An internship is a structured educational experience where a student applies concepts learned in the classroom to the realities of the world of work. The primary purpose of an internship is to provide an educationally-sound platform for the development of the student's human, social and workplace skills through a field-based activity. Interns receive practical training and develop skills in a variety of settings through cooperatively arranged experiences.

Interns work in substantive, pre-professional positions which support their academic and career goals. Students are given responsibilities in their position and work as "professional trainees." An internship should promote critical thinking, inquiry, observation and application of classroom theory.

Juniata has two types of internships: credit and transcript notation non-credit. Credit internships usually occur during the academic year and are sponsored by individual faculty members who assign academic work related to the internship experience.

Transcript notation non-credit internships usually occur during the summer and are managed by the Office of Career Development who oversees the internship experience and evaluation procedures. The primary distinction between credit and transcript notation internships is the degree to which students are required to reflect on their experiences. This is recognized in the differences in academic requirements, the degree of college supervision, the investment of college resources and the student's payment for and receipt of credit.

Benefits to Employers

  • A pool of highly qualified, motivated employees.

  • Release of professional staff from routine tasks to maximize contributions.

  • You can receive fresh new ideas from an intern who is an impartial observer of your operation.

  • Temporary help for employers with seasonal staff needs and special projects contributing to the bottom line.

  • A means of recruiting, screening and training potential permanent employees at a reduced cost before making a permanent hiring commitment.

How to Participate

  • Post your position electronically on Handshake and search student/candidate resumes once you are approved, or email the job description and instructions on how to apply to Tammy Stuber at stubert@juniata.edu . Appropriate students and faculty will be notified.

  • Consider attending the Juniata College Career Day, the last Friday in February. 

  • Interview potential interns from the identified candidates.

  • Select your intern from the pool of candidates.

Every effort is made to match student qualifications with your requirements and to refer appropriate candidates to you. However, since placement is based on student interest and the number of applicants from each academic department, there is no guarantee that a student will be placed with your organization. The information you submit will be kept on file and remain available to students for future consideration.

Your Organization's Role

In order to provide the most beneficial experience for the student and the employer, the organization should:

  • Allow the intern to participate in staff meetings.

  • Allow client contact, when appropriate.

  • Allow on-site visits by Career Development staff and/or faculty sponsors, when appropriate. 

  • Provide a supervisor or mentor to meet with the intern to discuss goals and work, determine progress and evaluate the intern while allowing enough autonomy to grow, experiment and apply classroom knowledge.

  • Decide if the intern will receive remuneration. Typically, summer interns are compensated. Recent pay scales have ranged from $7.25 to $24.00/hour with an average of $10.71/hr.

  • Provide the intern with his or her own desk or suitable work space.

  • When possible, assist the intern with finding housing in the local area if needed. Many interns search for internships in locations near their home or where they have available housing.

Your Role as a Supervisor

  • Place the student in a pre-professional position that will contribute to his/her overall educational experience.

  • Provide a job description for the intern.

  • Provide supervised training and assignments.

  • Provide career-related, challenging work experiences.

  • Discuss the organization's or research project's goals and objectives with the intern to help him or her better understand the organization or project.

  • Communicate with the faculty sponsor or Career Development staff as needed, and allow for on-site visitation.

  • Evaluate the intern.