Internship Proposal (final)

The Importance of Job Experience

Implementing an Internship Program for the Department of History at EKU

Hannah Richards, Joseph Landolt, and Lauren Prewitt

April 28th, 2015

Table of ContentsAbstract .......................................................................................................3Introduction .................................................................................................4The Project ..................................................................................................4The Problem ................................................................................................4

The Solution ................................................................................................7

Results ........................................................................................................8

Internship Models ........................................................................................11

History Department Internship ....................................................................14

Funding .......................................................................................................15

Conclusion ...................................................................................................19

References ..................................................................................................20

Appendix A: EKU History Department Co-op/Internship Application ............22

Appendix B: History Major’s Survey ............................................................23

Appendix C: EKU’s History Department Co-op/Internship Application Guidelines ..................................................................................................................... 24

Table of FiguresFigure 1: Average intern and co-op hourly wage rates, by degree and year of study ....................8

Figure 2: Declared Majors ...........................................................................9

Figure 3: Have you looked into possible internships/co-ops? ......................10

Abstract

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This report defines a cooperative education program for the History Department at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). There is a need at EKU to help History majors gain valuable work experience. This program will assist students in EKU’s History department by creating an internship model pulling from internship programs in Emergency Medical Care (EMC) and Communication Studies (CMS).  We surveyed EKU students taking History classes. The survey sought to gauge whether the students thought an internship program for the History Department would be a beneficial addition. All three members of the group conducted interviews. We also found research on the topic of cooperative education. Different aspects from both EMC and CMS internship guidelines are used to form a History Internship program. A detailed application process and guidelines are established as criteria for the History Department Internship Program. We recommend that EKU take our possible funding sources into account and seriously consider developing a History Department Internship program as outlined in this report.  

Introduction

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College enrollment in the United States is at an all time high. A Bachelor’s degree has become more important than ever before. However, not all degrees and courses of study provide equal opportunities. Many college students spend four years in college and come away with a large amount of debt. These students expect to find gainful employment in their chosen career or field of study based on their new credentials. However, employers are not often impressed by fresh college graduates. The graduates often lack the practical skills and experience that employers’ desire.

Some undergraduate programs have internship opportunities built into the curriculum. These students are given credit towards their degree for applying their classroom knowledge and skills in a practical real-world setting. This provides participating companies with a great source of skilled labor. On the other hand, the students have a great experience they can put on their resume and an opportunity to hone their skills within their field.

The ProjectThis project will focus on creating a model for internship opportunities that

can then be applied to a great variety of undergraduate programs. The Emergency Medical Care (EMC) and Communications Studies (CMS) programs at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) already have internship opportunities built in to the curriculum. An in-depth analysis of these programs will be performed. The details of the programs and their feasibility will be our main focus. Cost will also be taken into account. For the purposes of our study we will be focusing on applying the internship opportunities model to the History program at EKU.

The ProblemCollege debt is as serious concern to the growing number of Americans that

are choosing to go to college. It is an investment in one’s future. Students often justify their decision to spend four years of their lives in college, and tens of thousands of dollars, with the return on investment they expect once they earn their degree. The Millennial generation has been raised with the belief that a college

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degree will earn them a place in the middle class. They have been told that the “American Dream” is within their grasp and that a few years of hard work and studying will pay off for years to come.

Unfortunately, not all degrees are in equal demand and not all students are able to find jobs once they graduate. Many fresh college graduates struggle to find adequate employment in the first few years after receiving their degree. Many of these students have worked hard throughout their college year and received good marks in school. However, many of them suffer from underemployment. This problem of skilled and educated workers employed in low paying jobs is particularly evident amongst those with undergraduate degrees in the social sciences.

Many new graduates do not understand why they are being denied the same job opportunities that were available to their parents’ generation. The problem can be summed up in terms of supply and demand. A survey of Americans over the age of 25 revealed that the number of Americans with bachelor’s degrees has risen from ten percent in 1970, to one third in 2014 (“Generation i,” 2014). There are far more college graduates today than there were in the past. Thus, employers have a much larger supply of college graduates to choose from and can afford to be pickier than they were in the past. Employers are now more concerned with practical experience than ever before. This creates a problem for students because they do not always have the experience that employers seek upon graduation. Meanwhile that devastating student debt is weighing heavily on their conscience.

The relationship between debt, a weak job market, and stagnant wages is disheartening at best and soul crushing at worst. Since 1983, the cost of a college degree has risen at a rate five times greater than inflation while wages have remained relatively stagnant over the past ten years (“Is College Worth It?,” 2014). Students are more and more concerned about defaulting on their loans and finding a job that can help them pay off the mountain of debt they have accumulated. Many universities pride themselves on providing jobs for their new graduates. They like to be able to boast that graduates from their institution are more likely to find a job in their field than graduates of other colleges with whom they compete. This is all a matter of return on investment. It is in the best interests of students, educational

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institutions, employers, and the national economy to find a solution to the problem of chronically underemployed college graduates.

However, all is not lost. There may be a golden ticket to employment and acceptance into the ranks of middle class America. Internships are the solution to the problem that plagues so many students. Internships provide students with several important benefits by allowing students to explore various career options with relative ease. This is important because many students have no idea what they want to specialize in or even where their interests lie.

The resume of a new college graduate can seem rather dull and lackluster in comparison with those who have been fully engaged in the job market for several years. Internships allow students to “fluff” their resumes with jobs and experiences that are relevant and interesting to potential employers. They also provide students with solid references who can sing their praises to potential employers.

The most important aspect of internships is their tendency to lead to full time employment. Interns are given a chance to prove themselves to a company. If an intern proves to be a reliable, resourceful, and efficient employee, employers are more likely to recruit them upon graduation. This particular aspect goes a long way towards bridging the gap between how a potential employee appears on paper and how useful he/she is when given responsibility and given tasks to complete in real-world setting.

Students in the History program at EKU are at a disadvantage. Other students in other programs have access to internship opportunities that are built into their curriculum. A vital part of the college experience is missing for those who graduate from EKU with a Bachelors Degree in History, real-life experience. Unfortunately, it is solely dependent on the student to arrange internships on their own time, which could result in a lack of official guidance. In order to get the most from their degree and time at EKU, a student needs experience in the field. However, without a little guidance, students can’t find the jobs they want and need.

The Solution

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According to EKU’s Center for Career and Cooperative Education, all five of EKU’s colleges participate in the internship/co-op program, but not all majors participate in the program (EKU Center for Career and Co-op, 2016). Effective implementation of an internship or co-op program for the History Department at EKU could mean the difference between students securing jobs within their field prior to graduation and being turned down from their dream job solely because they lack the experience required. Katherine Stahl, executive director of the American University Career Center, stated that “At American University, co-op students, graduate and undergraduate, report that nearly 70 percent attribute their first professional job to their co-op: They may have networked into a position directly from their co-op employment, or they were told that the skills and experience acquired in co-op were the reason they were hired” (Stahl, 1999). So not only do internships provide work experience for the student in their field of study, but they may also secure a permanent job with that company.

Two terms commonly used with experiential education are “internships” and “cooperative education” or (co-op). Both internships and co-ops are work experience related to your academic program. Internships are usually, but not always, one term and during the summer. Co-ops are usually, but not always multi-term and throughout different semesters of school (VirginiaTech Career Services, 2016). Upon attending college, students have a main goal of gaining an education and receive employment after they graduate. A degree is simply not enough in this day and age to secure employment in the competitive job market. According to Dr. Vickers, the director of Career Services Center at Arkansas State University, it is reported that a study found that college graduates who did not participate in cooperative education had a mean salary of $18,873. In contrast, college graduates who completed a co-op had a mean salary of $21, 057(Vickers, 1990).  That is a difference of over $2,000 for a year’s salary. Students who graduate with experiential education experience receive higher salaries directly after graduation.

Another major benefit of cooperative education is the opportunity to gain a salary to help pay for college. A study done by the National Association of Colleges and Employers from 2013-2014 stated that the average wage for an intern at the bachelor’s degree level is $16.35 an hour. Co-op students earn $17.44 at the

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bachelor’s degree level (NACE, 2014). Below is a chart listing the specifics by degree type and class year (Figure 1).

Average intern and co-op hourly wage rates, by degree and year of study

Degree and year of study Average intern hourly wage rates

Average co-op hourly wage rates

Bachelor's degree, freshman

$15.05 $15.17

Bachelor's degree, sophomore

$16.10 $16.74

Bachelor's degree, junior $17.19 $17.93

Bachelor's degree, senior $17.94 $19.24

Master's degree, first year

$22.21 $23.46

Master's degree, second year

$23.06 $26.82

Figure 1

Participating in an internship during or between college semesters not only provides that student with meaningful work experience in their field, but it can also relieve some of the financial burden that many students carry. Because students can earn a salary during their internship, they are more capable of putting more effort into their studies. This is because they are not worried about the debt they may face after graduation. Students who are less worried about financial strain are a more valuable addition to their respective university.

ResultsWe surveyed students in several history classes at Eastern Kentucky

University (EKU). The purpose of the survey was to gather information on current history students at the university and determine whether they believed an internship or co-op would be beneficial for the history department. A total of twenty-

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one responses were collected and the findings were analyzed in order to better understand the needs and goals of the history majors at EKU.

Of the twenty-one respondents to the survey only 48% had looked into internship or co-op. However, 100% of the respondents believed that having an internship/co-op opportunity would be beneficial for the History Department. This data implies that students would be interested in internship or co-op opportunities if the history department provided them with further guidance. Further studies may need to be conducted to determine the exact reason that less than half of the students surveyed had looked into an internship.

Of the students surveyed, eleven of them were seniors, six of them were juniors, and four of them were sophomores (Fig 2).

Sophomores

Juniors

Seniors

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Declared Majors

Percentage of Students

Figure 2

Of the senior year history majors surveyed, only 40% of them had looked into internship or co-op opportunities (Fig 3). Of the junior year history majors surveyed, 60% of them had looked into internship or co-op opportunities (Fig 3).

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Finally, we looked at the students surveyed who were history majors and had looked into internships or co-ops. Of the history majors surveyed, 42% of them had looked into internships or co-ops and 68% of them had not (Fig 3). This particular group includes the sophomore history majors. However, the vast majority of history majors were seniors and juniors and only two individuals of the twenty-one surveyed were not history majors.

Juniors

Seniors

All History Majors

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7

Have You Looked Into Possible In-ternships/Co-ops?

Percentage of Students

Figure 3

These numbers are far below what they should be. In an ideal world, the vast majority of history majors should have had at least one internship by the spring semester of their senior year. Juniors should be the main target of the internship program. Graduating students should be given all the necessary tools to ensure that they are aware of and are able to apply for internship opportunities before they finish their degree and enter the job market.

The students that were surveyed had a wide variety of interests and plans after graduation. These plans ranged from teaching, at both the high school and college levels, to plans for graduate school and law school. Other students hoped to find employment in a museum, an archive, or at an organization that promotes historic preservation. Still others, had vague plans about their future that included wanting to educate the public regarding the lessons of history and the important role it continues to play in our lives. Given this broad array of interests for history

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majors it seems only natural that any internship program should have a number of options for students to pursue. The students that do not have definite plans for graduate school or further education would probably benefit the most from an internship program. It is these students, who are heading directly into the job market that will probably have the most difficulty finding employment.

Internship ModelsSeveral programs at EKU have already implemented successful cooperative

education programs for their majors. We took two of these programs and created a model for a potential internship program for the History Department at EKU.

Communication StudiesOther fields of study at EKU have determined the importance of co-ops and

implemented them into the majors’ curriculum. Communications Studies (CMS) students are required to complete at least 240 hours of cooperative education. This type of cooperative education experience is unique to this major because CMS is such a broad field of study. Students from the field of Communications can pursue career paths including marketing, public relations, education, business, and government work. The breadth of this degree warrants a less specific internship program. This will provide a way for students to determine the career path they are most passionate about along with gain valuable work experience.

A Communications Studies major will go through EKU’s Center for Career and Cooperative Education to perfect their job application procedures. When the student determines a semester they will participate in co-op, the career center begins coaching the student in various aspects of searching for a job. Critiquing resumes, practicing interviews, giving encouragement, and finding an appropriate job to fit that student’s field of interest are some examples of the support provided by EKU’s Center for Career and Co-op.

If a student has a job that they wish to be used as their internship, they must fill out a job information form stating the specifications of the job itself. From there,

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the job has to be approved by EKU. If the student is not already employed, the next step is to apply to recommended jobs and go through the interviewing process.

The application is one of the final stipulations. In an interview conducted with Dr. Amy Thieme, Associate Professor of Communication Studies at EKU, she gives a detailed example of exactly how to apply for cooperative education. She states:

“Students do not register for co-op....they apply for co-op.  Only the co-op office can register a student for co-op. This is why co-op is not listed with a CRN on the course schedule. Students will have to contact me via email or during my office hours to begin the application process. Once the application is complete, the co-op office will register the student for the term the student wishes to complete his/her co-op.”

Once the application process is complete the student will begin the job and complete assignments throughout the internship. That is the final step in the internship, and if the student meets the requirements and completes the assignments according to the timeline given by EKU, the student will be awarded 1 credit hour per 80 working hours.  

Emergency Medical CareApplicants to the Advanced Life Support curriculum for the Emergency

Medical Care program must undergo an application process once they have completed all of the prerequisite courses. Applicants will be evaluated based upon three criteria. The first criteria are overall GPA and GPA for the prerequisite courses. The second criteria is completion of all of the prerequisite courses including the Basic Life Support (BLS) clinical, which follows completion of an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course, and current Kentucky EMT certification. The third criteria is a computer based test designed to gauge an applicant’s knowledge of anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, electrocardiography, basic life support, and his/her ability to flourish in highly stressful environments.

Applicants will be selected for the program based upon these criteria. Once accepted into the program, applicants have a strict curriculum that must be followed in order to achieve certification as a Kentucky paramedic. According to

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national standards this curriculum includes a total of 1000 to 1200 hours of instruction. This includes 500-600 hours of classroom and practical laboratory instruction, 250 to 300 hours of clinical work, and a final 250-300 hours of field internship (EMT-Paramedic National Standards Curriculum, 1998).

The hospital clinical work provides paramedic students the opportunity to practice practical and diagnostic skills in a relatively controlled environment. Paramedic students will typically see a much larger number of patients, within a given amount of time, in the hospital setting than they would otherwise encounter in the field. Students will also have the opportunity to learn more about definitive care and the protocols within a hospital setting. This provides an opportunity for students to expand their knowledge base of medicine beyond the boundaries of the ambulance in which they will spend most of their time as a paramedic. The hospital setting also gives students quick and constant access to advanced care providers (Nurse Practitioners, Physicians, and Physicians Assistants) that can mentor them and help them further develop their clinical skills.

The field clinical provides an environment for the paramedic students to apply their clinical knowledge and skills in a field setting. Learning how to effectively use all the diagnostic and treatment tools of the trade is an essential part of becoming a proficient paramedic. The tools and outlook of a provider in a clinical hospital setting and a field setting are inherently different. While the hospital setting provides a student an opportunity to learn about definitive medical care, a field internship teaches a student how to provide medical care in totally different setting. Emergency medical care providers working in the field are more focused on stabilizing and maintaining the stability of a patient than providing definitive care.

The field internship is the final evaluative portion of the Advanced Life Support (ALS) program. The student is overseen and evaluated by a senior paramedic during the field internship. This provides an opportunity for the paramedic student to prove himself and demonstrate his clinical and medical knowledge. At this point in time the student should feel confident in his skills, clinical and medical knowledge, and diagnostic abilities. For all intents and purposes, the student should be functioning as a confident and knowledgeable paramedic at this point. The senior paramedic is still there to assist but will provide

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less direct instruction and will primarily serve as an evaluator of the student’s knowledge, skills, and actions.

For the purposes of this proposal, elements of both the clinical work and the field internship will be drawn upon to form the basis of the history internship program. The clinical work provides hands-on real-world experience for paramedic students. This should be a major objective for any internship or co-op and will be incorporated into our overall plan for the history internship and co-op proposal.

History Department InternshipAfter having collaborated with the EKU College of Arts and Sciences and the

History department's faculty and staff, a prototype of the co-op/internship program has been created. The models of the application process, requirements and other documents work as a skeleton for a model of the documents needed for students to use to apply for the assigned internship.

The fields of internship would be made up of History Teaching, Museum Industry, Archives/References, Library Sciences, Government, and Preservation/Restoration. It is within those subcategories that students will be assigned an area of study for their assigned internship. The locations of the co-ops/internships would depend on the field, but examples are Irvington/McDonnell House/Visitor Center, Battle of Richmond Civil War Battlefield, Madison County Library, Madison County Courthouse, EKU Crabbe Library and Special Collections and Archives, Cassius Clay’s White Hall Historic House, Madison County Historical Society, EKU Elmwood House, Richmond Cemetery, and the Battle of Richmond Historic Sites. At these locations students will have the opportunity to learn and perfect the practical skills they will need to succeed in their chosen career.

Everything will run under the supervision of a coordinator. They will be the one to check all documents, record information, and work alongside the Career/Co-Op departments at EKU. A minimum of 60 working hours is required for the student to complete the internship. The hours will be logged on timesheets and signed by the location director and then turned into the coordinator at the end of the semester. Coordinator evaluations will examine if all requirements and tasks are

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being fulfilled. The coordinator will examine weekly reports submitted regarding the students to ensure success in the program. Monthly meetings are conducted on an as-needed basis. For example, if a student’s behavior reflects poorly on the internship program or EKU.

In order for the program to work, it will be run and operated by select members of the College of Arts and Sciences and History Department faculty and staff, with assistance from graduate assistants and students. The amount of funding will determine how implementing the program into the job descriptions will play out, due to the extra responsibilities that are added to those running it. The internship/co-op program will be overseen by Dr. Karin Sehmann, the Associate Dean of Academic & Student Affairs. Any further support will be followed out by EKU’s Career and Co-Op Office.

FundingOne vital consideration when undertaking any major operation is funding.

Under normal circumstances this is a major concern for college administrators. State funding for public universities has been trending downwards for several years. In addition, the Kentucky state legislature recently approved budget cuts which will decrease state funding to public universities by nine percent over two years. In order to compensate for this lack of funding, tuition will rise at public institutions across the state and the costs of meal plans and on-campus housing is expected to go up. Thus, given the current state of fiscal despair, it is important that any proposed internship program be capable of sourcing much of its funding from somewhere other than the EKU coffer.

Tuition-Based FundingUniversities have a history of offering students college credit for internships.

This approach allows universities to recuperate some of the administrative costs of setting up students with an internship. It also gives universities a means to formally incorporate internships into the curriculum of a program. This approach is particularly common with graduate schools, law schools, and medical schools. It

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also provides incentives, for both the university and the student, to seek out an internship. This approach would be utilized for the proposed history internship program.

Federal Work-Study ProgramFunding for internships and co-ops could be sourced from a variety of third

parties. Money from the Federal Work-Study Program could be sourced to pay for new internship opportunities at EKU. The EKU Library would partner with the history department to create archival and library science internships. Our survey showed that there are history majors at EKU who are particularly interested in working in an archive and the university could provide them with this opportunity. In addition, several of the students surveyed are pursuing a History/Teaching major and may be interested in a library science internship. This internship opportunity would help prepare students for a career in teaching or act as a gateway program to the Master of Arts in Education in School Media Librarian offered by Eastern Kentucky University.

National Trust Preservation FundGrants from the National Trust Preservation Fund are another possible source

of funding. Funding from this source could be used for the preservation of Elmwood and other historic buildings throughout Richmond, Kentucky. These historical sites are within driving distance, and walking distance, of EKU and are in need of preservation and funding. Interns could assist faculty in cataloging historical items and documents on the Elmwood property and learn more about the daily tasks associated with preserving and restoring the historical sites. Faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students could collaborate on the grant proposal(s). The grant itself is awarded annually in amounts greater than $50,000 (National Trust Preservation Fund, 2016). Eventually, Elmwood, and perhaps other historical buildings, could be converted into museums whose revenue streams would help pay for their preservation and continuation of the internship programs. These sites would provide a great internship opportunity for students interested in working towards museum or archival careers.

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Battlefield Preservation FundThe Richmond Civil War Battlefield is an important site that should be

incorporated into the program. Funding could be sourced via the Battlefield Preservation Fund. The process for applying to these grants is similar to the process for the National Trust Preservation Fund. A collaboration of faculty and students could, once again, be utilized for the purposes of proposal writing. This particular source provides a one-to-one cash match of any funding provided by the university (Battlefield Preservation Fund, 2016). This would require a more substantial financial commitment from the university, with the understanding that their contribution would be matched by the fund. Students interested in military history and American history would be well served by an internship with the battlefield. The fund is designed to be used for the preservation of battlefields and related historic sites. Student interns could help in preservation, documentation, and archival efforts. Funds from this particular source could be used to preserve sites in and around Richmond that are associated with the Battle of Richmond. This could include the courthouse, historic churches, and other historic buildings in and around Richmond.

Administrative FeesOne of the most significant sources of funding may come from the internship

program itself. It is not uncommon for universities to charge students extra fees, on top of tuition, while receiving credit for an internship or co-op. While this model is not ideal, it would go a long ways towards making ends meet in a time when budgetary constraints are increasingly important. Administrative and miscellaneous costs could be covered by this source of funding.

Other Sources of FundingOther possible sources of funding include the National Trust Preservation

Fund, the Bluegrass Trust for Historic Preservation, the Kentucky Mansion Preservation Foundation, the Madison County Historical Society, and the Kentucky Historical Society. All of these organizations could be approached as possible partners for internship and co-op opportunities for students.

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Our resources will be directly from the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. John Wade, former Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, now professor will offer approval and mentoring through the planning, researching, and establishing stages. Dr. Christiane Taylor, Chair of the History Department will help implement the Co-Op/internship into curriculum along with troubleshooting any issues. Dr. Brad Wood, head of the History Graduate Program, will stress the importance of internships for acceptance into the graduate program at EKU.

Dr. Tom Otieno, Associate Dean for Administrative Affairs & Research and Dr. Karin Sehmann, the Associate Dean of Academic & Student Affairs will both assist in the planning, research, and establishing of co-op/internship program alongside of Dr. Wade. June Settle, the Grants & Research Specialist, will assist in grant and funding research and writing in order to make sure it’s all applicable within the internship program.

Students who are applying for or are enrolled in the co-op program can write out grant proposals that can be submitted for acceptance. Because the museum industry is heavily reliant on donations for funding, grant writing is a necessary skill to acquire. This offers either a foundation or practice for a vital skill in this career path. Working alongside Dr. June Settle, the Grants & Research Specialist, and Dr. Taylor, Chair of the History Department, the grant proposal will be edited to the best version for submission. If a student is awarded a grant, a portion will be rewarded to the assigned field of student. All money will go toward the mechanics and running of the co-op program and along with any additional costs of the program.

ConclusionStudent debt has become an increasingly important issue on the national

political stage. This is because it has become an epidemic that affects a massive portion of the college educated population in this nation. Underemployment is the biggest contributor to crushing student debt of the nature we are currently facing. When students attend four or more years of school for a Bachelor’s degree they sacrifice four years in which they might otherwise be earning more money.

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However, a Bachelor’s degree is a long term investment in an individual’s future. Students take on the debt and do the time with the hope, and often the promise that it will pay off in the long run. When students graduate and cannot find a job in their field they often settle for a job that pays significantly less than they hoped. Oftentimes they find that they are unable to repay their loans in a timely manner and this may lead to defaulting on student loans.

This vicious cycle is bad for students, new graduates, and the economy as a whole. Luckily, there is a solution. Internships and co-ops provide students with the opportunity to set themselves apart from their peers and stand out from the masses. However, internships are not easily accessible by all students. Some programs at EKU, and other institutions, have fantastic internship or co-op programs built into the curriculum. Other programs leave students to fend for themselves.

In the interest of educating the public, and doing right by their students, EKU needs to reform their History Department curriculum to include internship or co-op opportunities. Doing so will benefit the University as much as the students it serves. Students want real-world experience. Employers want students with applicable skills. EKU wants to be seen as a more prestigious university that values its students. The funding is there for the taking. This proposal provides benefits to all parties involved and it is needed and wanted by the student body.

References

Battlefield Preservation Fund. (2016). Retrieved from

http://www.preservationnation.org/resources/find-funding/special-funds/

Center for Career and Cooperative Education (2016). Co-op/Internships Facts.

Eastern Kentucky University. Retrieved from http://career-coop.eku.edu/co-

opinternships-facts

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Generation i. (2014, September 6). The Economist. Retrieved from

http://www.economist.com/news/international/21615612-temporary-

unregulated-and-often-unpaid-internship-has-become-route

Is College Worth It? (2014, April, 5). The Economist. Retrieved from

http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21600131-too-many-degrees-

are-waste-money-return-higher-education-would-be-much-better

National Association of Colleges and Employers (2014). Hourly Wages for Interns

and Co-ops Stable. Retrieved from

http://www.naceweb.org/s04022014/hourly-wages-interns-co-

ops.aspx#sthash.81Oe2mWy.dpuf

National Trust Preservation Funds: Guidelines & Eligibility. (2016). Retrieved from

http://www.preservationnation.org/resources/find-funding/preservation-funds-

guidelines-eligibility.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/

Stahl, K., (1999). Co-Op Education in the Liberal Arts. Liberal Education, 85(3), 34.

Retrieved from

http://libproxy.eku.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?

direct=true&db=a9h&AN=2244931&site=ehost-live&scope=site

U.S. Department of Transportation & U.S. Department of Health and Human

Services. (1997). EMT-Paramedic National Standards Curriculum (Contract

No. DTNH22-95-C-05108). Retrieved from

http://www.ems.gov/pdf/NSCparamedic1998.pdf

Vickers, N. W., (1990). A Comparison of the Starting Pay of Cooperative Education

Graduates with that of Non-Cooperative Education Graduates.  ERIC Institute

of Education Sciences. Retrieved from

http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED349455.pdf

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Virginia Tech, (2016). Frequently asked questions about internships and co-ops.

Career Services. Retrieved from http://www.career.vt.edu/coop/faq.html#diff

Appendix A: EKU’s History Department Co-op/Internship Application

EKU’s History Department Co-Op/Internship Application

Name: _______________________________________________________________________________        (first)            (middle)        (last)EKU ID: ______________________________Address: _____________________________________________________________________________     _____________________________________________________________________________        (city)             (state)             (zip code)

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Major: _______________________________________________________________________________Concentration: ________________________________________________________________________Minor: _______________________________________________________________________________Grade: (circle one)     Freshman         Sophomore         Junior         SeniorCurrent GPA: ____________Advisor(s): ____________________________________________________________________________         ____________________________________________________________________________Perfered Field: ________________________________________________________________________Job History: (if relevant to major/minor/concentration, etc.) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Appendix B: History Major’s SurveyCurrent Class:

Year of Schoolo Freshmano Sophomoreo Junioro Senior

Have you declared a major?o Yeso No

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Is so, please list:

What is your concentration/focus?

Have you declared a minor?o Yeso No

If so, please list:

Have you looked into possible internship/co-ops?o Yeso No

If so, please list:

Do you think an internship/co-op would be beneficial in the History Dept.?o Yeso No

In a couple sentences, explain what you want to do with your major.Appendix C: EKU’s History Department

Co-op/Internship Application Guidelines

EKU’s History Department Co-Op/Internship Application Guidelines

Requirements for applying to co-op/internship: C3 Career Express Account Completed Application Completed Cover Letter and Resume Letter of Recommendation from Advisor(s) Proclamation of Professional Goals

C3 Career Express Account- Visit www.career-coop.eku.edu to create or update a C3 Career Express Account. This is the platform that students will use to upload pertaining documents (cover letter, resume, letter of recommendation, and proclamation of professional goals) for admittance into the co-op/internship program. Through C3 Career Express by clicking on My Account, then My Documents, you can upload pertaining files.  If you don’t

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have a resume prepared, feel free to use sample resume formats found in the Job Search Guide on the Center website www.career-coop.eku.edu to guide you or use Create a Resume in your C3 Career Express account. Your resume will be reviewed by a History Department staff member and you will be emailed if your resume needs to be revised. Suggested revisions will be available in your C3 Career Express account in the My Documents section. An approved resume is a required assignment for this course.Application- Used by History Department’s faculty and staff to coordinate which internship field the student will be assigned to.  Application can be accessed through C3 Career Express Account.    Existing fields are:     History Teaching, Museum Industry, Archives/References, Library                     Sciences, Government, and Preservation/RestorationCover Letter & Resume- Used by the History Department’s faculty and staff to examine experiences levels and the fields of interest by student. Cover letter should include fields of interest and what the student hopes to gain from the co-op/ internship. Cover letter must be NO MORE than one page long with the appropriate formatting. Consult advisor(s) if you have any further questions.Letter of Recommendation- Students must request at least one letter of recommendation by an advisor for admittance into the co-op/internship program. All History Department faculty and staff will be provided with a template to use when drafting the letter of recommendation. You MUST request the letter via EKU Direct and then the final copy will be emailed to you and then must be uploaded and submitted to C3 Career Express. Proclamation of Professional Goals- Each student must submit a one to two page proclamation explaining their area of interest and what they hope to gain from internship. This is separate from the cover letter but will overlap in certain circumstances. This should be made around future goals and what the student will take away from the internship to apply to their career.

Upon acceptance into the internship/co-op program, all students must complete the Online Orientation through your C3 Career Express account before your first co-op/internship experience. All students must score higher than an 80 on the Online Orientation in order to move forward. If a student scores lower than an 80, you must request another orientation opportunity. The Orientation is a one-time requirement for co-op/internship students.

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