Internship Coordinator

University Classification: 9702EG, Student Services Pro 2 - Employer Engagement

The position is in-person on the Morris Campus.

Purpose of the Position
The internship coordinator provides professional support and expertise for undergraduate internships within the framework of a public liberal arts education. The coordinator focuses on elevating and amplifying student engagement with and opportunities for connecting classroom learning and hands on experience, and develops and persuasively shares with students and members of the broader campus community answers to questions such as these: What are the benefits of an internship while pursuing a college degree? What are the relationships between students' coursework and a particular internship? How do we ensure that the internships available provide genuine benefits and how do we best communicate those to students? Morris students already engage in internships, on and off campus, with business, government, K-12 and higher education, non-profits, political organizations, and tribal organizations. Primary responsibilities of this position are to develop more of these opportunities, specifically in credit-bearing internships on and off campus, as well as to ensure that such experiences are useful and appropriate to the campus mission and to UMN Morris students and to increase the number and diversity of students engaging in these experiences.

This position reflects the campus student learning outcomes: UMN Morris graduates are community contributors, career-ready scholars, and creative problem-solvers. It also supports the campus strategic commitments to "rigorous experiential projects" as part of "preparing students to create and discover solutions to complex problems of the 21st century" and improving "pathways to, through, and beyond a UMN Morris degree." UMN Morris serves a diverse population of students, and the internship coordinator will be responsible for increasing access to and participation in high quality internships and other experiential learning for all students on the Morris campus.

The internship coordinator position reports directly to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean and is part of the Enrichment Council as well as a close collaborator with the Enrichment Coordinator. Further collaboration is with the Career Counselor and the Alumni Relations Officer, with the aim of coordinating and elevating opportunities for students, and with faculty and staff to understand existing internships and processes in academic disciplines and to help develop new opportunities.

Job duties:

Internship Strategy & Enrichment Advising (30%)

• Develop more internship opportunities for UMN Morris students and increase the number and diversity of students engaging in those opportunities
• Share professional expertise by participating in campus Enrichment Council as well as other campus and University-wide discussions about experiential learning, undergraduate research, learning abroad, internships, and micro-experiences
• Serve as the campus's internship expert, with knowledge of opportunities, development best practices, and internship best practices
• Ensure minimum standards for credit, as well as ethical conduct; i.e., to help protect students in accordance with University policy on discrimination and harassment
• Ensure that internship opportunities are sufficient in diversity, type, and number, as well as aligned with student interests and campus mission
• Manage the campus's internship site agreement process in the Handshake platform for students earning credit each term to ensure the minimum standards are met by internship sponsors and field supervisors.This requires building formal agreements regarding the duration of an internship, responsibilities, learning outcomes, meetings, evaluation by employer, communication with university staff, and so on in order to create and then maintain these agreements, collaborating both internally (with faculty, for instance) and externally (with internship sites) to do so.
• Ensure strategies for helping students find experiential learning opportunities in all majors, and across all the career fields
• Collaborate with faculty and staff on implementation of Morris Core Experience, part of the new general education program (Morris Core Curriculum), as well as collaborating on elevation of undergraduate research opportunities and learning abroad to support increasing opportunities for undergraduates and making them accessible to students
• Consult and collaborate with partners locally, regionally, and across the University of Minnesota, including faculty, staff, and sponsors-those who work with internships often do a great deal of consultation and trouble-shooting with new and continuing sponsors
• Actively engage in professional development related to internships and experiential learning particularly as it relates to serving underrepresented students who experience barriers to participation in high impact practices

Internship Tracking and Coordination (50%)

• Work with faculty and staff across campus to monitor and ensure minimum standards for internships for credit are met
• Drive collection and distribution of data regarding internship participation and barriers to participation
• Coordinate with the Alumni Relations Officer on developing relationships with alumni in position to offer summer- and semester-length internships and on opportunities for internships and micro-experiences through the Maroon & Gold Network
• Coordinate with the Career Counselor on integration of internships into career counseling
• Market internship resources and support opportunities available to students, and share experiential learning stories to strengthen culture of engagement in high-impact practices.
• Provide subject-matter expertise on internships and work-based learning to promote internship development among employers, to ensure that internship opportunities are broadly publicized to students, and to verify that publications, websites, and messages reflect best practices
• Participate in IS1102 or other career-focused courses as requested; explore the possibility of adding to the campus curriculum and teaching an Internship Course in Canvas (perhaps following CLA model at UMN TC)
• Provide strategic direction for leveraging donor funds to increase access to internship participation; provide internship and experiential learning data, impact reports, student work samples and stories and meet with donors, prospective students, and other campus visitors as needed

External Strategy and Partnerships (20%)

• Identify and advance innovative strategies for inclusive recruiting of diverse opportunities among internship sponsors based on subject area expertise, data, and insights of students participating in internships and other experiential learning opportunities
• Research and identify new potential funding streams through private or federal grants or programs that support experiential learning opportunities for students; collaborate and possibly lead on grant writing and implementation of any awarded funds
  

Required Qualifications

• BA/BS degree plus at least two years of relevant experience
• Demonstrated understanding and strong commitment to liberal arts education.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to work effectively within a team environment
• Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing inclusion and equity work in order to identify, challenge, and remove inequitable processes, as well as structural barriers to access and success at the individual, community, and system levels
• Communication skills and experience with data collection; accomplished at speaking and writing, with a good understanding of spreadsheets and statistical analysis

Preferred

• Master's degree in student affairs, career services, counseling, higher education, or a related field.
• Experience supporting best practices for high quality internships or other types of experiential learning in a college setting.
• Experience working with faculty who are supporting students' internships.
• Awareness of the unique needs of international students with regard to internships and other experiential learning opportunities.
• Experience teaching career curriculum or related experience.
• At least one year of experience providing career support to liberal arts students

Working at the University

At the University of Minnesota, you'll find a flexible work environment and supportive colleagues who are interested in lifelong learning. We prioritize work-life balance, allowing you to invest in the future of your career and in your life outside of work.

The University also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost

Please visit the for more information regarding benefits.

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U:

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota Morris (UMN Morris)

The University of Minnesota Morris (UMN Morris) makes its home on a 121-year-old campus on the western edge of the state and is one of the top public liberal arts colleges in the nation. The small, close-knit campus emphasizes faculty/student collaboration in research, study abroad, and community engaged learning. Deeply rooted in the tall grass prairies of Minnesota, the campus also has advanced sustainable, environmentally friendly initiatives that have grown to levels of national leadership and touch nearly all aspects of campus life.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).