You’re interested in hosting an intern? Wonderful! We’re thrilled by your interest in our students. Internships are a game-changer for their professional development and we rely on industry professionals, like you, to help us grant them these important opportunities.
We also know that it takes a lot of time, effort and planning to host an intern and that if you or your organization are new to internships it might be hard to know where to start. With that in mind, we’ve created a brief “Internship Supervisor Guide” below. It will offer some thoughts, resources and recommendations to help you jump in. And please know that we’re always here to help if you have questions!
An internship is a combined work/learning opportunity that allows students to connect what they’ve learned in their classrooms to real-time, practical work projects. It’s important to note that it is a learning opportunity as much as a work opportunity.
Students should be given projects and tasks to complete but also offered consistent feedback, mentorship and opportunities to continue learning and growing. For many students, this is their first opportunity in a professional environment, so it should be a safe place for them to try new things and ask plenty of questions.
Hosting an intern is a valuable opportunity for both the internship host and the organization.
Personal satisfaction:Giving back to students, an educational institution, and your industry through mentoring the next generation of the workforce can be highly rewarding.
Fresh expertise and perspective:Since interns are coming straight from their classrooms, interns can often offer a refreshing reminder of the theory, best practices, and industry standards that your work is based on. They also bring diversity of thought from their perspective: most interns are originally external to your organization, and many are from different generations, geographic areas, etc.
Interns make valuable contributions:Need someone who is tech savvy? A creative thinker? Someone who loves numbers and data? Bringing in an intern can give you an opportunity to utilize those skills and knowledge.
Internship requirements are different for different circumstances. Make sure to check with your specific intern to review requirements. In general, internships are expected to include:
A direct supervisor who is accessible to the intern for questions, consistent feedback, and mentoring
Specific work projects that allow interns to showcase their skills, knowledge and growth
Learning opportunities outside of their given work tasks – allowance for informational interviews, job shadowing, specialized training, etc.
Meaningful tasks that consist of no more than 20% “busy work” - filing, cleaning, etc.
Interns can be paid or unpaid. As in all hiring, there is competition for good interns. Typically, internships that offer some form of payment (e.g., hourly pay or stipend) attract the strongest candidates. Additionally, if developing a diverse employee pipeline is a priority for your organization, it is important to remember that many students from diverse backgrounds are financially unable to accept unpaid internship opportunities. The current average hourly rate for an intern in our program is $13-15 per hour.
If your organization is leaning toward establishing an unpaid internship, do take a few minutes to review the U.S. Department of Labor’s Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA Fact Sheet #71) to ensure your internship would meet the “test for unpaid interns.” Your organization might also consider other forms of compensation: paying parking costs or providing a gas card, providing food while in-office, covering the cost for professional development opportunities, etc.
One common misconception is that “allowing” a student to earn college credit is a form of compensation. While it might be true that the student is eligible to earn credit for an internship (and this isn’t always the case), it’s important to know that the student is often paying for those credit hours.
Most internships take place over one semester. Interns work either 120 or 180 hours, depending on the student’s individual circumstance.. However, many internship sites wish for students to commit to more hours per week to make the experience more meaningful for both parties. At a minimum, an intern would need to work at least eight hours per week during a fall or spring semester or 11 hours per week during the summer term.
Fall semester: Late-August through mid-December
Spring semester: Mid-January through early-May
Summer semester: Mid-May through mid-August
*Suggested start and end dates will be provided for each specific semester.
Most students graduate in fall (December) and spring (May), which means internships over the spring and fall semesters will have more candidates to choose from and the ability to hire graduating seniors. We do have students seeking internships over the summer, but there are fewer overall.
Each internship site will look different as far as assigned projects. We encourage hosts to sit down with the intern prior to the internship starting to review the student’s professional goals. This can often help lead to projects that may be both beneficial to the organization and of interest to the student.
It is important to give the student projects that encourage practice of professional communication, research, presenting, and networking to prepare them for the career field.
It is also important to ensure there is variety in the projects assigned to give the students a well-rounded experience. This can include (but please do not limit to) answering calls, contributing to team/staff meetings, creating a new event/fundraiser/volunteer day for the organization, researching, and making new corporate relationships that will benefit the organization, observing board meetings, and creating a presentation that reviews a project they completed during their time at the organization.
Sites might also consider a rotating internship in which the intern would be able to spend a week or more in several departments assisting with projects and sitting in on meetings. This rotation structure can help students determine what aspects of the organization they most align with and help them develop a variety of skills and connections. It can also spread the time commitment of hosting an intern across multiple people.
It is essential that one primary supervisor manages this rotation and remains in contact with the student throughout the rotation.
In short, no. We understand the world of work looks different across industries and organizations and want students to experience that variation. However, to give students the best possible experience, we encourage that the internship include some in-person components when possible. This way, the supervisor and other team members are easily accessible to the student, and the student gets a feel for the organization’s work environment.
Some internships offer a hybrid opportunity if the office works in a hybrid model. In this circumstance, we encourage hosts to ensure there are plenty of opportunities for the intern to check in with the host and other teammates regularly, encouraging regular communication.
In some circumstances, fully remote internships are considered. We understand that some organizations exist in a fully remote work environment. We do encourage organizations considering a fully remote internship to be sure they build in the necessary check in and networking opportunities and supports that are often easier to provide in an in-person or hybrid setting.
Think about things that would benefit your intern that are not work tasks. Some examples are listed below:
Schedule regular check-in meetings to discuss performance, skill development, professional goals, etc. This helps develop an important mentoring relationship.
Provide formal feedback on assigned tasks, like a faculty member would give feedback on an assignment.
Allow your intern to sit in on meetings in other departments or job shadow a colleague.
Encourage your intern to complete informational interviews with others in your organization.
Support your intern in attending industry-specific trainings or workshops (conferences, certification classes, etc.).
Encourage your intern to ask you questions about your professional journey.
Give your intern the opportunity to have you review their résumé, cover letters, and practice interview questions if they are planning to apply to a job post-internship.
Onboard your intern(s), clearly identifying expectations and organization policies.
Provide your intern(s) with a space from which they can work during their time with you (if format is hybrid or in-person).
Provide guidance and supervision throughout the internship experience.
Prepare tasks or projects for the intern(s) to complete during their internship(s), and provide feedback on their efforts.
Expand your intern’s professional network by introducing them to colleagues.
Meet regularly (on a schedule of your choosing) with your intern(s) to provide feedback.
Notify the university contact if any problems arise.
Provide some electronic feedback on your intern’s performance at the mid-point of the internship.
Complete an electronic evaluation of your intern’s performance at the end of the internship in which you will verify they have completed a minimum number of hours in the internship.
Meet with the intern(s) in an exit interview to provide feedback to them on how they performed and areas for future growth.
Give your intern the opportunity to have you review their résumé, cover letters, and practice interview questions if they are planning to apply to a job post-internship.
An internship description should mimic a job description: make sure to list the important logistical details: where to report, the format of the internship, and any required qualifications. Make sure to include details about any GPA minimums, vaccination requirements, and if there are practices such as drug testing.
Of course, you will also want to list the specific responsibilities associated with the position. Be as specific as possible about the tasks your intern with be responsible for. Unique to an internship posting, however, we also encourage you to list your intended learning outcomes for the intern and any additional benefits they’ll gain by working with your company or organization. This is primarily a learning opportunity, after all!
Organization name:
Internship title:
Examples: Quality Improvement Intern; HR Intern; Spring Intern
Department/unit:
If the intern will be working in a specific department or unit, please specify. If not, please leave blank.
Your name or primary point of contact for Interview Day:
Primary point of contact email address:
Primary point of contact phone number:
Internship format:
☐ In-person internship
☐ Remote/virtual internship
☐ Hybrid internship: intern will have some in-person and some remote/virtual work.
Number of internship spots available:
Are you able to host multiple students in the same role? If so, how many are you able to accommodate?
This internship is:
☐ Paid
☐ Unpaid
If you noted that this internship opportunity is paid, how will the intern be compensated?
Do you pay an hourly rate? What is that rate? Are you offering a stipend, instead?
Time commitment:
Examples: one day per week; 20 hours per week; an average of 10 hours per week
Description of internship:
What can an intern expect to be doing/working on during the internship? This description will help internship candidates rank the internships they are most interested in interviewing for.
Learning objectives for the internship:
What do you expect a student to learn during this experience?
Any specific skills required?
If you require any specific skills or experiences, please list them here. You might also note any requirements such as a drug screen, immunization requirements, a minimum GPA, etc.
Internship location:
Where will the intern be working when in-person? Please provide a location address.
Most internship sites take part in the Health Services Management Internship Interview Day event to recruit interns.
Please reach out to Keely Floyd. We would be happy to answer any specific questions or to work with you on the development of an internship program at your organization.
During the internship
So you’ve decided working with an intern is a good idea – thank you for your investment in our students! Identifying and hiring an intern is only part of the commitment. Here are some things you might think about once they are on-site.
There should be two components to your first meeting with your intern: 1) Information about expectations in the internship, and 2) Time for your student to get to know you, personally (and vice-versa!).
First, make sure you are clear and transparent about the behaviors you expect from your intern. For many of our students, this is their first experience in a professional setting, so it’s important that you don’t assume any previous knowledge. Make sure to lay clear guidelines for the following:
Report time
Logging hours (what counts?)
Expectations for dress
Communication preferences (Email? Text messages? Phone calls?)
Policies/procedures for calling in sick or other unavoidable emergencies
Use of technology while on-site (both their personal devices and your devices)
Any processes unique to their position (tracking mileage for a position that travels, for example)
After those details are covered, spend some time asking your student questions about themselves. Why did they chose to attend IU Indianapolis? Are they working another job? What have been their favorite classes? We have also encouraged students to use this time to get to know you, so be prepared to answer a few questions of your own!
First, note that a student does not HAVE to receive academic credit for an internship. If they choose to receive credit, there are two courses that a student may enroll in. If your student is doing their internship as an elective (any internship prior to their senior year), they will enroll in PBHL-H380: Health Administration Internship. This course does not have class meetings. Instead, students provide information at check-in points of the semester and complete reflection activities as they wrap up their hours.
If your intern is a senior, they are likely enrolled in their Capstone internship (course PBHL-H475). In that case, they are meeting weekly with their instructor and peers. In class, we often reflect on things they learn in their internship and process experiences that are new or challenging. Students are consistently encouraged to meet individually with the Capstone instructor to provide updates on their internship experiences and receive coaching, when needed.
In Capstone, students also think through their upcoming transition to the working world with topics like personal finance and benefits, maintaining a professional network, and how to craft résumés and cover letters, and identify good references.
For either course, you will be prompted to complete a midterm evaluation and a final evaluation at the appropriate times of the semester. Those forms go directly to the course instructor and are not seen by the student. Instead, the instructor often summarizes the feedback for the students. Please know that those evaluations are a safe space to provide honest feedback about a student and to solicit the instructor’s help if there is a challenge that needs addressed.
In many ways, that’s okay! After all, this is a learning experience. First, make sure you address the challenges as soon as you notice them. It’s not fair to the student to let them continue to do things in a way that isn’t achieving the goals of the project. Bringing it up might feel awkward, but it can be done as simply as saying something like, “You’ve approached this task differently from what I was expecting. Why did you choose that route?” Or, “It seems like this project is a challenge for you. Let’s talk about what you’re experiencing.”
Whatever approach you take, it’s important to 1) Assume goodwill – it’s very likely that the student WANTS to do well and just doesn’t yet know how, and 2) Use this moment to teach a new skill or introduce a new perspective.
One teaching theory that might help here is the idea of finding balance between challenge and support. Nevitt Sanford introduced this idea in the early 1960s, stating that in order to grow, an individual needs to be both appropriately challenged and adequately supported. Too much emphasis on the challenge likely results in a student becoming frustrated and quitting, and too much support prevents a student from learning the appropriate skills and independence.
If you’re interested in learning more about this theory, or others that might help frame your conversations with your interns, Wikipedia provides a good starting point!
Finally, please remember that our faculty members are here to help. Make sure to notify the course instructor of any issues that aren’t improving, or if you would like some guidance on how to approach a conversation or situation.
You will be asked to submit a Midpoint Evaluation form and a Final Evaluation form, and to meet with your intern to review any feedback you provide on the forms. However, best practice is to consistently give your intern feedback throughout their experience so that there are no surprises in the evaluations. These evaluation forms will be sent directly to your email via the program.
It is encouraged that you evaluate your intern through the lense of a student, not a professional. Remember, this is often a student’s first experience in the professional world, and this is a learning opportunity for them. When evaluating, think about what the student can take from each opportunity and apply to their future professional situations. Also, think about the student’s areas of improvement and what projects you can give them moving forward that can polish the skills you feel need work. Communicating regularly with the student can eliminate surprises when it comes to evaluation time at the end of the semester.
The Final Evaluation form will ask you to evaluate the student on a variety of competencies and to share your thoughts on their overall strengths, areas for improvement and readiness to enter the professional world. Your evaluation will not be seen by the student. This is why we encourage you to meet with the student at the end of their internship. Your evaluation will be reviewed by the internship coordinating faculty member who will share general themes with the student for professional development purposes. Your evaluation is also used for program quality improvement as the program reviews all evaluations in aggregate each year to determine areas of strength for the academic program as a whole and areas for needed improvement. Your feedback on this form is both important to your intern’s professional development and valuable to the overall Health Services Management bachelor’s program.
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