School of business administration

BA 437 Internship in Business

INTRODUCTION: the SoBA internship is a community-based learning program that seeks to offer students a meaningful learning experience that extends beyond the classroom setting. Community-based learning offers a way of thinking about and studying academic learning in an extended “classroom” or “laboratory.” An internship offers complimentary experiential learning to the student that is congruent with classroom-based learning. Community-based learning and research includes both applied skill development and experiential work-integrated learning. Work-integrated learning fits well with the notion of community-based learning and service as described in the Fort Lewis College mission and is deemed a good fit for a public liberal arts college. This program is intended to offer a practical out-of-the-classroom learning opportunity in a dedicated, meaningful area of interest to the student.

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS STUDENT INTERNSHIP COORDINATOR:

Pat Dommer

SoBA Career Services

Office 136 EBH

Phone: [phone] O

Email: [e-mail]

COURSE PREREQUSITE:

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  Completion of a minimum of 80 credit hours
  
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  A Business GPA of not less than 3.0 (B) and a College cumulative GPA of not less than 2.5 (C+). If GPA requirement is not met special permission may be granted by the SoBA Student Internship Coordinator
  
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  Declared major or minor in Accounting, Business Administration, Marketing or Economics
  
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  Approval by the SoBA Student Internship Coordinator
  
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  Registration for BA 437 prior to census date in the term credit is earned
  

APPLICATION PROCESS: Make an appointment with Pat Dommer, [e-mail].

Bring to the appointment:

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  The “Internship Application” form that can be found on the SOBA homepage
  
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  A copy of your current transcript—unofficial is acceptable.
  
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  A current copy of your resume
  

After the application and supporting documents have been submitted, and you have acknowledged receipt of the course syllabus, the faculty member of record will issue an override. Once issued, you will receive confirmation of your eligibility to enroll. Please note you will not be able to enroll in BA 437 until all requirements are met, the override issued.
PLACEMENT: Internships can be full-time or part-time. Typically opportunities come from one of two sources. First, students find their own internship. Perhaps they have an opportunity to engage an internship at a current or future place of employment. Second, firms will contact SoBA and seek to recruit student interns. These opportunities come and go and are very fluid. If you are interested in finding out what is available through the SoBA contact Career Services regularly and check the Skyhawks Job Source often. We welcome proposals and inquiries from firms interested in having our interns participate in their organization.
CREDIT AND COMPENSATION FOR INTERNSHIP: Four (4) academic credits are earned upon successfully and satisfactorily completing the coursework requirements. Of the several dozen internships that are engaged each year, there are usually only one or two (if any) that are unpaid. Only in special situations will non-paid internships assignments be considered. Therefore, you can anticipate receiving a reasonable hourly wage for your work.
MIDTERM MEETING: You will be contacted to schedule a midterm meeting with the Internship Coordinator. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the student’s progress and SoBA’s expectations for the remainder of the term.
COURSE DELIVERABLES AND EVALUATION: All internship deliverables are due, during or before the week before finals. When each of the following items have been successfully completed and turned into the internship coordinator it will be possible to review the entire portfolio as a means for assessing accomplishments and assigning grades. Failure to complete all of the deliverables will result in an “I” incomplete grade.

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  Hours: You will need to complete a minimum of 200 hours of directed experience; however, normally students complete 300-400 hours.
  
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  Weekly Reports: The weekly report is due before 6:00 am Monday morning in Pat Dommer’s e-mail box as a Word attachment. Students generally complete these reports on Friday at work or over the weekend. Most reports are about one page long. The weekly report is to have a four-paragraph format as follows:
  

1. What did you do this week? Journal entry.

2. What did you learn?

3. How does the internship experience relate to your prior classroom learning at SoBA?

4. What organizational procedures or activities would you do differently or what changes would you recommend if you could?

• Job Description: Accompanying the first weekly report you should include a job description and a written plan that outlines your duties, responsibilities, and expectations for the internship. This should be developed by both the student and the employer and signed by both.

• Final Organizational Paper: Should include the following format.

1. 
   Introduction: How and why did you obtain an internship with this particular organization?
   
2. 
   Industry Overview: Provide a brief description of the size and scope of the industry in which your internship organization competes or provides services.
   
3. 
   Company History: Provide a short, chronological history of the growth and development of your internship organization.
   
4. 
   Management Profiles: Provide a brief biographical sketch of key management personnel, including titles, education, previous work experiences and length of time and position held in the present organization.
   
5. 
   Operating Procedures and Philosophies: Explain the flow of work in the organization from the time a sale is made, a customer or client arrives or calls, raw materials are received, etc.
   
6. 
   Marketing Strategies: How are new customers/clients obtained and how are current customers retrained?
   
7. 
   Budget Information (when available): Describe how budgets are prepared and financial performance is evaluated.
   
8. 
   Integrate Weekly Papers: In the final section of your paper integrate the key points and experiences from your weekly papers.
   
9. 
   Summary: Wrap up with a meaningful conclusion section, and include your recommendation about whether this internship should be offered to other students. Why or why not?
   

• PowerPoint^: Each intern is required to prepare a PowerPoint, (or Prezi) presentation at the end of their internship. Your presentation may be shown to other students, faculty, staff and recruiters. A reasonable guideline for developing and elements to include in your poster are as follows:

1. 
   Content Elements: The presentation should include: a) identification of the intern – clearly indicate your name, b) identification of the internship organization, b) description of the activities, and c) analysis of the internship experience.
   
2. 
   Analysis: Evaluate the experience. What was challenging, interesting, frustrating about this work? Link your experience to elements of coursework at SoBA. Reflect on what you learned about yourself. Is this the career for you? Why or Why not?
   
3. 
   Presentation: Make it aesthetically appealing. Including items such as photographs, charts and graphs—where appropriate, other digital images, and special effects/transitions make a nice touch. Some students have even included music. Think of the presentation as a portfolio item. Make it so someone will enjoy observing what you did.
   

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  Employer Evaluation: There is a standard employer evaluation that needs to be completed at the end of the internship. The employer can submit this directly or go over the evaluation with the intern as they would like and have the intern turn it in.
  
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  Other Requirements: Additional specific requirements will depend on the SoBA Student Internship Coordinator and the particular internship.
  

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

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  To allow a community-based, real-world learning experience to reinforce theoretical coursework with practical applied hands-on skill development.
  
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  To provide students the opportunity to develop “critical thinking and problem solving skills,” to possess the capability to develop logical reasoning and problem-solving abilities that follow from both qualitative and quantitative data reflection and the deductive premise.
  
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  To provide students with a competitive edge in obtaining career or graduate education opportunities.
  
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  To allow students the opportunity to develop “critical writing skills,” formal and informal, that will address a variety of rhetorical concerns.
  
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  To allow an opportunity to assess one’s own abilities and interest in specific business fields and industry in general.
  
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  To allow insight and exposure into a particular firm without a commitment to permanent employment.
  
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  Seek to offer students a meaningful learning experience that extends beyond the classroom setting. A desired outcome of the internship experience is to offer “action and application of academic learning,” a nexus between the academic learning practice and applied skills.
  

ACCOMMODATION FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS: Students with disabilities have equal access and equal opportunity in this course.  If you require reasonable accommodations to fully participate in course activities or meet course requirements, you must register with Disability Services, 280 Noble Hall, 247-7459.  If you qualify for services, bring your letter of accommodation to the internship coordinator at time of application and discuss any specific needs. Anyone in need of special adaptations of accommodations because of a disability (physical, learning, psychiatric, etc.), please make an appointment with Pat Dommer prior to starting the internship.

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