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The political science department at Bradley University would like to thank you for offering internships to our students. Internships are an increasingly important part of the learning experience for Bradley students. These experiences allow students to gain real-world experience, connect with networking contacts for the future, make wise career choices and enhance the breadth education. Your willingness to assist young scholars by supervising their internships is essential to this process.

Your job is relatively easy. All I ask is that you do three things. First, and most important, you have to supervise the student. I want our interns to experience “real life” in the “real world.” I ask that you assign them challenging tasks and tap the great potential in their youthful enthusiasm. Our interns are expected to complete approximately 70 contact hours in your organization for each hour of academic credit they receive for PLS 480. Second, I ask that you provide, for our records, a brief communication with me that confirms the student is working on an internship in your organization and sets out, in general terms, the types of tasks you plan to assign the student. This document can be accomplished via email. Third, I ask that you evaluate the intern. You can use our basic evaluation form if you choose, or use any format with which you feel comfortable. Please fill one out about halfway through the internship and the other at the end of the intern’s time with you. You can send these to me via email if you wish, or you can use standard mail and send them to the address at the bottom of the evaluation form.

The student has a bit more work to do than you. The student must work the required number of hours for you and do so to your satisfaction. In addition, the student is required to keep a journal while working for you. The student must make entries in this journal at least at weekly intervals, although entries may be made at any time. Lastly, the student will be required to complete a brief academic project to be negotiated with me. The purpose of this assignment is to provide a nexus between the real world and academia for the intern. I prefer that the student initiate the discussion and that the project be the student’s idea, although I always have plenty of suggestions. The typical project involves writing a three-to-five-page paper, although I am quite open to alternatives.

If you require anything at all from my office or have any questions, all you need do is ask. I will gladly cooperate in any way that I can. You can reach me by phone at (309) 677-2492, by email at rcc@bradley.edu or through regular mail at Dr. Craig Curtis, Internship Coordinator, Department of Political Science, Bradley University, Peoria, IL 61625. Once again, I thank you for helping to develop the young leaders of the future.