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Career & Life Planning

Internships Information

Rollins Internship Program

An internship must offer meaningful exposure to a professional, college-level career field. It should relate to one's field/major of interest and typically lasts one semester.

Internships can be:
• Paid or Unpaid
• For Academic Credit or Not-for-credit
• Part-Time (approx. 12-15hrs/wk) or full-time

Internships are beneficial on their own and students can pursue an internship without pursuing academic credit. However, the added benefit of an academically credited internship is so valuable, we always recommend students consider this option.

According to the NACE 2022 Internship & Co-Op Survey Report more than 68% of interns were offered full-time positions by their employer. Furthermore, "when employers are deciding between candidates who are otherwise equally qualified for the same position, having an internship is the top deciding factor. Regardless of whether the candidate has interned with the hiring organization or within the industry, this factor makes or breaks the hiring choice."  (NACE Job Outlook Survey, 2024) 

Students are encouraged to participate in 2 internships during college, at least one by the end of their junior year.

Benefits of Having an Internship

Professional
• Explore career fields and find out what you like and don't like to do
• Gain relevant real-world experience to enhance your resume
• Learn alongside professionals 
• Develop networking skills and gain professional contacts in your career field of interest
• Be more competitive in your full-time job search and/or graduate school applications   

Academics
• Connect classroom learning to practical applications
• Understand the relevance of your course work
• Increase your motivation to learn
• Use resources that are not available on campus

Personal
• Boost your maturity and self-confidence    
• Enjoy a greater clarity about career decisions 
• Integrate your interest and values with work

Focus Your Internship Search 

  1. Consider which industry/field you would prefer for your internship
  2.  Consider your preferred internship modality (in-person, remote, hybrid) 
  3. Consider your preferred internship location (if in-person or hybrid) 
  4. Consider if you would have a preference between a paid or unpaid internship 
  5. Are you an international student? 
    • If you are, make sure to search for Curricular Practical Training (CPT)-friendly employers. You may only participate in off-campus internships that align with your major. CPT information can be found on MyRollins by searching for "CPT"
  6. Are you interested in pursuing academic credit for your internship experience?  
    • If so, determine which semester you would like to register for (fall, spring, or summer) and ensure your internship experience aligns with all the academic internship criteria 
      • Make sure to register your academic internship via MyRollins by the designated deadlines
  7. Create a timeframe and track your deadlines 
    • Looking locally? Apply 2-3 months out from your desired start date. 
    • Thinking big (like New York, Boston, or D.C.)? Apply 3-6 months out. 
    • Is it highly competitive (like with the CIA)? Apply 6-9 months in advance. 
    • Consider the industry: some industries (like Finance) seek interns up to a year before the experience takes place. 
  8. Consider Micro-Internships 
    • Parker Dewey Micro-Internships are paid short-term remote project work to gain professional experiences. Micro-Internships are not eligible for academic credit. For more information visit: rollins.college/microinternships 
  9. Need help with your internship search? Schedule an "Internship Search" appointment with CCLP or drop-by our Career Studio: Monday through Fridays between 10am and 2pm 

Launch Your Internship Search 

  1. Start searching for internship experiences that align with your preferences above
    • Helpful Tips:  
      • Use filters to indicate your preferences 
      • Use multiple search platforms 
      • Search continuously – internship opportunities are posted daily! 
      • Network, network, network – you never know who has an opportunity that you may benefit from 
      • Lean into your fellow Rollins Alumni for support – connect with them via LinkedIn for informational interviews and/or company overviews 
  2.  Update your Resume & Cover Letter 
  3.  Apply to internship opportunities 
    • Helpful Tips: 
      • Expand your scope 
      • Apply for a minimum of 5 internships when focusing on a small town/area, like the Winter Park-Maitland area 
      • Apply for a minimum of 7 internships when focusing on a large city, like Greater Orlando Apply for a minimum of 10 internships when focusing on a highly competitive area, like Washington, D.C. or New York City. 
      • Keep track of the internships that you apply to and save the internship descriptions 
  4.  Prepare for your interviews 
    • Schedule an Interview Prep or Mock Interview appointment with CCLP 
      • Big Interview: Practice with both general and industry specific interview questions from the comfort of your own space. Big Interview has expert coaching to help you prepare for your next interview through live video recording and replay. 
  5.  Use helpful resources available to assist with your internship search and application process  
    • Vault:  Whether it’s making an industry specific resume, diving deep into industry research, preparing for an interview, or finding out the best places to work in your city, Vault has the inside scoop. It’s packed with information, so there is plenty to explore. 
    • GoinGlobal: A database of specific information about culture, work permits, visa regulations, job outlooks, interviewing advice, and more in different countries and large metropolitan American cities. The information is updated frequently and there are actively curated internship postings. Contains a CPT/OPT friendly employer list! 

Approval & Registration

Students can earn academic credit for an internship by enrolling in the academic internship course: INTN (General Elective) or (Major/Minor) 397. This course is offered during fall, spring, and summer semesters. Please review the eligibility criteria at the bottom of the page.

How do I register for the academic internship course?

All academic internships are registered through MyRollins. Search for Internship Registration Form in the MyRollins search bar at the top of the screen when you login and follow this guide by the deadlines below:

Registration for Academic Internship Course are as follows:

  • Summer: March 20 - May 10
  • Fall: March 20 - August 20
  • Spring: November 1 - January 10

How can my employer get my internship approved for academic credit?

If your employer would like to have their internship approved for academic credit, please have them review our Internship Posting Policies for employers. Once the internship aligns with our criteria, you can then register your internship through MyRollins. We recommend sharing this inclusive employer guide with your internship organization, so they are aware of the expectations and committment needed for a successful internship experience. 

Although the majority of the internship postings on Handshake have been reviewed by staff at the CCLP, all students must still go through the process of submitting their internship for approval via MyRollins in order to get academic credit. The internship may require additional approval for major course credit. In addition, students must clear all student account holds before registrations can be finalized. 

If you are an international student studying on an F-1 Visa, you must also complete the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) form and submit it to the Office of International Student & Scholar Services. This form must be signed by your site supervisor, your academic advisor, and a staff member at the Center for Career & Life Planning. In order for Career & Life Planning staff to sign your form, you must bring in your position description and fill out the goals statement on the CPT form. 

How do I know if I'm eligible for academic credit?

All Students:

  • Must be in good academic standing during the semester of the internship
  • May need to receive additional approval or provide additional information to meet eligibility requirements to receive credit in the major or minor
  • Have no student account holds (financial, advisor, etc..)

CLA Students:

  • Must have earned at least 30 semester hours (usually the start of the Sophomore year)
  • Will not earn more than 12 internship credit hours in all while at Rollins, including internships offered through the Office of International Programs

Hamilton Holt Students:

  • Must have completed at least one semester enrolled in Hamilton Holt
  • Will not earn more than internship credit hours in all while at Rollins, including internships offered through the Office of International Programs

Additionally, INB Students:

  • Must have completed at least one of the following courses: INB 337, INB 365, INB 372

Please note: Students may be required to meet additional criteria to receive academic credit in their major or minor, such as class standing or prerequisite courses. Students should check with their Faculty Advisor (CLA) or Academic Advisor (Holt) to find out if there are additional criteria to participate in an internship for major/minor credit.

How many credits can I receive per semester? 

Most students seeking major credit for their internships must receive 4 credit hours. If students are seeking general elective credits, they can receive 2, 3, or 4 credit hours. How many credit hours you receive will not change the requirements of the online Academic Internship course, but it will affect the number of working hours you need to complete by the end of the semester in order to get credit. All hours and course assignments need to be completed in order for a student to receive credit for their internship. 

  • 2 credits – 80 hours on site
  • 3 credits – 120 hours on site
  • 4 credits – 160 hours on site (This is the most typical)

Fall/Spring internships must be 12 - 15 weeks in length.
Summer internships must be at least 9 weeks in length.

What if I'm taking an internship course outside of Rollins?

Internships for transfer credit must be pre-approved by the Assistant Director for Internship Programs, your academic advisor, and potentially your department chair. We will review the syllabus for your internship course and assess whether or not it meets the Rollins College requirements for academic credit. 

To learn more about these internship alternatives be sure to review

The Academic Internship Program promotes self-awareness and career development by integrating academic learning with workplace experience.

Academic internships have several advantages:

  • Students receiving academic credit are enrolled in a concurrent online course, where they receive empirically based reflective assignments to increase learning
  • The academic internship course requires students to participate in career development activities: writing or updating a resume, creating or updating a LinkedIn profile, participating in a mock interview, and more
  • Some internships are available only to students who are eligible to get academic credit
  • Academic internships usually have greater credibility with potential employers, as they have been vetted to ensure that the student has a meaningful experience

Academic Internship Course

Research in the field of Experiential Education has found that "active reflection" during and after an internship increases student learning and skill ascertainment. Because of this, Rollins students receive academic credit not only for participating in their approved internship but also by completing intentional assignments in an academic internship course. This mixed-mode course runs concurrently with other fall and spring semester courses. In addition, during the summer, students can enroll in a 9-week academic internship course.

Course Requirements

1 Mandatory Orientation - Before you start your academic internship, make plans to attend this in-person or virtual orientation, which acts a syllabus day to introduce you to the course and your faculty member. Dates for the Mandatory Orientation will be listed within your Canvas course and may be shared by your faculty instructor each semester.  

Assignments are Online - All assignments, including discussion posts, goal setting, reflections, and time sheets are provided and collected through Canvas and e-mail correspondence with your Rollins faculty instructor. This means that, especially in summer, you can complete the course and internship from anywhere! 

This course is Credit/No Credit - Credit is awarded based on completion of academic assignments and hours worked at the internship site. 

Are you planning on engaging in a summer internship this year, but you need help funding the experience? The Rollins Gateway Fellows program is an opportunity to  apply for funding towards the costs of your summer internship: transportation, housing, living expenses, internship course fees, etc.

APPLY HERE!

The Gateway Fellows at Rollins College

Summer Internship Funding Program

The Rollins Gateway Fellows program offers funding to support selected undergraduate students participating in academic internships during the summer. Funding will be awarded based on the evaluation of application materials and internship opportunity, as well as financial need (as determined by the Rollins Office of Financial Aid and/or personal statement, along with the student’s proposed budget). Students from all majors are encouraged to apply!
Funding is made possible thanks to the generosity of:
  • Alumni Donors supporting student engagement in broad internship experiences
  • The Johnson Family Foundation supporting student engagement in internship experiences with non-profit organizations whose efforts focusing on LGBTQ+ and social justice issues
 

To be eligible to apply, students should meet the following criteria:

  • A current undergraduate student (expected graduation August 2024 or later) enrolled in the College of Liberal Arts or the Hamilton Holt School
  • Have secured or be actively pursuing an internship for summer 2024 that is a minimum of 9 weeks in length (with date range being within May 20 - August 12)
  • Internship has been pre-approved to receive academic credit from the College (or student is in the process of working with the Center for Career & Life Planning to have internship approved for credit).
  • Be in good standing with the College (not on academic probation)
  • Will have earned at least 30 semester hours by the end of the spring 2024 semester
  • Considering previous credit-bearing internships that the student has completed (including those through the Office of International Programs), engaging in this internship course should not take students over the following Rollins internship credit limits: 12 credits for CLA, 8 credits for Holt
  • Commit to register for the Rollins Summer 2024 Academic Internship Reflection Course (which requires a tuition cost of $500 – included in the funding if student is selected)

 

Program Requirements:

  • Virtual Pre-Internship Orientation (or individual pre-internship meeting with the Academic Internship Programs Team)
  • Successful completion of the Academic Internship Reflection Course during awarded semester
  • Final Reflection Project that covers the impact of both the experience and the funding the student received, the key learnings/takeaways, examples of growth, and the student’s plans moving forward with their career journey. This is separate from any internship course reflection assignments, and may take the form of:
    • Some form of creative media with explanation (video, art piece, blog, etc.)
  • Commitment to sharing about your summer experience during the successive academic year. Opportunities may include writing a Thank You note to program donors, attending Alumni networking events, meetings with the President’s office, being interviewed by Rollins 360, etc.

 

Application Checklist and Deadlines:

Application materials outlined below must be submitted by the following deadlines:

Application Opens: Thursday, February 15th, 2024

Priority Deadline: 5:00pm on Wednesday, March 20th, 2024

Final Deadline: 5:00pm on Saturday, April 20th, 2024

  1. Gateway Fellows Internship Online Application - APPLY HERE!
  2. Budget Worksheet and Supporting Links Document (if applicable)
  3. Current Resume
  4. Personal Essay: One to three (1-3) page typed essay describing your career goals and how this summer internship opportunity fits into your strategy for achieving them. Include explanation of internship role and tasks, as well as your personal learning goals for the internship, and how they benefit your future plans. Include a clear, compelling explanation of your need and how this award will impact your ability to participate in this summer internship

The online application and all 3 required attachments must be submitted by the designated deadlines in order for the application to be considered.

Ø  IMPORTANT NOTE: Review the Funded Internship Application Scoring Rubric for insight into what will be evaluated in your application materials. Funding is limited, so make sure to put your best foot forward!

Looking for a Summer Internship Opportunity? Log in to Handshake to view the over 3,000 internship opportunities posted or to schedule an internship search appointment! You can also stop by our Career Studio during drop-in hours Monday to Friday from 10am-2pm. We’re here to help! 

Internship Criteria for Virtual Internships 

Internships should have a focus on the learning experience for the student, including the environment in which that learning takes place. For optimal learning, students need to be in a physical environment with individuals with whom they interact on a regular basis. They need to learn interpersonal skills, office politics, and how to navigate real-world situations. As such, virtual internships, where students work remotely, can only be approved if the following criteria are met. 

  • The organization must be an established, legitimate business or non-profit, as evidenced by considerations such as physical location, website, history of offering paid employment, listed telephone number, tax ID number, etc. It is the college’s discretion to fully vet any information provided by the organization.  
    • Ideally, companies/organizations operate in the same geographic areas as interns and supervisors are available for in-person meetings at least once a week. 
    • If students are not in the same geographic area as the company/organization, then students must meet in a face-to-face platform, such as Skype, Blue Jeans, Zoom, etc. with their direct supervisor at least once a week and every effort must be made to connect the student with a representative of the organization that they may meet in person on a semi-regular basis.  
  • Internship supervisors provide a detailed position description with clearly defines expectations and outlines the criteria for a “successful” internship, as approved by the college’s internship advisor. The internship provided must meet the criteria of a legitimate internship outlined in the Academic Internship Policies as well as the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) policies:
    • The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.  
    • The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.  
    • The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.  
    • There are clearly defined learning objectives related to the student’s professional goals.  
    • There is supervision by a professional with expertise and education and/or professional background in the field of the experience.  
    • There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor.  
    • There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals.  
  • The organization should make the virtual intern a part of regular operations as much as possible; for example, including them in face-to-face opportunities such as company meetings or client visits. 
    • Provisions should be made for students to interact with other professionals besides their supervisor through activities such as field work or networking events - in the event that the entire organization is working virtually, these experiences may also be virtual. 
  • The organization’s internship mentor/supervisor must provide student with regular oversite. 
    • Internship supervisors must provide students access to the company intranet or virtual workspace on a server, online project management tool, or document-sharing tool. This may include Office 365, Google Docs, etc. to allow supervisor to access and monitor students work on a consistent basis. 
  • Internship supervisors require students to submit daily e-mail reports regarding hours worked, challenges or problems encountered, actions completed, and any questions they may have. 
    • Students should be able to provide a faculty advisor or internship professor with the outputs of their internship; for example: written materials produced, analyses completed.  

**Please note**: For safety and liability reasons, students are not allowed to intern out of individual’s private homes, even home offices.