2014
Cal Poly Pomona Career Center
Graduate Internship Program
David Craig
Judy Juarez
Umera Ameen
Career Center
2/3/2014
Cal Poly Pomona Career Center Graduate Internship Program
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PROGRAM ASSESSMENT: CAREER
CENTER GRADUATE INTERN PROGRAM:
2008-2012
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
The Career Center employs one to three graduate interns each year to assist the career counselors
and employer relations team in fulfilling our mission which is “Empower Students and Alumni to
identify their skills, interests and values; make informed educational decisions; and discover
meaningful career opportunities”. Graduate Interns are enrolled in higher education graduate
programs in the area. We have employed interns from Azusa Pacific University, CSU Long Beach, Cal
State Fullerton, and University of La Verne.
Graduate interns assist with the Career Center Drop-In Program, present workshops, conduct
individual career counseling and help with events and projects. They have a designated supervisor
and attend all departmental meetings.
PROGRAM ASSESSMENT PURPOSE:
The purpose of our assessment is to measure the effectiveness of the Graduate Intern Program in
the areas of training, support and development of professional competencies. The professional
competencies that are central to the grad intern program are a) career counseling and advising, b)
presentation skills, c) campus outreach and liaison relationship building d) planning and
implementing career education programs.
METHODOLOGY:
Evaluation Analysis: An assessment team of three Career Center staff completed review and
analysis of five years of graduate intern year-end program evaluations. The evaluations responses
comprise two-three page narratives based on a consistent questions each year. Evaluations were
themed and coded and organized into topics related to our program assessment goals. Themes
related to program strengths and suggestions for improvement were derived from the review of
these evaluations.
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Interview Information: Interviews were conducted with past interns regarding their experience
in the Graduate Intern Program at Cal Poly Pomona. Questions were designed to obtain further
information on the grad intern program from the perspective of entering full-time professional life
or moving to new responsibilities. Interview summaries were written and reviewed and provided
further information for our report. Five interviews were conducted in-person or on the phone, one
interview was via email narrative survey and two past interns completed neither the survey or the
interview. The response rate was 75%.
RESULTS:
LEARNING OUTCOMES - DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES
CAREER COUNSELING AND ADVISING:
Interns reported increased confidence in the development of their listening skills, advising and
counseling abilities, and flexible approach to the individual. Interns generally reported that in their
initial approach to meeting with students they felt somewhat methodical or uncomfortable, but
they grew to be more confident, interactive and insightful as they gained experience in counseling
independently and debriefing with counselors.
With regard to using the career assessments (MBTI and Strong Interest Inventory) it was reported
as challenging, for most interns. Interns eventually became more comfortable with the assessment
tools and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge gained in
using the career assessments. Training and modeling was provided for interns in using the
assessments. Observing counselors conduct assessment appointments was reported as very helpful.
Some interns expressed the need for more in-depth knowledge of and training in using the
assessments.
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PRESENTATION SKILLS:
All interns expressed some level of improved presentation skills from their internship experience.
Some interns expressed significant reservations regarding their initial presentation experiences
both for career topic workshops and in CPU 100, but that they were able to develop confidence over
time.
Interns shared an increased confidence level by presenting on a regular basis and receiving
feedback from Career Center staff. Through repeated necessity and opportunity to make
presentations, interns reported that their experience at the Career Center, interns gained skill to be
an engaging presenter and personalize presentations to match their audience’s needs.
CAMPUS OUTREACH AND LIAISON FUNCTIONS
Interns reported a positive experience in being able to reach out to the campus community through
club and classroom presentations. Interns were mixed about their liaison roles to the academic
departments. There seemed to be greater receptiveness to the intern role as liaison in smaller
colleges.
Interns expressed the need for more information about their liaison role in their initial training.
They also noted the need for more sharing of best practices and what others were doing in their
liaison roles throughout the year.
For the larger colleges, it was expressed that interns didn’t feel confident to initiate programs
because of the size and diverse scope of the colleges and deferring to the designated staff liaison.
Interns expressed the need for a planned program with regard to their liaison role where first the
liaison relationship is modeled, then shared and then some level of autonomy and initiation is
reached by the intern with regard to departmental liaison relationships.
One intern reported that they found the college they were assigned to be unresponsive to their
proposals and that they didn’t feel adequately supported attempting to improve the situation.
It was also expressed that the model of utilizing a new intern in a liaison role for colleges each year
may detract from a sense of continuity and depth in ongoing liaison relationships between the
colleges and the Career Center.
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PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING CAREER EDUCATION PROGRAMS:
Most Interns had the opportunity to plan and implement educational programs. Interns use words
like “challenged and stretched” “amazing experience” and “appreciate the opportunity to work
autonomously” in describing their involvement in planning and implementing career education
programs.
Several Interns were graduate student assistants for CPU 100 (Career and Personal Development).
Three interns created workshop series for specific colleges. Two workshop series for the College of
Agriculture were developed by interns and one workshop series was led by an intern in
cooperation with the College of Education and Integrative Studies. Three interns took the lead in
planning and implementing Resumaniac, the employer resume review that draws at least 200
students to the Career Center for the event. Interns also had the opportunity to make presentations
as part of the Career Center Workshop Series and at Educational Events on Campus like COMM Day.
One grad Intern provided significant support in planning and executing the Human Services Panel
and Networking event, presented in cooperation with the Psychology and Sociology Departments.
Graduate Interns in CPU 100 were able to help plan curriculum, present some lecture material, lead
interactive exercises, help grade papers and meet individually with students. Several Interns
indicated that what they learned in CPU 100 both expanded their abilities as an educator and
positioned them for current opportunities in their current workplace. They said the learning curve
was sufficiently challenging without being overwhelming and that they grew significantly in their
ability to address students in a classroom setting.
Interns appreciated the opportunity to interact with employers for the Resumaniac events, engage
in professional correspondence and plan logistics. They also liked the opportunity to take
responsibility for an event from the initial invitations through “thank you notes” and program
assessment surveys. Interns enthusiastically endorsed this type of experience for future interns and
found their engagement to be an important way to grow professionally and be prepared for future
challenges and opportunities the encountered in the workplace.
There was very little negative or suggestions for improvement for the area of Planning and
Implementing Career Education Programs with the exception, at some points where these events
related to their academic departmental liaison responsibilities.
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TRAINING:
Initial Two-Week Training: The feedback from Interns, almost without exception was that the
initial two week training was effective and provided sufficient information on goals, expectations
and duties for the position. Students commented that it was ‘excellent training” “very beneficial”
“very effective” “provided a good foundation” “liked the depth and breadth of the training”
Interns also had some suggestions for improvement of the initial training. Included in their
individual suggestions were wanting more role-playing and mock advising, more time spent on the
career assessments, more time to debrief and process the information, provide more information
on their role as liaisons, and more time on dealing with students with mental health issues.
Ongoing Training: Interns described their ongoing or training subsequent to the initial training
primarily in terms of the advisement they received from their supervisor and other counselors as
they prepared for or debriefed from their duties as interns. These included counseling sessions,
planning events, approaching faculty, staff or student groups for campus outreach, CPU 100, dropin and workshops. Interns expressed appreciation for abundance of hands-on learning experiences
and the advisement they received in addressing the challenges of these opportunities.
Interns expressed some suggestions for improvement for on-going training which included a
weekly training curriculum the first quarter of their internship, more training on StrengthsQuest
after the initial two-weeks training period, have counselors continue to conduct mock
appointments with interns on various topics throughout their internship, more training on the
assessments before they conducted assessment appointments with students, and more
observation of counselors on a variety of counseling topics.
None of these suggestions were universally held by all interns, but emerged as possible areas to
consider after reviewing evaluations and interviews. Some of these suggestions were implemented
more in subsequent years to the evaluations.
SUPPORT:
Interns, almost without exception indicated that they found the Career Center staff to be highly
supportive. Most of the interns, both in writing and in interviews spoke highly of their relationship
with their direct supervisors as a means of support, citing the regular one-on-one meetings as a
great experience to reinforce learning and “debrief” and discuss challenging counseling
appointments or other assignments.
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One intern wrote: “[my] supervisor was a catalyst to my professional development… was very
supportive, encouraging, positive, kind, straightforward, and honest…There were countless times I
called, emailed, or passed by her office to ask her a question and I was never turned away. She always
stopped what she was doing and gave me her undivided attention to help me or answer my questions.
She was a great asset to my work as a graduate intern”
Another writes: “In the beginning of the year, I felt very overwhelmed with a combination of things.
Much of which included things like not being familiar with the resources and programs on campus as
well as learning my duties as an intern. I was able to move past these insecurities because of the
relationship I had with my supervisor and with the other counselors. I was able to communicate my
needs for being a successful intern which called for having a regularly timed meeting which happened
consistently.”
Several interns spoke of the “open door” policy with their supervisor and other staff as a positive
aspect of their internship and a primary means of ongoing support. Intern comments included the
ideas of being “stretched” and “challenged” as well as being supported as needed.
The only negative responses with regard to support needs were, in some cases, with regard to
expectations in the campus liaison area of their responsibilities and one intern reported that they
found “some staff to be more available than others, with regard to intern support needs”
CONCLUSIONS:
Overall the Career Center Graduate Intern program has been perceived as a strong personal and
professional development experience for the interns who have been a part of the program. This
evaluation of the benefits of the program to professional growth and preparation for career success
in the field of Student Affairs is confirmed both in year-end evaluations and in post-graduate
interviews conducted with past interns in professional life.
Interns have ample opportunities to gain key competencies, including career counseling and
advising, presentation skills, engaging in campus outreach and planning and implementing career
education events and curricula. Training is seen by interns as effective, particularly the initial two
week training and subsequent advisement related to ongoing responsibilities. Interns experience
the Career Center staff environment as supportive and value the relationship of challenge and
support they enjoyed with their supervisors, particularly in individual meetings and open door
policy.
“This program really is one of the best internship programs I’ve seen…The compensation is great, and
the amount of training provided is excellent. It really is a great counseling internship, with very little
other internships like this one. Interns have the ability to make this internship what they would like it
to be, to some extent, and interns learn multiple competencies through this internship.
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“I have seen few other programs where interns are able to take full counseling appointments,
coordinate events, sit in on committees, participate in staff meetings, assist in training of
undergraduate peers, and receive a good compensation.
Furthermore, I had access and support from all of the counselors and most of the career center staff. I
was able to observe multiple counseling appointments, meet with each staff member to understand
their role in the career center, and everyone was always available to answer questions. I really felt like
I was part of the staff here, and this creates a level of responsibility and team orientation that not all
internships can give interns.”
This being said, there were a number of suggestions were made for the improvement of the
program. Some of these suggestions represent the view of one intern; some of them are shared by
more than one intern. There were no suggestions for improvement that were shared by all of the
interns. The areas of liaison work, more assessment training and consistent training curriculum
throughout the year drew more suggestions for change than other areas.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Maintain intensive two week initial training intact with minor changes, possibly
providing more time for assimilation of the information and role plays.

Provide more information in initial training about liaison roles, expectations and
best practices.

Make sure we are consistent in providing training in meeting with and referring
students with mental health issues.

Be sure to provided time for interns to discuss counseling appointments in
counselor meetings consistently.

Consider providing more structured ongoing training curriculum meetings
throughout the year for interns, particularly as we have a larger cohort of interns,
including role playing on various types of career counseling appointments.

Endeavor to provide more training on career assessments (MBTI, Strong,
StrengthsQuest) before interns utilize them with students.

Give more attention to structuring the intern’s process with regard to their campus
liaison functions to set them up for success. Consider obtaining more full-time staff
to assume academic departmental liaison leadership functions.

Continue to provide interns with consistent one-on-one meetings with their
designated supervisor to continue to provide support, accountability and direction
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in their internship. One of the most consistent themes in the assessment was that
these meetings were critical to their success.

Continue to involve interns in all mentoring opportunities possible with regard to
planning and implementing educational programs like CPU 100, Resumaniac,
Networking events with professionals, and workshop series as they consistently
made reference to these opportunities as a great source of growth and preparation
for professional life.