The Writing Internship Checklist

Extracurricular internships are permitted within the university only when supervised by faculty members. In the English Department, we usually see the interns at mid-semester and at the the end of the semester. Of course, the faculty supervisor is available whenever there are questions or diffuclties.

Interns who satisfy their placemnet supervisors but evade their responsibilities to their faculty supervisors end with an INCOMPLETE and sometimes with and UNSATISFACTORY on their transcripts. Occasionally, an eighth semster intern has become rushed and treated the requirements casually. This has delayed some graduations.

This is what the faculty supervisor requires from you:
• Keep this checklist.
• Gather the materials it calls for and bring them in at the appropriate times.
• Two meetings, one at mid-semester, one at the end of the semester.

Please note: You must have an e-mail account. It is sometimes the only convenient way for you to communicate with the faculty supervisor. If you do not already have an e-mail account, visit the Computer Center to have your ( free) e-mail account activated.

At midterm: In the sixth or seventh week of the semester, in Spring 2000 between March and , your faculty supervisor must see your log and your work and have a conference with you. You need to bring the following to that meeting:

• Log of hour and tasks
• Folder of work pieces

At the end of the semester: in the thirteenth or fourteenth week, in Spring 200 between and the last day of classes, you need to meet with the faculty supervisor to discuss your work and to evaluate the placement. You need to bring the following to that final meeting:

• Log of hours and tasks since mid-semester
• Folder of work pieces gathered since mid-semester
• Evaluation form for the placement

Remember: Your placement supervisor has been told that English 297 offers a writing internship and not an office-drudge internship. If a supervisor is turning you into a fetch-and-carry go-fer, a file clerk, or a data-enry assistant, let us know. Occasionally, we have had to remove an intern from a placement and find another placement. We are willing and able to do that if necessary. Almost always, however, we have been able to get work assignments changed satisfactorily.

Academic credit for an internship is justified only when the intern is actually learning new skills and getting insight into a writing career. Do not endure a placement supervisor who does not help you develop as a writer.

Back to Writing Internships Home Page