PITTSBURGHSUMMERINTERNSHIPPROGRAMOrganization Resource Guide

Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences

02Dietrich College of Humanities and Social SciencesPittsburgh Summer Internship Program

VISIONEvery Dietrich College undergraduate student willhave the opportunity to experience a meaningfulinternship in the city of Pittsburgh during their time atCarnegie Mellon University.

MISSIONTo equip Dietrich College undergraduate students withthe knowledge, skills and experiences needed to connectacademic learning to professional goals by providingaccess to meaningful internship experiences withnonprofit, community or government organizations,small businesses or startups that engage and strengthenthe Pittsburgh community.

GUIDING PRINCIPLESExperiential learning is essential to student successDietrich College undergraduate students possessunique talents and perspectives to offer tocommunity partnersCarnegie Mellon contributes to its community whenit supports local organizations and businessesPittsburgh is great place to learn, live, work and play

We believe that…

LEARNING OUTCOMESCultivate the skills needed for professional successDescribe the issues facing the Pittsburgh Community andthe role of organizations and businesses in addressingthemInitiate and engage in positive interactions with diverseothersExpress a belief in their own capacity for future successArticulate connections between academic experiencesand potential career pathsDevelop an appreciation for Pittsburgh as a great place tolearn, live, work and play

As a result of the Pittsburgh Summer Internship Program(PSIP), students will...

EMPLOYER BEST PRACTICESMeaningful internships are carefully crafted to ensure benefit to boththe participant and the host site. This packet will provide you withresources to help you facilitate a successful summer internship usingthe following strategies:

Dietrich College of Humanities and Social SciencesPittsburgh Summer Internship Program

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This helps ensure that the internsdevelop an understanding ofworkplace culture.

APPROPRIATE ONBOARDING

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“The Pittsburgh Summer Internship Programconnected me to many different nonprofits.Through my internship, I learned that it is

okay not to know how to do something; youjust have to be willing to put in the effort to

learn on the spot. I also learned thatcommunication is key no matter what field

you go into.”

Whether communicated in writingor verbally, outline expectations,policies and responsibilities.

SUPERVISION PLAN

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Work should be challenging,related to future goals and providevaluable learning experience.

MEANINGFUL ASSIGNMENTS

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Learning goals can provide ameaningful experience and ensurethat both participants stay on track.

GOAL SETTING

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This may be your intern's firstexperience. Share feedback so issuescan become learning opportunities.

OPEN COMMUNICATION

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The PSIP team is here for anythingyou need. We want to ensure a goodexperience for you and the intern.

STAY IN TOUCH

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PSIP hosts several workshops andseminars throughout the summer.Please encourage your intern to attend.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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An exit interview at the end of theexperience will allow you to shareadvice and gather feedback.

PROGRAM CULMINATION

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Eileen ChenSmart Futures Intern

ONBOARDING STRATEGIES

Dietrich College of Humanities and Social SciencesPittsburgh Summer Internship Program

Onboarding sets the stage for a

successful experience, for both

the intern and the organization.

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Onboarding starts before the first dayShare resources with your intern in advance thathelp them understand your organization's history,vision and mission. Maintain communication with the intern once theoffer has been accepted, offering regular updatesand discussing learning goals for the internship.

Making the first day specialSchedule time with your intern on their first day and throughout their first week. This will most

likely be their first professional experience so they may need additional attention at the start.

The social aspect of onboarding is important - use technology to arrangeopportunities for your intern to engage with others during the first week.Consider virtual lunch and coffee breaks so they can meet their new team.You may also want to assign a mentor to connect throughout the summer.

Going Remote

INFORMATION TO COVERJob ResponsibilitiesPerformance ExpectationsBehavior PoliciesTime and HoursReporting StructuresDress CodePersonnel PoliciesCommunication PlanLearning GoalsEvaluation Process

CREATING A SUPERVISION PLAN

Dietrich College of Humanities and Social SciencesPittsburgh Summer Internship Program

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Provide an outline for the intern of what they should expect from you as a supervisor

How do you prefer to communicate?In person? Email? Phone?What is the best way to handlequestions or issues that arise?How frequently will you and theintern meet one on one?

COMMUNICATION

VALUESWhat is important to you as asupervisor? What qualities do you value fromyour employees?

EXPECTATIONSWhat are you expecting from theintern throughout the summer?How will you deliver correctivefeedback?

What is your supervision style? Howdo you prefer to lead others?What kind of relationship are youhoping to establish? Mentoring?Task-oriented?

RELATIONSHIP

SMART GOAL SETTINGAt the start of the summer, ask your intern to create 3-5 SMART goals to guide their work.These goals should take into account what the intern hopes to learn, the skills they hope

to build and what will benefit your organization.

S

M

A

R

T

SpecificWhat exactly do you want toaccomplish?

MeasureableHow will you track yourprogress?

AchieveableIs it realistic that you will beable to accomplish your goal?

RelevantDoes your goal have ameaningful purpose?

TimelyWhen do you expect to havethe goal completed?

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What tools will your intern need?Ensure that your intern has an appropriate work space, access to technology and suppliesand any necessary training opportunities.

Tools like Zoom, Slack, Teams, Dropbox, Google and others make it easier to engage.Find out what tools and technology your intern has access to.

Going Remote

What work do you need completed?Focus on tasks that your organization needs or wants but can't currently complete. Alignthese tasks with what the intern wants to learn. Don't use "busy work" to fill time.

Project-based work offers a meaningful way for the intern to gain experience whilecontributing to the success of your organization.

Going Remote

How will you measure progress?Give clear instructions and set a timeline for completion. Critically evaluate resultswhile also taking into consideration commitment to the project and learning.

Set up regular meetings in advance and decide how to check in with quick questions,as you will not have the benefit of in-person interactions.

Going Remote

How will you involve your intern?Interns benefit from expanding their network and integrating within the field. Findways to introduce the intern to others.

Make sure to include the intern in regular meetings with your team. Have the interncomplete informational interviews to establish a network.

Going Remote

What is your intern's motivation? Find out why your intern has chosen to engage in the internship, along with what theyhope to learn. Connect opportunities to their values whenever possible.

Involve the intern in coming up with innovative and creative ways to overcome anychallenges presented and shape the nature of their work.

Going Remote

MAKING THE WORK MEANINGFUL

Dietrich College of Humanities and Social SciencesPittsburgh Summer Internship Program

"My heart is in the work." Andrew Carnegie, 1900

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Kimberly PiattPittsburgh Summer Internship Program Manager

Dietrich College of Humanities and Social SciencesCarnegie Mellon Univeristy

kpiatt@andrew.cmu.edu412.268.5779

RESOURCES

Dietrich College of Humanities and Social SciencesPittsburgh Summer Internship Program

National Association ofColleges and Employershttps://www.naceweb.org/tag/internships/

Association of AmericanColleges & UniversitiesInternships as a High-Impact Practice:Some Reflections on Quality (2010)

Intern Bridgewww.internbridge.com

Chegg InternshipsEmployer Resourceswww.internships.com/employer/resources

CMU Career and ProfessionalDevelopment Centerhttps://cmu.edu/career/employers

College Recruiterhttps://collegerecruiter.com/blog