Paid Internships for Everyone: Expanding opportunities for students
and employers through a funded,
multidisciplinary internship program
MPACE 2017 Annual Conference
Elizabeth Loun
University of Nevada Career Studio
Developing a program, including goal-setting, employer selection,
eligibility, and logistics
Promotion and Student Application
Selection and Orientation
The internships, including deliverables and assessment
Evaluation, including feedback and data
What we’ve learned, how we have adapted the program
Time to answer questions
What to expect in today’s session
Setting the Stage
The Value of Internships
Internships bridge the gap between the classroom and the
real world. Both sides benefit:
Students can test drive careers, build skills and networks
Employers can trial potential employees, utilize temporary help for
projects or busy season
“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.”
(American Public Media and the Chronicle of Higher Education, 2013)
Not all students have equal access to paid internship opportunities
-Socioeconomic status, areas of interest
Not all organizations can fund internships
-but often these very organizations can offer rigorous, diverse
experiences (nonprofit, startup)
A Funded Internship Program…
Cultivating the University Town. Reducing Brain Drain
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
…in Reno
Career Studio Partnership with
Associated Students of University of Nevada
• Shared strategic goals
• $30,000 first-time funding
• Guaranteed in statute
• Approved by ASUN Student Senate
• A joint venture between students and Career Studio
Goal Setting
Connecting Talent with Opportunity
Cultivating the University Town
Students Employers
University Community
Program Goals
Program 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
Student Goals
Program 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
Employer Goals
Program 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
University Goals
Program 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”
Community Goals
Pack Internship Grant Program
Pack Internship Grant Program
• Assists business and nonprofit leaders in developing substantive
internship opportunities for Nevada students
• Work with businesses to create a new internship program or
renovate an existing internship to ensure a mutually beneficial
professional experience
• Funds student wages at $12/hour for 120 hours during the spring
semester
• Supported program for students and employers
Best Practices:
• Intern orientation, on-site mentoring, and targeted skills
development
• Flexible scheduling that respects students’ academic commitments
• Internship Site visits from Career Studio staff
• Formal showcase for interns’ accomplishments
• Internships should be paid, educational, and advertised openly
Pack Internship Grant Program
In 3 years, over 1,800 student applications
received, 133 interns selected and 91 employers
participated
Pack Internship Grant Program
Named “Workforce Catalyst of the Year” in 2015
by Economic Development Association of
Western Nevada
Pack Internship Grant Program
Implementation
• Establish partners, conduct initial site visits
Program DevelopmentJune - August
• Program information is shared on campus, applications open
PromotionSeptember - October
• Applications received and reviewed, offers made, program orientation
Selection & OrientationNovember – December
• Interns complete 120 hours at internship site with support and reporting throughout semester
InternshipsJanuary – April
• End of semester poster showcase, data assessment
Reception & EvaluationMay
Program Timeline
Program Development
Is there a diversity of internship sites and job experiences?
• Something for everyone
Will this site provide a rigorous learning opportunity?
• Supervisor support, emerging industry?
Is this a strategic partner for the University?
• Consider new to area or high volume employers
Does the organization have a need for this support?
• Nonprofits, public agencies, new businesses
Where there are gaps, outreach is conducted
Selecting Community Partners. Application & Outreach
Interested Employers complete online Application
Applications are evaluated, site visits scheduled.
Co-developing learning-based internships
• Job descriptions submitted electronically by organizations
• Organization includes Required and Preferred Qualifications
• Required qualifications should be as broad or multidisciplinary as
possible
• Career Studio collaborates with employers to develop specific
learning outcomes
• Resulted in mutually beneficial, substantive experiences
proportionate with above-minimum compensation levels ($12/hr
vs. $8-10/hr)
Program Development
Risk Assessment
Legal Considerations
Term
Expectations
(University & Site)
FundingStatus of Student
Insurance
Contact University risk assessment office
Conduct site visits with new partners, assessing workplace risks,
discussing expectations
Check with University legal counsel on existing policy
Student Agreements
Site Agreements should delineate:
Program Development
On campus advertising with start of fall semester (in partnership
with Associated Students)
Targeted Outreach to students and faculty
Information Sessions
Social Media engagement
with employer partners
Promotion & Application
Students apply through Handshake
Resume, Cover Letter, Transcript, 3 Short Answers
Students encouraged to apply to multiple positions
Career Studio pre-screens for eligibility:
2.75 GPA, complete application, undergraduate
Students do need to be full-time (30 to Complete)
Promotion & Application
Employers receive eligible applicant packages, selection
instructions & deadline. They interview and offer to the
candidate of their choice.
Please review all applications.
Interview several candidates.
Carefully consider each candidate’s story.
You may hire more than one!
Offer to the student(s) of your choice.
Selection & Orientation
All students receive follow up
Interns scheduled for mandatory program orientation with Career
Studio:
-Sexual Harassment & Discrimination Training
-Program Expectations and Deliverables
Timeline, assessments, timesheet, journal, poster
-Paperwork
-Academic Credit (must be full-time)
Selection & Orientation
Interns set schedule, work 8-10 hours/week
Spring semester: Capped at 15 hours, finish end of April
Mid-semester site visit
Assessment taking place throughout
Experience culminates with Poster Reception
Internships
Pre Assessment
• Skills evaluation (together)
• Self-evaluation (intern)
Mid Assessment
• Internship evaluations (intern and supervisor)
• Site visits
Post Assessment
• Skills evaluation (intern)
• Self-evaluation (intern)
• Internship evaluations (intern and supervisor)
• Journal reflections (intern)
Final Assessment
• Poster presentation (intern)
To evaluate Student Learning Outcomes and Program Goals
4 Phases of Evaluation
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
Student Learning 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
Program Outcomes
Students create posters with photos, reflections, and accomplishments
2 hour Open House: evening with hors d'oeuvres; invited supervisors, business & campus community, friends and family
Poster Reception
Internship SiteIntern’s Name
Skills and
ResponsibilitiesWrite a paragraph about
the following:
What were your primary
responsibilities?
What skills were you
working on building
through this
experience?
ReflectionsWrite 1-2 paragraphs (at least 6 sentences) about
any or all of the following:
What were the most positive aspects of your
internship? What tasks or experiences did you
enjoy most, and why?
What transferrable skills did you gain during this
experience?
What did you learn?
What is an area for continued growth and
development for you?
AccomplishmentsMake a list (or better yet, bullet
points for your resume!) including
the following:
What projects did you complete?
What did you contribute to the
organization?
PhotoPhoto of you at work. Preferably working on
a project or event, not just sitting at a desk– if
your work is strictly desk-based, however, that
works too! Photos must be at least 300 dpi.
Please do not just use company logos,
plan on getting at least one picture of
yourself at your internship, even if it is a
selfie. In addition to this photo, you may
replace one other section with a second photo
if you would like.
Future PlansWrite 1-2 paragraphs (at least 4 sentences) about
any or all of the following:
What career field were you exploring during this
internship?
How has this internship affected your interest in the
field?
What is your next step toward reaching your career
goals? (Another internship? Applying to jobs?
Graduate school? In what field(s)? Details!)
Alixzandra
CollaroMarketing and Sales Intern
Skills and ResponsibilitiesI am the Marketing and Sales Intern for
Tahoe Trail Bar, a local energy bar
company based here in Reno, Nevada.
My primary responsibilities range from
creating marketing materials (fliers,
website updates, surveys, etc.), to going
on sales loops in Lake Tahoe, to doing
sales calls, to working races, and
completing administrative tasks.
The skills I am working on building during
this internship range from expanding my
design skills, to learning sales, to gaining
exposure working with the CEO.
ReflectionsThe most positive aspect of my internship was seeing my efforts
make a tangible difference in the company. My favorite task
were creating the newsletter because I have a passion for
making marketing pieces that effectively reflect a
brand/company.
The transferable skills I learned at this internship were new sales
techniques. I was able to understand how important relationships
are in sales. I learned how a small business maintains its sales
pipeline and how much effort one person puts into their company.
The areas I can continue to grow are my design skills and my
sales skills. I believe that I can continously improve upon these
attributes because it is important in marketing to keep up with
current trends and changes.
Accomplishments•Completed Social and Website Audit of all marketing messages
•Created a marketing newsletter to update
customers on current events
•Maintained sales loops for major grocery
accounts
•Executed vendor sales flier to increase sales
by 20%
Future PlansThe career field I was exploring during this internship was
energy bar marketing and small business functionality. I still
have a very strong interest in marketing and plan to pursue that
career field. My eyes have been opened to the product market
and sales field which I would consider to come back for the
future if my career led me that direction.
I graduate this May of 2016 and plan pursuing an internship
with Southwest Airlines or with Disney. Currently, I am
applying for and searching for a career after college and I
would prefer to move away from Reno and work for a big
corporation. If I cannot find a marketing job outside of Reno, I
plan to stay for a two plus years to build my experience.
Inputs Outputs ReflectionsAccomplishments/Skills
Planning, organization and implementation of Docker container instances for Azure-CLI, OpenDroneMaps, and Geoserver
• JPEG pictures collected by drone during flight.
• Pictures processed and organized by NVD
software/API.
• Pictures stored in NVD cloud management
software called Azure.
• Create a Docker instance that contains the Azure-
CLI.• Create a Docker instance
that contains the OpenDroneMap
software.• Create a Docker instance
that contains the GeoServer cloud storage
software.
• Create Docker data volumes to allow inter-
container data transport.
Borzuyeh Peter Rahmanifar, Pack Internship Grant Program, May 2, 2016
Short-Term Impact Long-Term Impact• This internship allowed me to really
experience the production of cloud
management software.
• Docker is one of the most desired skills in
software devaccording to ACM.
• The experiences from my internship is not included in regular
coursework.
• I really enjoyed working with an
innovative group of guys who helped me grow as a developer.
• I was able to learn how to deploy
Docker which is a vital skill in today’s
software development environment.
• I learned the importance of research and investigation.
• Social interaction with coworkers will
help me be more marketable to future
employers.
• During this internship, I was exploring how
software development occurs
in a real work environment.
• Real word hands on experience is
invaluable for a entry-level software
engineer.
• Learn scheduling of data transportation with
Azure messaging queue.
Future Plans
• This internship has made me really look
forward to graduating and working in my
career.
• I have been interviewing with many companies
who have inquired about my
experiences at NVD.• I will be definitely be
pursuing these interviews and will
hopefully be creating software soon!!
More than 750 applications were received from students representing
all academic colleges; increases in CLA, CABNR
Half of the students who completed an internship are continuing work
with their employer beyond the 120 hour internship
98% of interns gained professional skills AND feel more prepared to
enter the workforce
98% of Pack Interns would recommend the program to other students
Student Participants: 2017
“The most positive
aspects of this
internship were being
able to have real-world
and hands-on
experience in such a
large organization.”
“This was such a great
opportunity and I am so
happy I took the leap and
applied. It has shaped my
semester for sure and
probably my whole career.
The people have been
amazing all throughout and I
am so grateful for all of it.”
“[My supervisors]
were amazing,
awesome, fun,
willing to teach,
willing to learn,
and just generally
awe inspiring.”
“I learned a great
deal about [my
field of interest]
and met many
people who have
taught me so
much.”
Student Feedback
First Generation Students*:
*based on self-reported data only available from applicants who completed
the FAFSA
21% of applicants were first generation students
16.7% of interns were first generation students
11.7% of interns were first generation low income
students
Of the first generation students who were interns, 70%
were First Generation Low Income
First Generation Students
60 internships include:
24 positions with non-profit organizations
15 positions with public agencies (up from 4 in 2016)
21 positions with start-ups/small businesses
“Great experience. Our clients (and our staff) greatly value having UNR interns to assist us with our
projects.”
“[The Pack Internship program] allows the City to connect with students and to let them know what
we do on a daily basis. It is invaluable as a tool to find new talent and new perspectives on our
ever-changing city.”
“It's a great way to employ a student and could lead to an agency hiring the student for a longer
term.”
“It's a great experience both for the student and for the organization. Practice for the student to
become a professional and explore his/her interests and practice for the organization to train and
teach someone new.”
Employer Participants: 2017
Year 1
• 12 employer partners
• 21 internships
Year 2
• 34 unique partners
• 52 internships
• 8 self-funded
• Hired graduate assistant
Year 3
• 45 unique partners
• 60 internships
• 12 self-funded
• Graduate Assistant
• Self-funding required for 3x participants
In the past 2 years, over 50% of Pack Interns have been extended by their
employers beyond the 120 hours, and at least 14 have received full-time permanent
offers as a result of their internships
By The Numbers
Considerations for the Future
Explore alternate methods of funding
Increase participation/selection of under-represented groups
Manage employer selection/participation with more requests than
funding
Limit student participation?
Scalability with staff size
Leveraging strengthened partnerships: other opportunities for
students? More apps than openings
Questions?
Elizabeth Loun
Associate Director
Employer Relations & Internships
Nevada Career Studio