Internships

What Is My Role?

During your internship experience you will be required to explore several new roles:

• Initiator. Identifies, seeks, finds, and secures the help and cooperation needed, often in an alien context.
• Problem Solver and Decision Maker. Functions in an open system, defining and solving the problems as they arise, and making decisions in the course of carrying out assignments.
• Cultural Analyst and Strategist. Understands the cultural context well enough in which work is being done to function effectively in it.
• Interactor. Relates effectively with faculty sponsor, coworkers, supervisor, and is able to stay in touch with them and work through emotionally difficult relationships.
• Network Developer. Develops personal information sources instead of relying only on those provided by an instructor.
• Ethical Choice Maker. Grapples with the ethical implications and insures that they are confronted in the work.
• Professional. Sees self as a training professional; not simply a person doing volunteer work.
• Value Clarifier. Makes value judgments in arriving at workable solutions or decisions which would not be expected in classroom work.
• Communicator. Is able to communicate effectively through the spoken and written word. Through listening and reading nonverbal communication is fully present in interpersonal interactions.
• Recipient. Is able to receive and utilize recognition and criticism constructively.