Program offers internships for academic staff

Following on the heels of the successful Academic Staff Mentoring Program is a pilot project offering internships for staff to build new skills and learn more about the university.

The Academic Staff Internship Program, a collaboration between the Office of Human Resource Development and the Professional Development Recognition Committee, begins this fall.

Staff can apply for positions in one of five campus units, and those selected will work four to eight hours each week during the fall semester. Applicants must secure approval from their current campus unit to participate.

“Interns in the program will see the overall university from a different perspective and also increase their individual skills and knowledge differently than by just attending a workshop,” says Don Schutt, director of the Office of Human Resource Development.

Schutt says the university as a whole will benefit from the new program as well. Departments will gain fresh perspectives on their work from the interns, and interns’ current employers will profit from the new skills and knowledge brought back by their employees.

A key element of the pilot program is a requirement for self-reflection and observation by the interns, Schutt says.

“The program expands the opportunities to learn beyond traditional ways,” he adds.

The PDRC is very enthusiastic about making the proposal a success, notes Greg Iaccarino, past chair of the PDRC and member of the Academic Staff Executive Committee.

“Academic staff possess a wealth of talents and skills,” Iaccarino says. “The internship program will enable the staff to share and apply them in a participatory fashion.”

The following campus units are participating as internship sites for the fall semester:

• College of Agricultural and Life Sciences–Facilities Planning
• CALS–Wisconsin Food System Partnership
• Facilities Planning & Management–Business and Staff Services
• Office of Human Resources–Academic Personnel Office
• Provost’s Office–Office of Quality Improvement.

Schutt says the pilot project is expected to continue in the spring semester. ASEC and the PDRC will then evaluate its effectiveness and decide whether to make it permanent.

The deadline to apply is Aug. 15. Applications can be submitted online or to Don Schutt (AS Internship), Office of Human Resource Development, 189 Bascom.