The Intergovernmental Internship Final Report
January 28, 2009
Prepared by Briget Eastep, Assistant Professor of Outdoor Recreation in Parks and Tourism
And
Anne Smith, IIC Coordinator
Introduction
The IIC was established as a partnership between Southern Utah University and Public Lands Agencies in the
Southern Utah Region to develop a more effective work and project based internship program that will benefit
students, agencies and faculty. Applications have been streamlined to two pages and postings are easy on a
website specifically developed to assist this process.
University and college students from all disciplines are encouraged to apply. Internships are both paid and unpaid
and can include volunteer opportunities, as well as partially and fully funded internships, many of which may lead
to part and full time career employment within the public land agencies.
As a central component to the project work supported by this grant, all of the project partners have worked to
develop a process by which internships are developed, described and posted, and potential applicants
interviewed and selected. Interns will be supervised by partners in collaboration with key SUU staff and work
experiences will be developed to relate to their classroom work and documented. Staff from the agencies and
partners may also participate in presenting classroom sessions at SUU as part of the on - going curriculum as well
as to build relationships among the students, each other and the university. “One time” work projects and
research/monitoring needs will also be incorporated into the work program.
A Comprehensive Plan has been developed by the project partners to implement the process as outlined in the
scope of work:
1. The IIC internship coordinator will work with all partners to produce an “Intergovernmental Internship
Cooperative (IIC)” comprehensive plan (submitted January, 2008). Below is an updated comprehensive plan:
a. A statement of common purpose developed in concert with all project partners.
Mission (approved 4/23/07)
The purpose of the Intergovernmental Internship Cooperative is to develop a work and project based internship
and service learning program to serve the Southern Utah region by matching the needs of Land Management
Government Agencies with college students and departments seeking meaningful opportunities. Through this
cooperative we will promote professionalism in land stewardship and create opportunities to conserve and
preserve cultural and natural resources while effectively serving communities and visitors.
b. The role of and goals for the cooperative on behalf of the university and the students enrolled in Outdoor
Recreation in Parks and Tourism degree and other relevant degree programs.
The role and goals for the cooperative on behalf of the university and its students is to create meaningful
partnerships with regional land management agencies in order to enhance the education of students and the
services SUU offers the region. This goal will be met through creating practicum experiences, internships, and
service learning projects that improve the quality of education while serving the region through stewardship
work.
Process
General: Positions and applications would be filled on a rolling basis - meaning once a qualified applicant is
identified, he or she will be the first one to be offered the position. Positions will be open until filled, but will be
posted for a minimum of two weeks.
Cooperative will be open to students beyond SUU through IORT. This will allow us to find graduate students when
needed.
Students:
1. Find position on SUU’s CareerNet website (through SUU Career Services: http://suu.edu/ss/career/)
2. Apply for a position or positions (OF612 application on line) – submit to coordinator
3. Are informed if they were chosen or not for an internship (by coordinator)
4. Sign agreement
Future: Participate in an internship training designed to increase the skill base and professionalism of
interns
5. Show up and complete the internship - along with a special project
6. Present their special project at an end of season gathering
Professors:
1. Contacts coordinator and describes needs
2. Coordinator puts professor in touch with an agency representative that can help professor.
3. Coordinator posts projects wanted on IIC website
c. The role of and goals for the Cooperative on behalf of the cooperative’s partners, agencies, and national park
units.
The role and goals for the Cooperative on behalf of the regional land management agencies who are partners is to
match educational needs of an array of disciplines to fulfill agency needs in competing critical stewardship work.
Agencies:
1. Agree to be a part of the internship cooperative (agencies need to provide funds for internship, a
supervisor who can support the learning process for the intern, specific job training and equipment if
needed, and the time/support to incorporate a special project into the internship, optional -housing) A
written cooperative agreement signed by the IIC Coordinator, an Southern Utah University
representative, and an agency contact will be drawn up within a few months, once the process is further
along.
2. Post a position announcement on SUU CareerNet.
3. The coordinator reviews applications, checks references, and matches qualified applicants for positions.
4. Sends qualified applicants to agency for their selection.
5. Coordinator extends offer to applicant chosen by agency. If applicant accepts the position is filled, if
applicant declines, the position is offered to next qualified applicant....positions will be open until filled.
6. Agencies provide a supervisor that will facilitate the internship experience.
7. Supervisor attends end of season gathering
8. Agencies would have the choice of having SUU pay the interns (through funds given to the cooperative)
OR pay the intern through their payroll.
d. How the internship program will be coordinated.
IIC Coordinator Time line/Tasks:
Jan - Mar: recruit students, monitors applications and position announcements; plans training
Mar-Apr: positions are offered
May: internships begin; implements training; coordinator organizes end of season gathering
Aug: last day of internship (12-14 weeks)
Aug: interns (and agency supervisors) gather for a final meeting and special project presentations.
Sept: review program and make necessary adjustments; recruit agencies

Optional: Interns are placed with agencies throughout the academic year

Training opportunities may also be offered throughout the academic year.
Intergovernmental Internship Cooperative duties will be coordinated by a part time campus coordinator and a full
time agency coordinator. As of October 1, 2008 The IIC was moved administratively from the Physical Education
and Human Performance Department at SUU to SUU’s Regional Services. Under Regional Services, the IIC clearly
has the goal to serve the region and all of campus.
e. How partners will participate to complement course curriculum for relevant classes.
Partners will have the opportunity to participate in complementing course curriculum through a number of
avenues, including assistance with special projects, practicum experiences, trainings, lectures, expeditions and
field opportunities. For example, in ORPT 4020: Natural Resource Interpretation and Experiential Education,
students have partnered with regional land management agencies (DWR, BLM, GSENM) to create interpretive
products. In this service learning endeavor students received the opportunity to develop new skills and exercise
new knowledge while serving regional interpretation needs.
f. How the internships will be identified, organized, advertised, filled and evaluated.
The chief mechanism for facilitating this process will be the website developed through Southern Utah University
Career Net (http://suu.edu/ss/career/employer.html). Internships will be identified and organized by the IIC
Coordinator through input from agencies involved in the IIC. (Details of the procedures are found below in Item
h).
As part of the 21 internship goal identified in the scope of work, 6 work scholarships were established. Grant
funding was used to support 1/2 the cost (approximately $2500 each) of 6 work scholarship positions. Each
position was comparable to at least a 4 month, summer seasonal GS-4 position. Partners who match these funds
were eligible to cost share these positions.
The scholarships were divided between the four primary agencies represented on the initial Steering Committee,
based on a rotating priority and the agency’s willingness to participate. The work scholarships were divided
accordingly FY08:




NPS: 2 students (Chad Eckley, Law Enforcement at Zion National Park; Trevor Lopez, Law
Enforcement at Cedar Breaks National Monument)
State Parks: 2 students (Craig Lewis, Otter Creek State Park; Chad Jones (Fremont Indian
State Park)
FS: 1 student (Bryn Anderson, Dixie National Forest)
BLM: 1 student (Jonathan Brunjes, BLM Cedar City Office)
FY09: Goal would be to establish 8 scholarship positions so all agencies would have 2 students. If this doesn’t
happen, priority order would be:
 FS: 2 students
 BLM: 2 students
 NPS: 1 student
 State Parks: 1 student
Future priority will be given on a rotating basis based on the above list of participants, but is subject to change
depending on future participation of agencies and related organizations.
g. Creative funding mechanisms to reduce direct internship salary and support costs to maximize the number of
high quality internships available to the students at the lowest possible cost to the partners.
Over the past year a number of funding mechanisms have been identified with the goal of reducing direct
internship salary support costs in order to maximize the number of high quality internships available to the
students at the lowest possible cost to the partners. All of the funding avenues listed below have been secured to
insure the sustainability of the program:
1. October 1, 2008, the IIC was transferred administratively to SUU’s Regional Services. Under Regional
Services Partnership Funds ($85,000) have been utilized to fund the continued growth and expansion of
the program.
2.
$10,000 of Senate Bill 90 Funds designated to SUU’s Parks and Recreation Program will continue to
support IIC.
3. A Youth Partnership Project grant through the National Park Service has been granted to support the
continued work of the IIC and expand opportunities for youth to engage with regional land management
agencies ($75,000).
4.
Through the Utah Campus Compact the IIC is able to recruit students to earn $1500 Education Awards for
300 hours of volunteer service through AmeriCorps’ Service Award program administered by SUU’s
Service and Learning Center.
5. IIC partners will continue to contribute monetarily and through matching funds and in-kind contributions
to the IIC.
6. Private and public grants will be continued to be pursued by the IIC agency and campus coordinator.
IIC Proposed Budget 2008-2009
Need
Cost
Funding Source
Rationale
PT IIC Coordinator (with a
3% cost of living raise)
$25,000
SUU Partnership Funds
A coordinator to administer the
program and promote the
program on campus recruiting
students and faculty to
participate.
IIC agency Coordinator
$80,000
YPP and SUU Partnership
Funds
A coordinator to administer the
program, seek funding
opportunities, and promote the
program to agency personnel.
Scholarships (8 work
scholarships)
$40,000
YPP and Partner matching
funds
Incentive for agencies to
participate and fund needed
work.
Travel
$2,000
YPP
For coordinator to recruit and
follow up with agency partners
and interns
Promotion
$1,000
YPP
Promote to agencies, SUU
departments and students
Web site Development
$5,000
YPP
Create a savvy website
Office space, computer,
office supplies, telephone,
administrative assistance
$7,500
SUU match
Administration
Advisory Board
$0
Partner match
To oversee cooperative
SUU’s administrative fee
$0
Waived
Grant Overhead
Continuing Education
$2,000
YPP
Training for interns
Total Need
$162,500
Other funding sources that have been identified by the steering committee include:
Government Agency Step Programs
State motorized/non motorized grants through the Travel Council
Wealthy private donors
“Pay for service” % of fee – for this we need to prove our product
Agency project funds
Partnerships – funding, equipment, corporations
SUU’s fundraising council
National Forest Foundation (scholarships)
SCA grants as positions
Coop Internships through Natural History Association’s
National Park Service Centennial Matching Grants
Hard monies from SUU and agencies, combined with grants
h. A website hosted by SUU that will serve potential interns as well as agency partners to provide one common
location for posting internships, applications, and program information.
Development of a website is a critical component to the IIC mission. The main goal of the website is to streamline
a process for southern Utah public land agencies to advertise internship and job positions with students from the
southern Utah area and to connect with Southern Utah University professors and staff who desire to participate in
projects with the public lands. The website gives agencies a way to post internships in a centralized location, and
students to be able to easily access the information, fill out an application, and send to the IIC Coordinator, who
will serve as a “gate-keeper” and send it on to the agencies.
Southern Utah University’s Career Services launched Career Net (http://suu.edu/ss/career/employer.html),
which serves the IIC’s needs. In addition, an information site (http://suu.edu/iic) will provide information to both
agency partners and students.
B. We exceeded our goal of establishing 21 internships:
1) Establishment of practicum for Introduction to Outdoor Recreation class (ORPT 1000), meeting Tier 1
internships:
Fall 2007 – 14 students
Spring 2008 – 12 students
C. We established 6 work scholarships, as described above in f.




Utah State Parks (Summer ’08)
o Otter Creek – Craig Lewis
o Fremont Indian – Chad Jones
US Forest Service (Summer ’08)
o Dixie National Forest, Cedar City District – Bryn Anderson
BLM (Fall ’08, Spring ’09)
o Cedar City District – Jonathan Brunjes
National Park Service (Summer ’08)
o Zion National Park – Chad Eckley (Summer ’08)
o Cedar Breaks National Monument and Pipe Springs National Monument – TBA (Fall ’08)
*Note: 4 of the 5 designated interns were placed as a result of ORPT 1000 practicum participation in
previous academic year
Students who used IIC for placement in seasonal positions, but weren’t funded through IIC:



Zion National Park (Summer ’08) – Matt Feretti, Malerie Ernst
US Forest Service, Dixie Nat’l Forest, Cedar City District – Dean Cummings, Joshua Smith
Utah State Parks, Lake Powell (permanent full time Backcountry Ranger) – Jeremy Cook
Placements Summary – total 37
 26 Tier 1 (volunteer, practicum)
 10 Tier 2 (seasonal)
 1 Tier 3 (career)
D. In-kind Report
In-Kind Budget
Category
Explanation
1. Personnel
Coordinator
$20,838
salary,
administrative
assistant
time, steering
committee
time, ORPT
professor
time as
2. Fringe Benefits
CCSP Funds
Total
$22,500+
15,975+700+7500+2,000+5,000+
Included in
personnel
3. Consultant Fees
4. Travel & Per Diem
Match/Cost Share
$3,500
Included in
personnel
5. Office, Supplies, &
Materials
$21,600
6.
Construction/Conservation
Materials
-----
7. Work Scholarships
$10,000
TOTAL PROJECT COSTS
$29,800
$5,000
$15,000
Southern Utah University: personnel time on steering committee, coordinator salary, office space and equipment,
administrative support.
Utah State Parks: Personnel time on steering committee, practicum supervision, and $5,000 cash match
USFS: personnel time on steering committee, practicum and intern supervision
NPS: personnel time on steering committee, practicum and intern supervision
BLM: personnel time on steering committee, practicum and intern supervision
In closing, the IIC has been embraced by SUU and regional land management agencies as a successful partnership.
Through the efforts of the steering committee, interns, and faculty, we have been able to live our mission. As the
current economic outlook is challenging for all, the IIC has become an avenue of cost-sharing in order to continue
to serve the region’s land management needs by involving students and faculty. The IIC is expanding to offer
training as well as help land management agencies with their mandates to engage youth in the outdoors.