Steps to Host a Penn State Abington Intern
Penn State Abington regards properly coordinated and supervised internships as an important part of a student’s education, deserving of academic credit. Students earn a variable number of credits depending on the academic major.
MAKE A PLAN
Assess your needs and what you have to offer. Develop learning objectives and projects that would provide a professional experience for a students.
POST YOUR INTERNSHIP
Post your internship position description on Nittany Lion Careers and share it with Penn State Abington Career & Professional Development (CPD) at [email protected]
INTERVIEW & SELECT
Conduct your interviews in our new on-campus interview space or at your location. Want to build your candidate pool? Join us for one of our campus recruiting events.
ACCEPTANCE LETTER
Your selected student will provide a sample letter to be completed and signed by the internship site supervisor. The student will submit the letter to Career & Professional Development.
ON-BOARDING & FEEDBACK
Provide your intern with the information, resources and feedback to be successful in the experience.
EVALUATIONS
Complete an evaluation of the intern's performance at the mid-point and conclusion of the internship.
Resources and Guidelines
Resources
Campus Philly is an excellent resource for employers in our region. Take a look at their Internship in a Box: Campus Philly Internship Guide
Another great resource is Mike True's InternQube, and his free guide for employers: Starting and Maintaining a Quality Internship Program.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) provides guidelines that Penn State expects employers to follow: NACE Position Statement on U.S. Internships.
Paid/Unpaid/Academic Credit
A student can receive compensation for an internship AND earn academic credit. The student is charged tuition for the academic credit, just as a regular course. Organizations that offer compensation AND agree to supervise the student for academic credit will have the greatest success in attracting candidates.
Be aware of the Department of Labor Guidelines for Internships. This Fact Sheet provides guidance on whether interns and students working for “for-profit” employers are entitled to minimum wages and overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Not all internships are completed for academic credit, and not all Penn State Abington students are interested in receiving academic credit. At Penn State Abington, students majoring in:
are required to complete one internship for academic credit. See our internships page for details.
Timing
Internships can occur during the summer, fall, or spring semesters.
Depending on the major of the student, the time requirement for the internship will be between 100 - 600 hours over the course of the semester, with the average requirement being a minimum of 300 hours.
Many employers begin recruitment for internship talent about 6-9 months before the internship will take place.