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SDSU Women's Studies

Internship Opportunities

Women's Studies Internship
Journal Guidelines

Students with Women's Studies Internships are required to regularly turn in a journal of their internship experiences.  The journal is intended to be a systematic and analytical record of your reflections on the intern experience, and a means of connecting concepts and ideas from your academic course to your intern experience.  Ideally the journal will assist in your intellectual and professional growth, by giving you a venue for reflecting on your goals, abilities, and experiences.

The list of questions below are all appropriate topics for your journal.  These are suggestions only.

  1. Do you have any concerns about your internship at this time?  Is there anything you would like the department to do regarding your internship? Describe and analyze an observed or personally experienced incident or event. Why did it happen?  What are the conditions that contributed to this incident? How does this relate to the goals and principles of the organization?  What does it tell me about the social and political relationships?  What could have changed the outcome of the incident?  What did you learn from this event or incident?

  2. What positive feelings do you have about your internship (co-workers, your work, the agency, physical environment, etc.)?  What negative feelings?  How do you handle these?>

  3. What do you think about your work assignments?  Are they agreeable?  Appropriate? Are there any you would like to modify or are there additional activities or projects you would like to pursue?  Have you discussed this with your supervisor?

  4. Thinking over your internship experience to-date, what have you found to be important to you in a work environment?

  5. In what ways does your internship enrich your understanding of women's studies?  In what ways does your knowledge of women's studies enrich your field experience?

  6. Internship programs are sometimes criticized as not being academically valid.  What is your opinion?

  7. How has your perception of the agency or people in it changed during your internship?  How has your perception of Women's Studies changed?

The journal is to be turned in to the Internship Coordinator in three parts. Each should be 4-6 double-spaced, typed pages (1000-1500 words). In addition to the general topics listed above, you should address the following topics for each part.  Journals should be turned in to Doreen Mattingly. They can be left in her office, mailed to her in the Department, or sent via email (mattingl@mail.sdsu.edu). Put your name, address and phone number, placement name, semester and year of placement at the top of the page.

First Installation: Due Week 4
If we do not have your completed contract agreement it must be submitted to us with part I of the journal questions.  Please contact us if you are having any problems regarding the contract agreement.

  1. What are your academic and professional goals? How do you expect that this internship will help you meet these goals?

  2. Briefly describe the orientation and training you have had.

  3. Briefly describe your specific job activities.  What future responsibilities have you discussed with your supervisor?

  4. Have adequate channels of communication been established with your supervisor?  If not, what arrangements have you made for increasing or clarifying direction and feedback?

Second Installation: Due Monday Week 8

  1. Briefly discuss the progress of your work activities and projects since your last written report and describe any future assignments your supervisor has outlined.

Third Installation: Due Last Day of Finals week

  1. Briefly summarize your basic work accomplishments during your internship.  If you produced any reports or documents, please include them with your final journal installment.

  2. What skills/knowledge did this placement help you to develop?

  3. Do you have any suggestions for ways in which the Internship Program could be improved?