Public Service Internships (formerly Albany Semester Program)

OAP 492, Course Syllabus
Fall, 2008

Rob DiCarlo
Assistant Director for Career Services
101 Rakov Center
Phone:  (585) 395-5422 - direct line        
or (585) 395-2392 - secretary
Fax:        (585) 395-2708               
E-mail:  rdicarlo@brockport.edu
                                                                                                               
Background and History:

The Public Service Internship was originally started by a group of SUNY colleges interested in placing students in administrative / executive branch internships within state agencies in Albany.   For the past 25 years, Empire State provided the administrative support for the program as well as coordinated the academic content and placement of interns.  In 2002, Empire State discontinued the program which has afforded SUNY Brockport the opportunity to take over the Program.  The Public Service Internship has recently been expanded to include governmental internships throughout New York State. 

Purpose of the course:

Participants in the Public Service Internship, Assembly Program and the NYS Senate Session Program are required to register at their respective campuses.  SUNY Brockport students register for OAP 492.61 (three to 15 credits).  Other SUNY students register for OAP 492.79 (zero credit) and students from private colleges register for OAP 492.78 (zero credit).  Students from non-Brockport campuses are required to secure credit through their home institution without exception.  For non-Brockport students, you will be required to verify full-time course registration.   These courses are intended to expose you to both tangible and intangible aspects of the world of work.    Many of these aspects will be interpersonal or reflective in nature.   Others, such as business etiquette and professional conduct will be covered.  In addition, you will also learn about governmental organizations. 

#	Learning Outcome	Achievement Indicators	Performance Standards
1.	Acquaint students with work-related skill sets	Completion of the Skills Inventory Assessment (pre and post test)	Pre and post-test improvement (skill assessment paper)
2.	Demonstrate the ability to prepare a résumé	Review of the résumé	Includes the internship experience Error free (spelling, grammar, punctuation) Consistent format and layout Appropriate skills / skills sets

3.	Career choices	Ability to articulate career choices based on interests, values, skills and abilities	Journals, seminar participation, on-line discussions
4.	Self-assessment	Articulate and demonstrates personal skills and abilities	Journals, seminar participation, on-line discussions, final assessments

 

Course Requirements:

1. The Angel discussion forum will allow us to broaden our communication and learning beyond the monthly seminar meetings.  Each week, I would like you to submit a post as well as respond to at least two other posts.   In your post, you may give a brief update on your internship, post a question you might wish addressed by other students or bring up issues related to your internship or career.  I will periodically post questions in the forum as well.   

2.  Portfolio (10%) – An important part of any internship is the work you generate.  You should organize your work portfolio into some type of presentable binder.  You may include memos, photographs, press releases, articles you have written and anything else developed during your internship.

3.  Weekly Journals (30%) –  (refer to journal template and journal guidelines posted in Angel)   Journals must be uploaded into the Angel environment.  Any other format will not be accepted.  The journals are confidential and will only be read by the course instructors, not your internship supervisors.    Journals should be uploaded the end of each month.  If you started early, you may combine your entries with the June journal. 

4.  Résumé assignment (10%) – (refer to résumé examples in Angel and the Career Connector).  This assignment requires you to either develop a résumé or update your current résumé to include your internship experience.  Résumé examples are posted in Angel and also in the Career Connector.   Be sure to use Optimal Résumé at www.brockport.edu/career to format your résumé. There is a drop-box in Angel to submit your final résumé.  Note, the example is a traditional chronological résumé which is the format preferred by most organizations.   Rough drafts are due October 17th and the final résumé is due November 7th.

5. Final Paper Assignment  (10%) – Using the Skill Assessment Inventory, discuss your strengths and weaknesses as they relate to your internship experience.   Over the course of the internship, you should have seen an improvement in your skills.  For any weaknesses that you have identified, describe how you will go about trying to improve these perceived weaknesses.  While this paper is reflective in nature, pay attention to spelling and grammar. 

In your paper you should also address the following questions:

How did this internship experience relate to / enhance your academic program?
What did you enjoy the most / the least about your internship?
Which skills did you use the most / the least during your internship (refer to handout)?

This paper is an excellent opportunity for you to review your journal and reflect on the experience.  Be creative.  The final paper is due November 28th.
     
6. Final Supervisor Evaluation (30%) – Feedback from your supervisor is a critical component of the internship.  Generally, the Public Service Internship supervisors have many years experience supervising interns and are very fair in their assessments.  Evaluations are due November 28th.

7.  Final Presentation (10%) – At the conclusion of your internship, you will be required to do a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation.   Included in Angel is a more detailed description of the presentation and what is expected of you.   For students interning in Albany, the presentation will be scheduled towards the end of your internship and held at Empire State College, Latham, NY.  For students interning in the Rochester area (or not in Albany), I will figure out a time for you to do the presentation on campus. 

Final grades are based on the completion of the course requirements listed above.    For non-Brockport students, your final grade may be determined by your home campus internship coordinators.  I will provide them with ample feedback on your performance (academic and work) to help them make this final grade determination.   The internship is graded on a letter grade basis. Only under unusual and extraordinary circumstances will incompletes be granted. 

Things to be completed at the beginning of your internship:

Learning Agreement– This form should be completed prior to the start of your internship if you developed your own internship or within the first two weeks of your internship if you are being placed in Albany. 

Things to be completed at the middle of your internship: 

Intern Evaluation:  Interim Assessment – This form is completed by your supervisor and returned to SUNY Brockport.   Due date is October 24th.

Things to be completed at the end of your internship:

Intern Self-Assessment – (refer to survey in Angel).    Due date is November 28th.

Final Intern Evaluation – (refer to handout).  A critical part of any internship is feedback (informal and formal) for the intern.    The supervisor’s evaluation must be done at the end of the experience and is weighted 30% in your final grade for the internship.   You should schedule a time for the supervisor to go over the evaluation.   Your supervisor will be provided their own copy of the evaluation, but it is your responsibility to see that we get it back in a timely fashion. 

Intern Post-Program Evaluation– (refer to survey in Angel).  We want to hear your comments, suggestions and even criticisms to help us improve the program.  Due November 28th.

Suggested Purchases (optional, but highly recommended)

1.  Business suit – You will be required to attend a variety of meetings and functions during your internship.  Having a business suit will make you feel more comfortable and allow you to better fit in.  Also, a business suit is a must for any interview for employment or graduate school.   

2.  Daytimer / Planner – Everyone should have some system for keeping track of important dates, appointments, assignments.  Franklin – Covey makes a very nice (although pricey) daytimer.  I use the At A Glance system that runs $15.  Palm Pilots are also quite useful.   Any good time management system revolves around some type of organizer – get one if you haven’t already!

3.  The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey – Full of strategies to help the reader become more organized and effective in their day-to-day lives.  While I don’t expect each of you to write your own personal vision / mission statement, this book has great ideas for career and work happiness. 

4.  The Successful Internship by H. Frederick Sweitzer and Mary A. King – A very useful guide for all interns.  Covers learning styles, journaling, self-exploration, communication styles….

5.  Public Policy Making:  Process and Principles by Larry N Gerston 

6.  Career Intelligence by Barbara Moses

Other resources – In Angel you will find a folder “Career Resources”.  Here you will find articles, websites and other items I think you might find useful. 

Additional Comments – For the non-Brockport students, you will also have to meet any home campus requirements in addition to the requirements outlined in this syllabus.   In developing this syllabus and in fairness to all participating students, we have tried to take into consideration other campus requirements.  However, individual campuses may require additional work, readings and assignments.  Please note, that all students (regardless of campus guidelines) must complete the requirements outlined in this syllabus.