Pack Internship Grant Program

Connecting Talent With Opportunity Cultivating the University Town

The ASUN & Career Studio Partnership• $30,000 first-time funding• Guaranteed in statute• Approved by ASUN Student Senate

• A joint venture between students and faculty • Students provide on-the-ground perspectives • Professionals lead implementation

• A growing relationship• Funding doubled to $60,000 for internships• Additional funding provided to increase staffing of the Pack

Internship Grant Program• Ensure better support for employer partners• Increase level of engagement with students

Identifying the Need

Not all students have equal access to internship opportunities.

• Students of lower socioeconomic status may work multiple part-time jobs or have substantial family commitments outside of campus (Lynch, et al., 2010)

• Students who miss out on internships miss out on an invaluable opportunity to develop career-ready skills and build a professional network (Lynch, et al., 2010)

What We Know• Paying interns increases workplace diversity• Unpaid internships represent an opportunity cost• Unpaid internships exclude anyone who can’t

afford to work for free• Unpaid internships can be against the law

“Many internships are temporary low level jobs with dubious educational merit.”

— (The New York Times Editorial Board, 2014)

Internships bridge the gap between the classroom and the real world. Both sides benefit.• Students enjoy a chance to “test the waters” through

experiential learning (Gault, et al., 2010)• Employers enjoy a “talent pipeline” – employers in

2013 made full-time offers to 65% of interns (NACE, 2014)• The University benefits from relationships with

area businesses, with implications for corporate funding and other development initiatives (Gault, et al., 2010)

• Students name internships as the top contributor to their learning in college (Gault, et al., 2010)

– American Public Media & the Chronicle of Higher Education, 2013

“Employers cited experiences gained from internships as among the top reasons for hiring a grad — more important than a student’s major, university or grade point average.”

Cultivating the University Town

• Provides a pipeline of college-educated talent to companies, nonprofits, and public agencies

• Stems the outflow of talent from Reno, contributing to the economic development of the region

• Helps students develop the skills and qualifications that area employers seek

• Helps incentivize businesses to open in the region

The Program

GONEare the days of the

Pick-Up-The-Dry-Cleaning, Starbucks-Latte-Run

Internships

Pilot Implementation TimelineDevelopment

August – September 2014•Establish partners, conduct initial site visits

PromotionOctober 2014

•Program information is shared around campus, applications open

SelectionNovember – December 2014

•Applications received and reviewed, offers made

InternshipsJanuary – April 2015

•Interns complete 120 hours at internship site with support and reporting throughout semester

EvaluationMay 2015

•End of semester poster showcase, data assessment

Development•Choosing Community Partners• Is there a diversity of internship sites and job experiences?• Something for everyone

• Does the organization have a need for this support?• Nonprofits, public agencies, new businesses

As funding sources change, selection criteria may change

Development• Codeveloping learning-based internships• Job descriptions submitted electronically by organization• Organization includes required and preferred qualifications• Required qualifications should be as broad or

multidisciplinary as possible — remember: this is an internship. Students are seeking the opportunity to learn new skills.

• Career Studio staff collaborates with employer partners to develop specific learning outcomes

• Resulted in mutually beneficial, substantive experiences proportionate with above-minimum compensation ($12/hr vs. $8-10/hr)

Program Evaluation

Program Goals

Students Employers University Community

Connecting Talent with OpportunityCultivating the University Town

Program Goals

Student Goals:

• Gain access to paid, standards-based internships with local businesses, nonprofits, and public agencies

• Develop and apply professional competencies in a field related to an academic course of study

• Connect with professionals, mentors, and peers to begin developing a local professional network

Program Goals

Employer Goals• Create high quality, paid internships aligned with rigorous student learning outcomes

• Gain access to talented pre-graduates with professional interest in the field

• Foster relationships with the University to develop sustainable pipelines of talent

Program Goals

University Goals• Strengthen the University’s ties with the local business community

• Expand co-curricular opportunities for undergraduate students, aligned with the University’s strategic missions of “Learning” and “Engagement”

• Bolster the University’s reputation as a source of talented early professionals and a partner in regional workforce development

Program Goals

Community Goals• Facilitate a pipeline of University-educated talent into local businesses, nonprofits, and

public agencies

• Help stem the outflow of college-educated talent from the Greater Reno-Sparks-Tahoe region

• Facilitate Reno’s development as a “University Town”

4 Phases of Evaluation

Student Learning Outcomes• Students will improve by at least one unit in the skill development rubric in two of the three skills that the student and supervisor identify as priorities

• Students will identify two instances in which they applied knowledge learned in the classroom to solve real, professional problems encountered in the internship

• Students will analyze professional growth and identify at least one area for further growth, reflecting on self-knowledge gained through the internship experience

• Students will develop connections with professionals in a field of interest, reporting a greater sense of connection to a professional network from the beginning to the end of the internship

• Students will evaluate and clarify individual career goals through reflection on the internship experience

Program Outcomes•Student satisfaction with the internship program

•Student satisfaction with the supervisor’s guidance and support

•Supervisor satisfaction with the internship program

•Supervisor satisfaction with the intern’s performance

•Quality of internship sites and experiences

The work I perform is challenging and interesting.90% of students agreed

Final Evaluation: Student

Final Evaluation: Student

I have gained professional skills that I could apply to future employment and feel more prepared to enter the workforce as a result of this experience.95% of students agree

Student Testimonial

“Being able to learn from people that are willing to teach me has been really amazing. They have assigned me projects appropriate for my skill level and have allowed me to explore the aspects of QA testing in a very supportive learning environment. Furthermore, knowing that the work I do is meaningful and contributing to the company’s goals is very rewarding.”

-Alex Sanchez, Web Development Intern,

inqiri.com

Final Evaluation: Supervisor

Overall satisfaction with the student’s performance100% employer satisfaction

Final Evaluation: Supervisor

Overall satisfaction with the Pack Internship Grant Program100% Very Satisfied or Satisfied

Supervisor Testimonials

“Excellent, mutually beneficial opportunity for all involved.”- Shayna Liberman, Associate Director of Strategic Planning

and Communications, Sierra Nevada Journeys

“I believe this program helps students receive a hands on experience in a professional work environment which gives them an insight to the work industry after college.”

- Todd Westergard, Chief of Staff, Nevada Senate Democratic Caucus

“I was sent quality candidates, and the process was very smooth.” - Tobi Kelly, Bookkeeper, Quest Counseling

Conclusion

In Summary

• Provides a pipeline of college-educated talent to companies, nonprofits, and public agencies

• Stems the outflow of talent from Reno, contributing to the economic development of the region

• Helps students develop the skills and qualifications that area employers seek

• Helps incentivize businesses to open in the region

The Pack Internship Grant Program: