Roanoke’s Quality Enhancement Plan

Internships

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SACS

―Developing a QEP as a part of the reaffirmation

process is an opportunity for the institution to enhance

overall institutional quality and effectiveness by

focusing on an issue or issues the institution considers

important to improving student learning.‖

From: The Quality Enhancement Plan (Handbook for Reaffirmation of Accreditation)

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SACS

Recognize the strengths of the QEP requirement:

narrow focus

impact on student learning

arises from cooperation among and insights from faculty,

staff, and students

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SACS

Recognize the limitations of the QEP as a focused project:

Not the only worthwhile new initiative on campus—lots going

on in other areas of strategic plan

Not intended to 'save' the world/address all areas for

improvement needed at RC

QEP has potential for growth, inclusion of new areas over time

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SACS

Recognize its urgency: August 2011

need to produce a quality plan that fulfills SACS

expectations: clear, focused; impacts student learning;

administrative structure; funding; assessment plan

need to build widespread support

open door policy for faculty/staff input

willingness of faculty and staff to see this as a work in progress

with great potential; please don‘t allow perfection to be the enemy

of very good

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The Process

Fall ‗09 – QEP selection committee

Feb ‗10 – 1st survey of faculty, students, staff, and alumni

May ‗10 – 2nd survey of faculty and staff

Summer 2010 – President Maxey selected EL as topic

Fall 2010 – QEP development committee

Met with depts., offices, and individuals – gather info on current practices

Reviewed literature on experiential learning (theory and practice)

Narrowed focus: research, internships, study away, service learning, and artistic-creative works

Developed guidelines and principles, student and faculty/staff support models, logistical support, etc

Draft of QEP by the end of this semester

Submission to SACS by August 2011

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Roanoke College

Quality Enhancement Plan

Purpose

Student engagement is an indicator of successful classroom performance, improved student retention, and enhanced academic climate of an institution. When students are engaged they are attracted to their work, persist despite challenges, and take pride in their accomplishments. This attitude translates into other areas of their lives and has a positive effect on peers, classroom dynamics, and overall campus climate. Roanoke College’s Quality Enhancement Plan(QEP) seeks to improve student engagement by enhancing the quality of experiential learning opportunities currently available and increasing the number of students who take advantage of these high-impact practices (Kuh, AAC&U, 2008), which include research, internships, service-learning, study away, and artistic-creative works.

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National Standards

and Guiding Principles

Council for the Advancement of Standards

in Higher Education (CAS)

National Society of Experiential Education (NSEE)

Best practices standards at RC and peer institutions

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Overarching Objectives

Enhance Quality (NSEE: Intention, Preparedness and Planning, Authenticity,

Reflection, Orientation and Training, Monitoring and Continuous Improvement,

Assessment and Evaluation, Acknowledgment)

Pre-experience – learning agreement

Experience – reflection

Post-experience – public showcasing

Student support

Faculty/staff support

Logistical support

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Internship Programs

that Exemplify Best Practices:

Messiah College (Grantham, PA – 2801 students)

Wagner College (Staten Island, NY – 2150 students)

Hendrix College (Conway, AR – 1468 students)

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Messiah College

Internship Center (Director and support staff) provides logistical

support for internships

Faculty members assigned to oversee internships from particular

academic departments

Students complete 120 hours, a Professional Development

Experience (PDE) course, and a portfolio

http://www.messiah.edu/external_programs/internship/student/

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Wagner College

Center for Academic and Career Development provides

resources and logistical support for internships

Faculty members serve as subject matter experts who provide

input regarding their specific disciplines

All students complete 105 hours and participate in a learning

community seminar at the senior level

http://drupal.wagner.edu/cacd/students/internships

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Hendrix College

Odyssey Program - all students complete 3 Odyssey experiences selected from 6 categories as a graduation requirement (Artistic Creativity, Global Awareness, Professional and Leadership Development, Service to the World, Undergraduate Research and Special Projects)

Internships typically fall within the PL category

Students must complete Statement of Intent, 100 hours and written analysis of the experience to receive Odyssey credit

Experience may be a stand-alone course (coded PL), integrated into a standing course, or independent of academic coursework

The Odyssey Office (faculty director and support staff) provides logistical support

Faculty members offer PL courses and/or advise independent PL internships

http://www.hendrix.edu/odyssey/odyssey.aspx?id=513

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How do these programs exemplify

NSEE best practices?

Intention – Statement of intent, Learning Goals/Objectives, Internship Agreement

Preparation and training – accompanying class, learning community or PL advisement

Authentic experience – 100-120 hours

Reflection – Written analysis; Discussion with peers and supervisor

Monitoring and assessment – Host organization and faculty supervisor

Acknowledgement – Portfolio or presentation

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Sample Forms

Intention, Preparation, Reflection, Portfolio:

http://www.messiah.edu/external_programs/internship/stu

dent/documents/Syllabus2011-SP.pdf

Intention, Monitoring and Assessment:

http://drupal.wagner.edu/cacd/sites/wagner.edu.cacd/file

s/UUDG%20Credit%20Internship%20Forms.pdf

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Current Practices at Roanoke

Intention – Many academic departments require formal application, some require essays of intent

Preparation and training – Departments with significant internship numbers provide seminar-style classes; other departments provide independent faculty advisement

Authentic experience – Roanoke requires 110 hours

Reflection – varies widely by department

Monitoring and assessment – Many academic departments require evaluation by the host organization

Acknowledgement – Showcase opportunities are not typical

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Proposed New Model

Faculty/staff guidance provided through Internship Coordinators (with reassign time)

Facilitate monthly seminars for all interns under the coordinator‘s supervision

Students submit written reflections and coordinators provide feedback

Coordinate evaluation of intern with host organization

Interns complete: Learning Agreement, 110 hours, seminars, written reflections and E-portfolio

Acknowledgement of Intern Experiences – E-portfolios and/or on-campus showcase

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Student Support (tentative)

Simplified/one stop shopping access to internship opportunities

Access to Student QEP (EL+) grants for travel $$

Tuition credit for summer internships

E-portfolio support (equipment, tech support, ideas/training)

Summer housing credit

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Faculty/Staff Support (tentative)-The Cohort Model

The cohort model: centralized supervision of groups

of interns

Facilitates positive relationships with internship sites and

supervisors

Facilitates ease of students acquiring internships

Facilitates consistent interaction between supervisor &

intern

Facilitates helpful interaction among interns

More efficient use of faculty/staff time

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Faculty/Staff Support (tentative)-Internship Coordinator Positions

Supported through reassign time

Responsibilities of coordinator:

Maintain list of opportunities in discipline area(s)

Set up internships & coordinate with on-site supervisors

Pre-internship meetings with students; regular meetings

during semester; end of semester debriefing

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Faculty/Staff Support (tentative)-Logistical Support and Training

Training offered by a central QEP/EL office, e.g.,

Improved coordination with Career Services

Working with internship sites; best practices in maintaining good relationship and expanding opportunities

EL+ quality enhancement training

Logistical support

Centralized entryway for students

Advertising

Showcasing

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Getting Involved and

Implementation

Become an Internship Coordinator

Working with departments

Increase involvement over time

Expand internship opportunities on and off campus

Encourage student involvement

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Questions

Is this a model that makes sense to you?

From your perspective, are there issues other than money and

time we have not considered?

Are there any questions about the structure of the program?

Others?

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