Presented by Craig Gilden, Mary Beth Mercatoris, and Evelyn Meisell at the ACA & APSA Professional Development Day conference on 2/17/11. Details how interns will benefit your department and the specifics of developing a mutually beneficial working relationship with an intern and the Higher Education Administration program. See "Branching Out Handouts" as an additional resource.

1. Branching out How Graduate Students can be an Asset for your Department Dr. Mary Beth Mercatoris Craig Gilden Evelyn Meisell February 17, 2011 APSA/ACA Professional Development Day

2. Presenters Mary Beth Mercatoris, Ph.D. Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Activities Craig Gilden & Evelyn Meisell Master’s Candidates in the College and University Student Personnel Program Co-Chairs of the Higher Education Administration Student Professional Association (HEASPA)

3. Goal of Presentation Increase partnerships between Higher Education Administration Master’s Program and on-campus departments Internship Requirements Survey Results Personal Experiences Administrator Experiences

4. What is HEASPA? HEASPA is the student organization representing the Higher Education Administration Master’s and Doctoral students http://blogs.utexas.edu/heaspa

5. Master’s Internship Requirement

6. Survey Description 10 Question Anonymous Survey Internship Experiences Advice for Departments Selection Factors Demographics Sent to 75 People 34 Alumni 41 Current Students 31 Responses 17 Alumni 14 Current Students

7. 1: Factors for Selecting Site Location/Campus Staff/Supervisor New Area of Higher Education Gain Understanding of an Office Ability to Contribute to Department “I used the internship to diversify my resume as much as possible to make finding a full-time job easier.”

8. 2. Meaningful Experiences YOU (Supervisors & Co-Workers) Ownership over a Challenging Project Valued as a Staff Member Asked for My Opinion Ability to work with Students “The time that my supervisor spent talking with me was very meaningful. She took the time to learn about me, my aspirations and my thoughts on how to improve some of her programs.”

9. 3. Frustrating Experiences Lack of Structure in Internship Little Direction from Supervisor Not Included in Department No Feedback Given Few Student Interactions “My supervisor treated me like I had little experience to back up my ideas…. It felt a little like I was simply a temporary worker, and not much was expected of me.”

10. 4. Suggestions for Supervisors Make Intern feel Included in Department Give Intern Responsibility Provide Clear Expectations Include Weekly One-on-One Meetings Provide Helpful Feedback “Clearly define the learning objectives for the intern. Work with the intern to decide on appropriate projects that will help their learning and enhance the office objectives. Include interns in regular staff meetings so they can understand the bigger picture of the office’s purpose.”

11. Internships from a Departmental Prospective Why Did We Create Internships? Expose EDA students to Student Activities Provide supervision experience to professionals Great way for a unit to work on special projects Great way for an intern to provide a fresh perspective

12. Internships from a Departmental Prospective Items to Consider: Create a Job Description Create a Win-Win Environment Provide Structure Have Interns Work with Students Invite Interns to Meetings, Events & Trainings Involve Interns in Work Decisions Give Interns a Project to Own, If Possible Perform a Mid-Semester Evaluation Perform an Exit Interview One by Supervisor, One by Supervisor’s Supervisor Post Internship Again Before Semester Ends

13. Ways to Be Involved Meet with HEASPA Representatives about your Interests Serve as a Mentor for a Master’s Student Offer an Internship Google Document HEASPA List-Serv “Higher Education students have a passion for student affairs, and because of this unique, applicable interest, they will be committed and thorough in their work. It is beneficial to your office to give them extended projects and varied assignments. ”

14. Thank You! Dr. Mary Beth Mercatoris merc@mail.utexas.edu Craig Gilden Craig.gilden@gmail.com Evelyn Meisell emeisell@gmail.com http://blogs.utexas.edu/heaspa