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Eligibility

Internships for students in CFS need to meet the following six requirements:

1. Provide substantive work – examples include: long and short term projects or tasks that require skills in research, analysis, summarizing data, writing, presenting information visually and orally, benchmarking, brainstorming or creativity, investigating, planning, organizing, implementing programs and services, problem solving, thinking critically, influencing and persuading, observing, selling or promoting, and decision making.

2. Allow for time spent in the required weekly CFS class and field trips. Every CFS intern is required to attend the CFS class: held on Mondays for 4-credit (full-time) participants and a weekday afternoon or evening for students in the variable credit. We also ask you to allow students to attend class field trips when they occur outside of normal class time; typically trips are once or twice per quarter.

3. Training and orientation for the intern. During the first week, outline the expectations and goals for the intern, and ask the student about their learning goals for the internship. We expect someone to walk the student around the office and introduce them to their colleagues.  Interns want to meet key players, as well as learn the structure and culture of your organization.

4. Supervision from a person experienced in the field that will meet or talk with the intern weekly.  The supervisor provides direct and constructive feedback so that students can learn and improve their performance.  Interns thrive on feedback; the more specific and regular responses you provide, the more you will get from the intern!

5. Involve the intern in meetings or calls with associates, staff, senior managers and/or clients. We want our students to feel engaged in the work and learn by interacting with its key members.

6. Evaluate the student’s performance at the end of the internship. We have an evaluation form that we ask you to complete to help the student understand what they did well and areas for improvement.  If you have your own performance evaluation, we ask you to provide us with a copy for our records.

Does your internship meet these requirements?  If yes, then learn how you can get interns from the CFS program.