Internship Program at Sterling College

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What is the Internship Program?

Bridging theory and practice
Integrating academic learning with “real-life” employment
Practical and realistic hands-on training
A ten-week experience (working full-time) and two courses (prior to and post the experience)
A total of 9-credits
A requirement of all students
Experiential learning based on the philosophies of service-learning
A Sterling tradition since 1981

Goals of the Internship Program

Introduce students to an environmental organization and the everyday realities of the organization’s work.
Develop an understanding of the host organization’s mission, decision-making structures and strategies, budgetary process, and natural resource inputs and output.
Craft individual learning objectives for the experience.
Acquire photo-documentation skills.
Gain professional writing skills.
Create life-long career development tools in the form of a career portfolio.
Successfully conduct a job search. Improve or gain public speaking and presentational skills.
Develop and challenge a sense of professionalism and work ethic and philosophies.

How Does the Internship Program Work?

The Internship Program takes place in three courses over three semesters. The first course, Work Search, is scheduled during the spring semester of the student's first year. The second course, Practicum in Environmental Stewardship I (the actual internship), usually takes place in the summer or fall of the student's second year. The third course, Writing and Communications, concludes the program when the student returns to the campus.

The Internship Program is administered by the Career Resource Center (CRC) staff, and includes teaching the Work Search and Writing and Communications courses, contracting with supervising hosts, monitoring students while they are on internships, and scheduling internship site visits. The Internship Program is housed in the Career Resource Center on the second floor of Dunbar Hall.

Internship Program Links

Internship Host Requirements
Internship Host Form
Internship Map
Weekly Update of Career Opportunities (WUCO)