Supervisor Information
Intern: an advanced student gaining supervised practical experience
The Communication Department of Buffalo State thanks supervisors who provide our students with solid work experiences. We also remind supervisors that students are paying for the privilege of gaining professional experience; thus we take seriously our obligation to supervise the progress of students and to ensure that their internship is a professional extension of their campus experience. Our practices and policies for internships are included here:
1. Obtaining interns. Companies and organizations wishing to provide a communication internship experience for a Buffalo State student should contact the Communication Department. The department can place students in professional areas such as radio and television production, broadcast and print journalism, broadcast sales and management, public relations, advertising, internal communication, Web editing, and related areas. The department requires (1) a written job description outlining professional expectations for interns and (2) supervision by a professional with experience in the relevant field.
2. Student interest. Prospective interns should meet with the faculty contact for the professional area in which they seek an internship. An attempt is made to match student interests to job descriptions from the organizations. Students select two or three organizations for follow-up and interviews. After the interview, the student is chosen for, or selects, the internship location.
3. Credit for internship. Interns earn one-to-three hours of academic credit for 150 hours of internship. This is approximately 10 hours per week in a 15-week semester. Some students may choose do an extra 50 hours for an additional credit, but they must register for the the additional one-credit hour internship in advance. In the summer, hours for the work week may be scheduled as agreed upon by student and supervisor.
4. Work hours. The student arranges hours of internship with the organization's professional supervisor. This arrangement should be incorporated in the letter of agreement. (If a student needs to ask for a special day or week off, s/he should make this request when initial arrangements are settled.)
5. Pay. Some interns are paid by the hour. Others are paid a stipend at the end of the internship. Some are paid only for parking and lunches, or not at all. The department encourages businesses and organizations seeking interns to understand that interns are students paying college tuition and often both working part-time jobs and taking student loans.
6. Letter of agreement.Together the student and the professional supervisor complete a letter of agreement form that defines responsibilities and expectations of the internship. The form is signed by both of them and given to the academic supervisor for his/her signature. The student and the professional supervisor should arrange for formal reviews at the completion of 75 hours and 140 hours. The mid-term review conference should focus on the progress report.
7. Weekly meeting. Academic supervisor meets weekly with all interns in a scheduled class session during the spring and fall semesters. For summer internships, a meeting is scheduled before the end of the spring semester to coordinate paperwork and preparation for the internship.
8. Weekly report. Work reports are completed by the student each week (every 20 hours in summer), signed by the professional supervisor, and submitted to the academic supervisor at weekly meetings, for documentation and monitoring of the internship. (There is a grade penalty for waiting to turn in all paperwork until the end of the internship.) Both supervisors should have periodic contact to assure a successful internship, especially if there are problems.
9. Mid-term report. Approximately 75 hours into the internship, the professional supervisor should meet with the intern for a formal progress review. A report of this meeting is sent to the department.
10. Final report. After the student has completed approximately 140 hours of the internship, the academic supervisor sends final evaluation recommendation forms to all professional supervisors. Students also complete an evaluation form to evaluate the internship.