East Tennessee State University

Note.  Lise Cutshaw is overseeing internships in the Spring and Summer 2006 semesters.  See her for more details.

Use Dr. King's homepage address to access this information online anytime: http://www.etsu.edu/kingpr/jkhome.html

PLEASE READ ALL OF THE MATERIAL BELOW VERY CAREFULLY.
Students who fail to adhere to these guidelines will earn lower grades or failing grades.

When to do an internship: Before you attempt to enroll for internship credit, make sure you have completed the course work you need to succeed in the internship.  Most internships are completed in the senior year after you have completed most of the courses in your major.  One of the worst decisions you can make is to undertake an internship when you are not prepared to succeed.  See your major professor/adviser to help you determine if you are ready to undertake an internship.

When to begin searching and registering for internship credit:  You should begin your search for an internship early in the semester before you plan to begin the internship.  You should register for internship credit and pay all fees to the university the semester before you plan to begin the internship, just as you would for any other classes you plan to take in the next semester.

Internship assignment deadlines: You MUST turn in your journal, portfolio and five-page paper (typed, double-spaced, one-inch margins, 12 pt. times roman type) outlining your internship experience by 4 p.m. on April 21 to receive a grade. The deadline in other semesters is two weeks before classes end.

You also must meet with me twice during the semester to report on your progress.  The best times to do this are about a month after the internship begins and again about halfway through the internship.

Internship Schedule:  Spring internships run Jan. 17-April 28.  These dates may be adjusted slightly (by a few days) only with the approval of your internship supervisor and Dr. King.  All summer internships must end by April 28.  Internships in other semesters begin on the first day of classes and end on the last day of classes, before final exams begin.

Important notes about grades: Internships carry letter grades (A-F).  Your performance will be judged according to five criteria:  1) dependability/reliability, 2) writing performance, 3) creative performance, 4) technical/organizational performance and 5) overall professional performance.  You will also be judged on the quality of your journal, portfolio and paper outlining your experience; these should be well-organized, well-written and presented professionally.  Your internship supervisor and faculty supervisor will jointly determine the grade.  Failing to meet with me twice during the semester will result in an F for the internship grade.  Failing to turn in all material (journal, portfolio and paper) on time by 4 p.m. on April 21, 2006 will result in an F for the internship grade.  All grades are final and are not open to negotiation!
 

How to sign up for internships in five easy steps:

Remember.
All of this should happen the semester BEFORE you plan  to begin the internship.

1.  Conduct some research on available internships yourself and consult with your major professor/advisor for information about available internships locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.  Web sites for professional organizations such as Public Relations Society of America, Public Relations Student Society of America, Society of Professional Journalists and American Advertising Federation are good places to start.  There are many good internships available in the region, but don't be afraid to go after internships in major markets such as Atlanta, Charlotte, New York, Chicago or other locations.  If you have foreign language ability, an international internship in cities such as Paris, Mexico City, Berlin or Shanghai may be just the ticket for you.  Active membership in your professional student association should help you network and locate good quality internships.

2.  Develop a resume, cover letter and portfolio of your work to aid you in securing a good quality internship.  Professional organization web sites and your major professor/adviser can help with this also.

3.  Contact the internship coordinator or other individual responsible for internships at the company or organization with which you would like to intern.  Once you have a successful interview and the company or organization agrees to offer you an internship, work with them to complete the ETSU Department of Communication Internship Agreement Form.

4.  Then, bring a completed and signed copy of the ETSU Department of Communication Internship Agreement Form to me and fill out a cut card in advance so that I can sign it.  Give the cut card to Judy Branson in the Department of Communication.  She will clear you so that you can register for the three hours of academic credit.  But you still have to register for the internship course!

5.  Register for the appropriate section using Goldlink or your normal means of registering for a course.  Pay fees.  That's it!
If you don't register for the course, you cannot get academic credit for your internship.  You must meet all normal university deadlines (see the schedule for this info) to avoid paying late fees or having to deal with late add situations.
 

Guidelines:  How to succeed in an internship:
1.  Interns register for three hours of credit.  You can do more than one internship, but you can only get academic credit for one.  Increasingly, students are finding that completing more than one internship can enhance their skills, knowledge and employability.  In fact, many students are accepting additional internships after graduation as a way to get their feet in the door.

2.  A student must complete a minimum of 125 hours of work during the semester.  Hours above the minimum may be negotiated by the intern and the sponsoring organization.  Remember, the 125 hours is a bare minimum.  Most successful internships will require more than 125 hours of work.  Internships normally start on the first day of classes in a semester and continue until the end of classes.  Before the internship begins, you and your internship supervisor must agree in writing how many hours you will work and a regular work schedule for you.  You cannot simply walk away from the internship after 125 hours.

3.  All basic course work in the major should be completed before the internship assignment is undertaken.  Internships normally are done during the senior year.

4.  Interns may be paid.  There's no restriction on this.  However, if you already work for a company or organization, we do strongly discourage interning with the same company.  The rationale for this is that you need some new experience in a different environment to expand your abilities and networking opportunities.

5. Internships are negotiated by individual students with the assistance of the faculty.  Treat your internship search the same as you would a job search.

6.  Sponsoring organizations should realize that assignments must be professional and must be carried out under the supervision of someone who can contribute meaningfully to the student's career preparation.

7.  In preparation for the internship, the student and the sponsoring organization must put a plan for the internship into writing.  This will include goals for the internship and how those goals will be achieved.

8.  Prior to registration, the plan must be approved and permission must be received from the faculty member who will direct the internship.

9.  During the semester, regular progress reports and meetings with the faculty supervisor will be required of the intern.  I ask that you meet with me for about 15 minutes twice during the semester to discuss your internship experience.  Students should also keep a daily journal of all work performed and a list of knowledge, skills and contacts gained during the internship.  At the end of the term, the intern will submit a portfolio of all work completed along with a written report (about five pages) summarizing the internship experience.  Students who are interning outside the local area can accomplish the regular progress reports and meetings with the faculty supervisor via phone, e-mail and or instant messaging.

10. The faculty supervisor will contact the on-site supervisor during the semester to help monitor the intern's progress and will ask for input from the on-site supervisor in determining a grade for the course.  I may even stop by for a visit on local internships from time-to-time.  If you are interning in Paris, Mexico or Australia and your supervisor is willing to foot the bill, I'll be happy to visit you on-site also (haha). The on-site supervisor's recommendation will weigh heavily upon your grade.  Responsible, dependable and professional performance will go a long way toward securing a good grade.
 

How to contact me and other useful stuff:

Snailmail:
Mailboxes in the Communication Department, Fifth Floor, 519 Warf-Pickel Hall

e-mail: johnking@etsu.edu
The best way to reach me is to send me an e-mail message. I check e-mail several times a day.

Phone:
423/439-4169, 9-4169 on campus (please leave message on voice mail)

Office:
519E Warf-Pickel Hall

Office Hours:
Spring Semester 2006, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, 519E Warf-Pickel Hall
If these hours are not convenient for you, please contact me to schedule an appointment.

Please check my on-line schedule for a complete listing of my schedule for the semester.

Access my home page and schedule at: http://www.etsu.edu/kingpr/jkhome.html