a
desire to complete an internship.

2. Each Park and Resource Management or Environmental Education student must
meet with his/her academic advisor to express interest in an internship one
semester prior to the internship experience.

3. The student identifies potential sites and the field supervisors of these sites,
including telephone numbers and mailing addresses. The academic advisor
assists the student in selecting the internship site and the field supervisor.

4. Faculty involvement in the internship experience shifts from the student’s
academic advisor to the faculty internship supervisor.

5. The faculty internship supervisor sends the field supervisor a verification form
and other pertinent information. The field supervisor returns this form to the
faculty internship supervisor.

6. The student, in consultation with the faculty internship supervisor, complete the
internship registration form (see Appendix G- blue form) and, after securing the
academic advisor’s approval signature, submits it to the faculty internship
supervisor. The student also submits copies of the Liability Statement (Appendix
B) and insurance verification (Appendix C) to the faculty internship supervisor.

7. The faculty internship supervisor verifies the information on the form, approves it
(or requires that it be revised) and forwards it to the graduate coordinator who, in
turn, secures the department chair’s approval and returns the form to the student.

8. The student registers for the appropriate section of 71-750 at the Office of
Academic Records and Summer School in Old Main.

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VI. Responsibilities

A. Faculty Internship Supervisor Responsibilities

1. Prior to the internship:

a. Assure the student is oriented to the internship process and monitors his/her progress.
b. Provide the student and the field supervisor with a written statement of the requirements, assignments, and expectations of the practical application course.
c. Familiarize the field supervisor and the student with the necessary guidelines and mutual expectations, objectives, and number of working hours.
d. Act as liaison between the field supervisor, the student, and the University.

2. During the course:

a. Maintain contact with the field supervisor to monitor the student’s progress:

1) After the initial adjustment period
2) During the mid-term period
3) During the exit period

b. Maintain contact with the intern to monitor his/her progress and to ensure
the viability of the learning experience.

1) After the initial adjustment period
2) During the mid-term period
3) Prior to or during the evaluative or exit period

c. Arrange with the intern and the field supervisor for on-site visits, where
visitations are practical.

d. Make judgments regarding the advisability of the continuation of the
experience.

3. Following the course:

a. Conduct an opportunity for the student to critique the experience.

b. Evaluate the daily journal, field supervisor’s evaluation, and other
materials submitted to comply with the intern contract.

c. Submit the necessary grade/evaluation reports.

B. Field Supervisor Responsibilities

1. Become familiar with the objectives and procedures established by the
University for the internship experience.

2. Interview the student to ascertain his/her needs, interests, knowledge, skills,
and objectives for the internship experience.

3. Orient the student to the objectives of the agency and working environment
and establish a weekly schedule of work activities. It is suggested that this be
done at the beginning to enable the student to gain a better understanding of
his/her involvement in the total operation for the internship period. Assign
initial tasks within the student’s abilities and gradually upgrade the
assignments and responsibilities.

4. Present the student to the site staff as a co-worker and in a manner to insure
his/her professional status.

5. Provide the student with meaningful experiences throughout the internship
period. It is expected that the student would be involved in all facets of the
site’s operation.

6. Hold periodic evaluation sessions with the student to review the student’s
progress, his/her projected schedule, and to discuss areas of concern. It is
suggested that these be held bi-weekly, or weekly if felt necessary.

7. Notify the student’s faculty supervisor immediately if any problems arise out
of association with or supervision of the student.
8. Complete the final evaluation form for the student’s performance during the
internship period (Appendix F). All individuals involved in the student’s
supervision should be consulted for the evaluation. Following the completion
of the evaluation, the field supervisor provides and opportunity for the student
to respond (on the evaluation form). The field supervisor should forward the
completed evaluation form to the faculty supervisor. This should be done
within ten (10) days of the student completing the internship.

9. Assist the student, in so far as possible, to satisfy personal objectives.

C. Intern Responsibilities

1. General
The student agrees to: 1) abide by all rules and regulations of the host site;
2) keep all matters confidential that are so designated by the site; 3) maintain a
professional demeanor during the internship; 4) maintain contact with faculty
supervisor; and 5) meet the academic requirements of the internship program.

2. Specific Responsibilities

a. After a student establishes an internship at a site via a written contract, the
student is committed to that site for the length of the internship unless
withdrawn or terminated by the faculty internship supervisor and agreed to
by the site supervisor. The student is required to fulfill the internship
contract. If a situation arises in which the internship is best terminated, the
student will receive a “WP” or “WF”, or be placed in another site to
continue the internship. If a student decides to leave the internship site
without notification of both the field supervisor and the faculty supervisor,
the student is subject to receive and F.

b. To be on time for all scheduled activities and notify the field supervisor in
advance in case of absence.

c. To be well groomed or appropriately dressed at all times.

d. To plan and carry out all assignments in a prompt and professional manner.

e. To submit reports to the internship supervisors detailing activities as
described in the contract.

f. To become involved in as many practical experience areas as possible
during the internship period.

g. To notify the faculty supervisor immediately of any problems arising out of
association with the field supervisor or other site personnel.

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VII. The Internship Contract

The student shall prepare and sign a contract for the internship listing all activities
duties expected during the internship experience. This contract shall be forwarded
to the faculty internship supervisor prior to beginning the internship (when
feasible) or within the first week of the internship (Appendix D).

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VIII. Fulfilling The Internship Contract

A. General

Some very important academic responsibilities in this program include
maintaining a daily journal, submitting a written project proposal, completing
special assignments, and preparing a final paper. In addition, students are
expected to prepare themselves for faculty visitations if the student’s placement
is within reasonable distance of the University. The daily journal consists of a
log of activities, plus comments on those activities, as well as questions that are
raised during the time a student is in the field. The interim project should be
tied to some facet of the student’s experience at the site.

B. The Daily Journal

The journal should consist of entries logged each day. You do not have to log in
breaks or lunch periods unless you meet with someone and transact some
“business” during those times or hold interesting/informative discussions. The
log should be brief but reasonably complete. Your topics for comment in your
reports should follow the log, but do not feel constrained to comment on every
single activity listed in your log.

Some suggested topics for your reports, in addition to specific requirements
supplied by your faculty supervisor, include:

1. problems you are encountering- at your site, getting to your site and
elsewhere as a result of this internship;

2. how you are solving, or not solving, those problems;

3. how you feel about your internship, what you are learning or not learning,
your view of yourself as an intern and as a member of the world of work.

4. how well you are being integrated into your site, what factors help
integration, what factors are dysfunctional for integration;

5. how this internship connects to your SRU education;

6. suggestions for changes in curriculum of your major, or elsewhere, based on
your internship experience;

7. specific courses that have helped or hindered your internship, with
explanations to support your observations.

8. some of the management techniques used in this organization and how well,
or not, they “work”;

9. some of the technology, tools, or processes you are using or observing, with
comments on these;

10. what are you learning or not learning and ho are you progressing (or not
progressing) toward your goals.

11. what interpersonal situations that you observe or become part of and the
impact(s) of those situations;

12. a continuous account of people you meet, books, articles, or reports you read
as part of your internship, and skills, knowledge, abilities you are acquiring.

This list is only a staring point. Be candid; do not be afraid to ramble a bit
about philosophical/ethical concerns, questions, or justice/equity/fairness
issues and where the “human element” is important to what is going on
around you.

C. The Internship Project
The internship project is an activity that produces visual results, either in the
form of a physical product or report. The project may reflect an interest of the
student, the field supervisor, or something needed by the internship site. The
project must be approved by both the field and faculty supervisors.

1. Pick a general topic area of interest. Do this during the first week of the
internship. Discuss the topic with your field supervisor: a) what resources
are available, b) how much expertise is there in this general area, and c) how
much interface will there be between the internship experience and the topic
area.

2. As a result of preliminary discussions, choose a topic or project theme that is
narrowed and manageable (i.e., it can be completed during the internship).
At this point get feedback from the faculty supervisor.

3. Put together a one page outline of the project. As you prepare the outline, ask
these questions: What am I attempting to do with this project? Why do I
think this is important? How does this fit with my internship experience?
How will this project assist the organization? What are some of the resources
I will need to complete the project?
4. Carry out the project as appropriate.

5. Document! Keep notes, diagrams, pictures. Do research. Share your
thoughts and ideas with others at your site. Your final project, if it is
something that remains at the site, will be evaluated by the site supervisor.
Appropriate documentation must be provided for faculty supervisor
evaluation.

6. A Suggested Timetable for the Project

a. In the first week of the internship you should complete the process of
identifying a project.

b. By the half-way point, an outline should have been sent to your faculty
supervisor.

c. During your internship (and specifically in the last two weeks) request
some time to work on, and complete, the project. Most host organizations
are agreeable when it comes to this request because a good project can
benefit the organization.

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IX. Internship Evaluation

The final evaluation and course grade is derived from four items: the field supervisor
evaluation, the student’s reports, journal and final evaluation, the internship project,
and the faculty supervisor’s final evaluation.

A. The Field Supervisor Report

This evaluation is entered upon a standardized form (Appendix F). This form
consists of both scale evaluations and open-ended comments. The areas of
evaluation point to the professional success of the student over the entire period
of the internship.

B. Reports, Journal, and Final Evaluation by Student

In addition to regular reports (frequency determined in consultation with the
faculty supervisor) and the daily log, each intern is required to submit an
evaluation report of the internship site and staff expressing both positive and
negative comments and the pros and cons of working at that particular site. The
student should comment on what was obtained from the internship experience
and give candid comments on recommending the location to future students.
This evaluation is due within seven days of the intern’s last day of work at the
internship site.

C. Project
The target date for completing the project and submitting the final report on the
project to the faculty supervisor should be no more than two weeks following the
completion of the internship. Any request for an extension of time to complete
the project must be made in writing.

D. Faculty Supervisor Evaluation

An exit interview between the student and the faculty supervisor should be held
as soon as possible following submission of all reports and receipt of the field
supervisor’s evaluation. This evaluation considers the following criteria:

1. Evidence of desire and ability to successfully identify, design, and complete
the internship project.

2. Evidence of ability to solve unexpected, immediate problems.

3. Evidence of self-initiative and leadership

4. Clear view of the internship holistically as part of the degree.

5. Student documentation of the time spent at the site and the duties performed.

6. Any obvious deficiencies.

E. Final Grade

The Park and Resource Management or Environmental Education intern receives
a letter grade as determined by the faculty supervisor. The grading system used in Graduate Studies shall apply:

A - High quality graduate work
B - Satisfactory graduate work
C - Acceptable graduate work
D - Unacceptable graduate work
I - Incomplete
F - Failure
WP - Withdraw passing
WF - Withdraw failing
W - Withdraw

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APPENDIX A

Internship Site Checklist

Student __________________________________ SS#___________________________

Date ___________________________

I. Location and Personal Data

Name of Internship Site ______________________________________________

Address __________________________________________________________

Phone ( ) ___________________ Driving Distance from SRU __________

Field Supervisor ____________________________ Title __________________

Professional Experience ______________________________________________

Education and Certifications __________________________________________

_______________________________________________ Exp. Date _________

Date of Last Intern at Site ____________________________________________

Preferred Time Period of Internship:

Summer _____ Fall _____

Spring _____ Anytime _____

Number of Credit Hours of Internship ___________________________________

Approved: _________________________________________________, Advisor.

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APPENDIX B

Liability Statement

The university assumes no responsibility for the student’s personal liability. Internship sites normally have liability insurance plans covering both staff and clients. Internship students should inquire of the site whether liability insurance is carried required and, if so, who is covered. The faculty supervisor can inform the student of low-cost liability insurance either through membership in PSEA or NRPA.
While accidents and lawsuits are rare, no one is immune to liability suits and everyone is held personally accountable for his/her actions. Therefore, internship students are advised to become knowledgeable about legal liability.
The University accepts no responsibility for workman’s compensation or payment of the student for services, this is a matter between the agency and the student.
The Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education Department highly recommends each student to secure liability insurance prior to starting the internship.
As a student at Slippery Rock University and currently taking the Internship
(71-750), I have read the Liability Statement above and understand what it implies.

Name ____________________________________ Date _________________________

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APPENDIX C

Insurance Verification

Date _____________

In order to insure proper medical coverage for all students while they do the Internship, the Parks and Recreation/Environmental Education Department requires verification that each student is covered by either the insurance purchased through the University or by a form of comparable insurance.
Therefore, the following must be completed and returned to the faculty supervisor before any individual may start their internship.
I verify that __________________________________, _____________________
(name of student) (social security #)
is covered by the following insurance:
_________________________ University Insurance
_________________________ Comparable Insurance
Dates of Coverage ____________________________________________
Company ___________________________________________________
Policy Number _______________________________________________

Signature of Student _______________________________________________________
Students must turn in this form prior to beginning internship.

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APPENDIX D

Intern Contract for the
Park and Resource Management
Environmental Education
Programs

I, __________________________________, recognize the following tasks to be performed while an intern at the ___________________________ site. I agree to
perform these tasks to the best of my ability. I understand my internship evaluation and final grade shall be determined principally by the quality of work achieved while completing these tasks.

TASKS:

- The completion of a daily log to be kept in a notebook or binder and made
available to the field supervisor on a weekly basis and to the faculty supervisor at the completion of the internship.

- Assistance given to prepare at least one on-site conference between my
field supervisor, faculty supervisor, and myself when distance from the
University makes it possible.

- The creation and completion of an intern project, as agreed to by my field
supervisor and faculty supervisor.

- Goals and objectives identified by me and agreed to by the field supervisor
and approved by the faculty supervisor. Goals and objectives will be
given to the faculty supervisor prior to the beginning of the internship.

- The preparation of a final formally typed report at the conclusion of the
internship period delineating the benefits of the internship and an
evaluation of the site’s role in the internship.

____________________________________________ _______________________
Student Signature Date

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APPENDIX E

Internship Project Guidelines

(Due to the faculty supervisor within two weeks of starting date of Internship experience)

Each student is required to submit a project plan and a final report for a project that s/he completes during the internship. The project must be approved by both the faculty supervisor and the field supervisor, in written form, within two weeks of the starting date of the internship experience. The project must be of value to both the site and the student.

Title of Project:

Project Proposal: (answer all of the questions in detail)

WHAT are your objectives? (minimum of three)

WHY is this project important? (purpose and use)

WHEN are you going to work on this project? (schedule)

WHERE are you doing the project? (location)

WHO is going to do the project? (others who will assist, if any)

HOW are you going to do the project? (methods or procedures)

Please make three copies, one each for yourself, the faculty supervisor, and the field supervisor. The project plan should be approved by the field supervisor and mailed to the faculty supervisor during the first two weeks of the internship. A copy of the final report should be provided to both the field supervisor and the faculty supervisor upon completion.

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APPENDIX F

Slippery Rock University Graduate Internship (71-750)
Department of Parks and Recreation/
Environmental Education Date __________________

FIELD SUPERVISOR EVALUATION REPORT

Student’s Name __________________________________________________________

Job Title ________________________________________________________________

Dates of Work Experience __________________________________________________

I. Rate the student on the basis of your observation during the internship period.

PERFORMANCE VALUE DEFINITIONS

1= Consistently exceeds what is expected
2= Frequently exceeds what is expected
3= Consistently achieves what is expected
4= Occasionally fails to achieve what is expected
5= Consistently fails to achieve what is expected

Performance Values
a. Quality of Work: Consider the extent to which
work is accurate, thorough, well organized, and how
often it requires redoing or revision. Consider job
knowledge and decision making ability.
Comments: 1 2 3 4 5

b. Volume of Work Produced: Consider extent to which the employee produces at a rate consistent with
normal expectations.
Comments: 1 2 3 4 5

c. Work Habits: Consider how well the employee observes
safety on the job, utilizes time, is reliable and punctual,
meets deadlines, organizes work, the employee’s job
attitude, and acceptance of criticism.
Comments: 1 2 3 4 5

d. Relationship with People: Consider the extent to which
the employee works cooperatively with supervisors,
associates, subordinates, and the public. Does s/he treat
them with respect and courtesy?
Comments: 1 2 3 4 5

e. Communication Skills: Consider how well the employee
is able to express thoughts clearly, effectively, and
concisely orally and in writing.
Comments: 1 2 3 4 5

f. Initiative: Consider employee’s ability to independently
complete an assignment without close supervision.
consider employee’s ability to come up with new ideas
and better ways of accomplishing work.
Comments: 1 2 3 4 5

II. Appraisal of Overall Performance:

III. How would you rate the performance of this student in comparison with other
Internship students and/or beginning staff members?

Superior _____
Above Average _____
Average _____
Below Average _____
Poor _____

IV. Suggestions for improvement and further academic work:

V. Comments. Please add any additional comments you feel may be useful to the
Faculty supervisor in evaluating and counseling the student.

Report completed by: (Signature) _____________________________________

Name __________________________________
Position __________________________________
Agency __________________________________
Address __________________________________
__________________________________
__________________________________
Telephone _________________________________
E-Mail __________________________________

VI. Student Review. This evaluation has been discussed with my supervisor on
________________________ . I wish to make the following comments:

_____________________________
Student’s Signature