Janna Kohler, Director for Career Services (701) 845-7534 janna.kohler@vcsu.edu McFarland 139 Office Hours: Academic Year: 7:45 AM - 4:30 PM Summer: 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM (limited availability)

Student internships provide excellent opportunities for students to advance their skill set and gain a competitive edge when applying for full-time, post-graduate opportunities. Students can do multiple internships over many semesters, earning 3 to 12 credits per academic area. Internship work must be directly related to the student’s major/minor/career interest to qualify for academic credit. Current or past employment cannot be used as an internship; internships must be a new experience. Student Eligibility Students must: Be at least a Junior in academic status Have a 2.5 cumulative GPA Gain approval from their academic advisor If planning to do a for-credit internship in the coming semester(s), email Janna Kohler at janna.kohler@vcsu.edu. Student Expectations: Students interested in an internship should contact Career Services to obtain an Internship Learning Agreement that will be completed with the internship-site supervisor before accruing any internship hours. All students participating in an internship during a given semester will be enrolled in a Blackboard course. Students will submit journal assignments/reflections about their internship experiences, as well as any other assignments from a VCSU faculty supervisor. Both the internship-site supervisor and the student will complete evaluations at the midpoint and end of the internship experience. Successful completion of the internship will be dependent on 1) necessary paperwork submitted, 2) assignments completed, and 3) evaluations done. Internships are graded on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Students MUST complete 40 hours of work for each academic credit awarded. Students will document their work hours, and the employer will approve and sign a VCSU time log to verify hours worked. Hours must be accrued within the timeframe of the semester enrolled. The student agrees that this internship position is primarily an educational experience and all responsibilities of the employer will terminate completely at the end of this experience including any and all present or future employee benefits. The student is not entitled to unemployment compensation after completion of an internship as the position is a temporary assignment which is not covered under most unemployment compensation laws.

A resume is a summary of education, experiences, skills, etc. designed to articulate a candidate's fit within a position or company. A resume should interest the employee enough to offer an interview and serve as a point of reference for discussion during the interview. Each resume should be tailored to the specific job being applied for, using keywords from the job description. Review the attached Resume & References Guide for more detailed information and samples to help you in creating your own.

A cover letter is the first impression offered to an employer. It should draw attention to the attached resume, show enthusiasm and qualifications for the position, and encourage the employer to offer an interview. Cover letters must be tailored to each job applied for. Review the attached Cover Letter Guide for more detailed information and a sample for you to use as you work on your own cover letter.

CareerOneStop: A source for career exploration, training, and jobs. My Next Move: Search careers with keywords, browse careers by industry, or use your interests and skills to find opportunities. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Find information on thoursands of jobs. RUReady ND: Education and career planning for ND students.

See attached PDF and PPT for helpful information and resources regarding student employment. A basic confidentiality agreement is attached. Please print and use for student employees who will be working with sensitive information in your office/department. The agreement can be filed within your office/department. If you have Federal Work Study student employees, you will find FWS expectations attached. VCSU Career Services & Human Resources/Payroll Offices Updated August 2024