Internships

• Interns are to be supervised by professionals in their content (major) area
• Interns are to be tasked with responsibilities akin to their content (major) area
• Supervisors agree to hour requirement within a specific time frame
• Supervisors agree to complete mid terms and final evaluations
• Supervisors agree to sign off on intern hours once per month via the timecard app

• Finding future employees.  I mean, really, think of the training you’ve already done with an intern - you know just what you are getting!
• Increasing visibility.  Interested in having a new audience for your products and/or services? Having an intern will bring a new generation into your workplace.
• Extra hands.  If you have a big project coming up, why not hire an intern for a shorter, specific purpose.  This can alleviate pressure on current employees.
• Fresh perspectives. A new set of eyes and ears never hurts.
• Mentoring.  Want to make a difference?  This is YOUR opportunity to mentor the next generation of workers
• Be current.  Interns will be able to enhance and update your social media outreach.
• Lead.  Having interns can help your current employees develop leadership skills as they take time to teach and train young people.
• Improve your work environment.  Let me be real - these young people are fun and creative.  

It is not mandatory to pay your intern, but the vast majority of host organizations opt to pay interns. It is important that your internship program adheres to the Department of Labor Fair Labor Standards Act.  The U.S. Department of Labor has created guidelines for employers who utilize interns to determine whether an intern must be paid. These guidelines dictate how interns must be compensated in “for-profit”, private companies.

All interns must be paid, UNLESS all 6 criteria are met: 

• The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment
• The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern.
• The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff
• The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded
• The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship
• The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.
   

If there is no wiggle room in your budget, maybe you can get creative.  

• Offer interns a specific stipend amount upon completion of their hours.
• Offer interns all the soda and snack they can drink and eat at work.
• Take interns out for lunch.
• Offer interns an opportunity to participate in trainings.
• Take interns to meetings with you to help them network.
• Offer interns a travel opportunity by taking them with you to professional conferences. 

Best Practices of Internship Programs

• Set goals for internship program.
• Discuss, determine, and agree on the learning objectives with intern.
• Provide intern with real work experiences.
• Provide intern with handbook/website information that full-time employees receive.
• Plan an engaging orientation program that is effective for interns, mentors, and other staff members
• Provide an overview of the organization’s mission, values and structure.
• Be sure everyone involved has clear expectations, including: work hours, appropriate office attire, specific job responsibilities and organizational policies and procedures.
• Pair intern with a variety of professionals in your organization to give a full picture of the business.
• Try your best to fully incorporate the intern into the life of your organization (staff meetings, staff celebrations). Provide feedback along the way.
• Develop a list the duties/project for intern.
• Develop clear reporting hierarchy that is communicated to intern.
• Meet with intern to review mid-term and final evaluations. with regularly scheduled meetings.
• Conduct exit interviews to find out what worked well and what did not.
   

Considerations before hiring an intern:

• What kind of student(s) are you looking for?
• What skills do you want that student to bring?
• What skills do you hope they leave with?
• Do you have physical space for an intern?
• Do you have supplies they will need - desk, chair, computer, phone, etc.
• How will you train the intern regarding policies and procedures in your workplace?

“Generally speaking, local public health agencies are not large enough to have a dedicated marketing/communications individual on staff. Our UNI intern provided a great deal of guidance on various educational and outreach activities we had planned. She gave us a perspective on promoting our programs that we are not professionally trained to do. The experience gave us a renewed energy to reach our clients – thank you!”  Dave Koch, Johnson County Public Health

Our business (Around the Corner Productions, Inc.) has been using UNI Communication Studies interns for over 10 years.  Over the past decade, we have had little to no issues with these UNI students and have been thoroughly impressed with their dedication, skill level, and professionalism.  We have offered part-time and full-time employment to students after the completion of the internship.  Our company runs the UNI sports videoboard and live webstream for 60 sporting events each year and produces a weekly TV show.  The UNI interns play a very important role in running the camera, directing, and editing these productions.  I honestly don't know what we would do without these outstanding UNI interns. We look forward to partnering with UNI Communication Studies and the internship program for many years to come.  It is a wonderful program that benefits the students as well as many companies like ATCP.  -Eric Braley, Around the Corners Production

Having a UNI intern gave IowaWatch a great opportunity to be connected with the university and its communication studies department. Students from UNI who have worked with us have been able to produce top-notch journalism that could be published anywhere. -Lyle Muller Executive Director-Editor, IowaWatch

We’ve been very pleased with the UNI students who have interned with us. They are enthusiastic and wonderfully capable, and allow us to do work and projects that we simply couldn’t tackle on our own. They’re also great problem-solvers, who often can solve challenges that I’ve been struggling with for months! - Veronica Lorson Fowler Communications Director, ACLU of Iowa

To get your internship program going, please send the following information to the Director of Internships, Nichole Harken at nichole.harken@uni.edu

• Name of Organization
• Contact Information
• Job Title of Internship
• Description of Internship Duties
• Paid/Unpaid Status
• Location
• Time (flex time or standard schedule)
• Application Procedures and Deadline