Internships

Internship purposes

• To provide experiences and enhance their professional careers.
• To provide an arena to practice the application of theory and techniques.
• To enhance understanding of recreation, sport and tourism opportunities and practices.
• To provide an applied setting for evaluating students’ performance.
• To offer practitioners an opportunity to contribute to the RST industries through the preparation of professionals.

RST 480: Orientation to Internship (required) | credit: 1 hour
RST 480 prepares and places students in the RST Internship (RST 485). Topics include placement requirements and policies, resume preparation, interviewing & professional communication skills, and the roles and issues of professional practice. 1 undergraduate hour. No graduate credit.

RST 485: Internship in Recreation, Sport or Tourism (required) credit: 12 hours
The internship course requires students to complete a minimum of 400 hours over a minimum of 10 weeks with an approved agency. The course is designed to enhance the internship experience by leading students through practical steps that empower them in the learning/working experience. Additionally, students practice skills and concepts presented in academic classes, explore areas of personal and professional interest, and apply problem and conflict solving techniques. 12 undergraduate hours. No graduate credit. Approved for S/U grading only. Prerequisite: RST 100, RST 101, RST 200, RST 210, RST 240, RST 255, RST 325, RST 480, and one of the following: RST 120, RST 130, or RST 150. Restricted to students with junior or senior standing. Students may take up to an additional 6 credit hours during RST 485. **Students needing to take additional credit hours will need approval by their academic advisor.

RST 485: Internship in Recreation, Sport and Tourism (required) credit: 12 hours

The internship program consists of a preparation course (RST 480) followed by enrollment in a professional internship (RST 485) during the junior or senior year. Prior to the internship students are strongly encouraged to gain work or volunteer experience in a recreation, sport or tourism affiliated agency. It is preferred that students accumulate multiple field experiences during their freshman through junior years. Each experience will contribute to professional preparation and may be listed as professional experience on the student’s resume.

RST 280: Practicum in Recreation, Sport and Tourism (not required but strongly recommended) | credit: 1 hour

This practicum course is a 1-credit course that requires students to complete a minimum of 100 hours over the term/semester with an agency that relates to the field of recreation, sport and tourism. The Job Description must be approved and any required contract or affiliation paperwork must be completed prior to the start of the practicum experience. Students should contact the coordinator for specific instructions.

Internship search and placement procedures are reviewed as part of the coursework in RST 480: Orientation to Internship (taken prior to the internship). The Internship & Outreach Coordinator provides guidance to students as they search for and secure their agency. All agencies must be approved for placement. Specific submission deadlines for approval documents will be posted at the beginning of the term.

RST 485: Internship

Information about required materials and internship opportunities are available. Please refer to the RST Career Opportunity Board on Canvas, the RST 480 Canvas page, and flyers posted in the RST Academic Advising Office (Huff 129).

Please contact RST Internship & Outreach Coordinator – Hayley Hardin (hhardin3@illinois.edu) for the internship form link.

Student Intern

The student is responsible for the following:

1. Register and pay the fees required by the University.
2. Complete all required coursework.
3. Attend and complete any training program provided by the agency.
4. Adhere to the policies and duties outlined by the agency, meeting all scheduled commitments and arrangements made in connection with training assignments.

The Agency Supervisor

Given the learning emphasis of the internship, the intern should receive training, supervision, and ongoing evaluation similar to that provided for employees. The Agency Supervisor serves as an agency-based teacher providing instruction and supervision to the intern utilizing the agency’s operations to further the student’s professional competence. Additionally, the agency assumes responsibilities to meet specific University requirements for the internship including:

1. Indicate acceptance of the student as an intern by submitting the Internship Site Information Form.
2. Partner with the RST Internship Coordinator in the completion of the Vendor Information Form, Affiliation Agreement, and Agreement Attachment 1, for Internship as required by the University of Illinois for all off campus student placements.
3. Consult with the University Internship Coordinator, as necessary, to review the student’s progress. These consultations may be conducted in-person (when in Illinois), by phone, electronic and/or mail correspondence.
4. Provide support to the student as they create internship goals and objectives related to their placement with the purpose of verifying the feasibility of achievement. Goals and objectives that cannot be achieved within the agency should be returned to the student for revision.
5. Assist the student in meeting specific agency and university requirements through completion of a mid-term and final evaluation of the student to gage progress, adjust goals, and provide professional development opportunity. Review provided evaluation forms with the student and the Internship Coordinator.
6. Confer with the student at least once a week to arrange schedules, discuss work performance, and analyze problems.
7. Monitor the student to safeguard the quality of the agency’s services as well as the student’s progress and well-being.
8. Inform the student of all personnel policies and procedures and help the student understand their role in the agency.
9. Allow the student reasonable freedom so that an adequate learning experience may be experienced.
10. Provide necessary program supplies and equipment for activities conducted by interns.

University

The Internship & Outreach Coordinator has overall responsibility for the Internship Program. These duties include:

1. Serve as a liaison between the Agency and the University.
2. Complete the necessary contract paperwork
3. Supervise arrangements for the student and give final approval of all internship placements.
4. Monitor the student’s experience and be available for consultation with students or agency personnel
5. Evaluate the student’s written reports and assignments and assist them in completing satisfactory work.
6. Assign the student a final grade.