SPEA seeks internships for students
November 17, 2005
KOKOMO, Ind.—Indiana University Kokomo's School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) is seeking internship opportunities for its top undergraduate and graduate students.
“We would like to place these students in part-time paid or non-paid positions where they could receive direct experience in municipal management, policy analysis position, law enforcement, or non-profit administration,” said SPEA Assistant Dean Robert Dibie, Ph.D. Interns typically work up to 20 hours-per-week, for periods lasting 3–12 months.
A SPEA student seeking a bachelor's degree in either public affairs or criminal justice is required to participate in at least one internship, Dibie said. Students can earn credit hours for internship involvement, up to a maximum of 12 credit hours over two semesters.
Dustin DeLong of Russiaville, a senior criminal justice major, has completed two internships—one in 2003 with the Kokomo Police Department, and a second in summer 2005 with the Howard County Personnel Office. Both offices “wanted me to come back and do more work for them,” DeLong said. Having hands-on responsibilities in the offices “gave me more confidence,” he added.
DeLong handled several diverse tasks for the county personnel office—inputting insurance information for an online database, updating the office's Web pages, editing a newsletter, and helping orient part-time employees. During the internships, DeLong made good use of communication and other skills gained in SPEA classes. “I was able to have empathy for workers who are dealing with citizens' concerns,” he said.
“Internships can enhance critical thinking by allowing students to 'test out' what they've learned in the classroom,” said Karl Besel, an assistant professor of public affairs and SPEA's internship coordinator. According to Besel, students in public affairs usually seek placement with county or city government, non-profit agencies, and hospitals; criminal justice students often work with law firms or police departments.
“Many of our successful SPEA alumni began or enhanced their careers through an internship,” Dibie said. “Internships have helped or lead alumni to careers as law enforcement officers, city managers, administrators in the non-profit sector, and senior policy analyst positions with Indiana state government.”
SPEA students who would like to participate in a paid or non-paid internship or a volunteer opportunity during the 2005–2006 academic year should contact Besel at (765) 455-9417 or Julie Diesman, manager of the Office of Career Services, at (765) 455-9301. Businesses and non-profit agencies wishing to discuss intern availabilities can also contact Besel or Diesman.
To learn more about academic offerings of the IU Kokomo School of Public and Environmental Affairs, visit http://www.iuk.edu/spea .
