Cheyenne Hughes, Class of 2005
Doctoral Student in Lehigh University’s School Psychology Program
"My experience in the Psychology Department at Buff State has been great. Unique experiences such as my internship and the summer program have left me feeling very prepared to meet the upcoming challenges of graduate school."
The internship is a great way to gain hands on experience in the field and apply what you have learned in the classroom.
To participate in the internship program, you must
- Be a second semester junior or beyond
- Have at least a 2.50 GPA in psychology and in the college
- Have completed relevant coursework (i.e., Developmental Psychology if you plan to work with children; Abnormal Psychology if you plan to work in a mental health setting)
- Receive an endorsement from a faculty member
- Be able to commit 12 hours per week to the internship site
Each semester a meeting is held prior to the advisement period for students interested in the internship program. At this meeting, the paperwork and other registration requirements (DOC, 29KB) will be explained.
Following the meeting and submission of paperwork, students work with the Internship Coordinator to achieve the best possible internship match for their skills and interests and then complete the PSY 488 form, which is the contract with the department and the Internship Learning Agreement, which is the contract with the site.
Current or Recent Internship Sites (Population):
- Buffalo Psychiatric Center (Adult Mentally Ill)
- Ivoclar Vivadent (Human Resources)
- Compass House (Homeless and Runaway Youth)
- University at Buffalo Center for Children and Families (Behavioral Interventions for Children)
- Joan A. Male Parent Support Center (Crisis and Hotline Services for Parents and Young Children)
- Gateway-Longview (Preschool through High School-Aged Children with Behavior or Developmental Disorders)
- International Institute (Refugees, Immigrants)
- Adelphia Communications (Human Resources)
- Erie County SPCA (Animal Behavior)
- Transitional Services (Adult Mentally Ill)
- Erie County Department of Forensic Mental Health Services (Holding Center Detainees; Research Opportunities)
- Avalon Centers (Eating Disorders)
- Journey's End Refugee Services
The list of internships is always evolving. If you have a particular interest that doesn’t fit any of these sites, please talk to the Internship Coordinator to identify an appropriate site.
For further information, see Dr. Zborowski or Dr. Norvilitis who alternate as coordinators.