Professional Internship Program Mentors
The SUU Professional Internship Program is designed to help SUU students develop basic skills and competencies that employers expect from college graduates. Participating student interns will find their education more meaningful and propel themselves into their future careers. Other program benefits include acquiring financial support, gaining relevant work experience, building on-campus connections, developing mentor relationships, and enhancing professionalism. A mentor will serve as the student's supervisor, as well as their professional guide throughout the semester. The mentor provides support, feedback, and guidance in career and self-development.
As a mentor, you will prepare interns for future success in their careers by engaging them in activities that build NACE Career Readiness Competencies.
Mentor Responsibilities Before the Internship
- A staff or faculty member will apply to the program using the Professional Internship Program Application.
- Once the deadline has passed, mentors will be chosen to participate in the program.
- Once the student deadline has passed, the Career Center will sort through the applications and assign 2-5 students for the mentor to interview. The mentor will then narrow the selection to one student and notify the Career Center. The Career Center will then conduct the final interview with that student. Once the interviews are complete, the student will be notified that they have been selected for the internship.
- The mentor will attend an orientation a few weeks before the start of the internship to learn about their responsibilities and expectations throughout the internship.
Mentor Responsibilities During the Internship
- Once the student has turned in their paperwork and completed all the required training, they will be ready to start the internship officially.
- The mentor will be appointed as a supervisor to approve the intern’s timesheet. The mentor will send a screenshot of that timesheet to Mackenzie Jenkins each pay period.
- The mentor is in charge of all the job duties and tasks the student will perform.
- The student will be required to participate in weekly activities and badges focused on career and professional development (This should take around 1 hour of their paid time each week).
- It is highly encouraged that the mentor conducts weekly meetings with their intern to discuss career-readiness competencies, life goals, career goals, and job goals.
- There will be a midterm evaluation conducted by the Internship Coordinator, who will spend 15 minutes with the intern, 15 minutes with the mentor, and 15 minutes with both the intern and mentor to discuss the internship and evaluate how the program is progressing.
- At the end of the semester, there will be a “PIP Banquet”, where we will review and celebrate the growth and accomplishments of the intern as well as the mentors who helped them along the way.