Internships

An internship is a hands-on, work-related experience which enables a student to gain practical knowledge and experiences to supplement and enhance academic classroom learning. 

Internship Packet Information

Internship packets are due the semester prior to register for an internship. Links to each packet are available at the bottom of the page.

All internship packets must be typed, printed, initialed and signed before being returned to the Institute for Career Planning.

COMPLETED PACKET DUE DATES:

Due Dates for Spring 2025 Internships:

November 11, 2024—NEW Site Packets
November 25, 2024—EXISTING Site Packets

Due Dates for May, Summer and Fall 2025 Internships:

April 10, 2025—NEW Site Packets
April 21, 2025—EXISTING Site Packets

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at careerplanning@adrian.edu

Internship Committee Information

The internship committee dates to approve new sites: December and April. This committee establishes procedures governing the internship program and reviews proposed sites.

Internship opportunities give students insight into career interests and allow individuals to gain valuable knowledge and experience in a particular field.

In an internship, a student works just like an employee, regardless of pay, with the purpose of receiving mentorship, supervision, and training. Internships are designed to assist students in the career exploration process to determine if that career matches their interests and skills. It is an industry-wide standard that employers prefer to hire candidates who have practical experience. The job search is increasingly challenging for graduates without dynamic practical experience.

Types of Internships

• Exploratory Internship (Designated 199) - Designed to help students investigate a career field, while taking on limited responsibilities. Open to 2nd semester freshman and above. Credit limit is 3 hours.
• Professional Internship (Designated 399) - Designed to provide students with entry-level job skills in a particular career. Specific intern projects or experiences are often included. Open to juniors and seniors, for a maximum of 6 credit hours (see: “How you earn academic credit”).

Who is eligible?

Any Adrian College student who has completed a least 12 credit hours in residence at Adrian with a least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Transfer students are eligible upon completion of 12 credit hours at Adrian College.

How do you earn credit?

Credit hours are determined by the amount of hours worked, and the depth and breadth of learning taking place. Credit limits for each site are determined by the Internship Committee.

In general, one credit hour is equivalent to a minimum of 40 hours of on-site internship experience equals a minimum of 1 hour of academic credit. This does not mean that if you work 400 hours, you’ll get 10 hours of credit. Maximum credit for one internship is 6 hours. However, if the specific internship stipulates you must live on-site, up to 12 credit hours may be earned.

Faculty Sponsorship

To ensure student success, each intern must have an internship site supervisor and a faculty sponsor. The site supervisor gives professional guidance in the student’s field, and assigns on-the-job responsibilities. The faculty sponsor monitors the student’s progress during the internship, and assigns academic responsibilities to complement the workplace learning experience.

Steps to Obtaining and Completing an Internship

• Research posted Internship Opportunities and visit the Institute for Career Planning to request a list of approved internship sites in your program of interest. Discuss your goals with a faculty member and the director of Career Planning; it’s best to define your goals before you seek an internship. Faculty members in your academic area are knowledgeable in your particular field, and may have internship contacts. Many internship opportunities are not advertised, so inform your friends, family, and professional contacts of your interest in an internship. The director of Career Planning can also give you guidance about potential internship sites and program procedures.
• Choose a faculty sponsor and with his/her help, determine the amount of credits your internship will earn, how you will be assessed on your internship performance for grading purposes, and for what departmental credit you will complete the internship (for example, ELEC or BUS).
• Prepare your resume and cover letter. Start by reviewing our online guides. Contact the Institute for Career Planning to have your resume and cover letter reviewed prior to submission.
• Apply. You apply for an internship just as you would for any professional job. After researching the organization, make contact with the individual who oversees interns at potential internship sites; introduce yourself and clearly explain why you’re calling. If you have a site in mind, you should apply with a resume and cover letter, or a phone call and offer to send your resume and cover letter for their review, depending on your particular situation. Submitting a resume will be necessary, so regardless of how you apply, have a resume ready. Keep in mind that competitive internships often have deadlines months in advance, so start this process early.
• Follow up in ten business days if you haven’t received a response. Keep an internship pursuit log sheet to keep track of names and dates.
• Prepare for interviews; dress professionally and be on time. Review the Institute for Career Planning’s Interview Guide.
• After securing your internship site, contact all other sites with whom you’ve interviewed and thank them for their time, but advise of your final decision.
• Complete registration paperwork for the internship, whether it is an approved site or a new site which is up for approval via the A.C. Internship Committee.
• Collaborate with your site supervisor to determine internship responsibilities and complete paperwork. Acquire signatures from site supervisor, faculty sponsor and the director of Career Planning. If it is a new site proposal, there will be an additional two sheets of information necessary from the site, New Internship Site Proposal and a typed internship responsibilities description from the organization. Once your paperwork is completed and signed by the director of Career Planning, your registration will be transferred to the Registrar’s Office for processing.
• Complete your midterm student self-evaluation form online. Final evaluations are submitted by your site supervisor and are reviewed by a faculty sponsor and the director of Career Planning.