Designing an Internship Program that Advances

Program Design & Development Series

By Adrienne B. Haynes, Esq.

Lead Consultant, SEED Collective

Internships have the ability to change the course of someone’s life. As an intern, we have to be intentional about where, how and why we choose an internship, and as employers, we should take the time to develop a program that truly advances.

I have had a lot of jobs. In writing this post, I can remember at least 23, from detasseling to lawyering (is this normal?!) I’ve learned a great deal from every opportunity, but participating in a structured internship program was most valuable for providing me with a view into the post-college workplace and a required moment of reflection. The experience helped to highlight skills and curiosities worth developing and brought me a little closer to understanding what I wanted to be as I grew up.

I am a proud graduate of Buena Vista University in northwestern Iowa, and now participate on the alumni board. I was an entrepreneur even in college and the vision of what I’m able to do now was starting to take shape. After meeting with Dr. Scott Anderson, the director of business internships, I knew I wanted an equal mix of business and the law in my internship and long-term career. I had the unique opportunity to split my time between Storm Lake United, the local Chamber of Commerce, and the Buena Vista County Attorney’s office.

I was curious about the law after my dad’s time in politics and after working for an attorney turned camp director. I had full expectations but was handed a dose of reality. The Buena Vista County Attorney’s Office seemed to be just like the stodgy old legal office in the movies- very Perry Mason. I did like being able to help digitize the office to bring it into modern times, but I felt like using an intern only for coffee and copies was a lost opportunity for all involved. It didn’t deter me from the law but helped me see that there were areas I probably didn’t want to practice in.

At Storm Lake United, every day was exciting. The organization was changing it’s name, working on new marketing initiatives like a newsletter and secret shopper program, and that little office was a convening place for the town’s entrepreneurs and business leaders. The CEO, Gary LaLone, had helped expand The Buckle clothing store across the country so he was an innovative leader, loving the small town life. He was a great boss, had built a great team, and the internship was a powerful experience for me. I was empowered because I defined my own job (I pitched the internship position description and they said yes!) got to work independently and collectively on community developed projects, and bring my authentic self to the workplace.

In law school, internships can influence your career development and there is a great deal of pressure involved. After my first year, I had the chance at a federal clerkship in my hometown, but knew I couldn’t afford to survive on an unpaid internship. Instead, I used the time to try my hand(s) at running a house painting company. It gave me the mix of business and law that I needed and it paid off with a cruise and the best introduction to the construction community that I could have asked for.

All of the seeds that have been sown have deeply shaped the work that I do now at both SEED Law and SEED Collective and influenced the design of our internship programs.

In our program design, and in helping others to launch or refresh their internship offerings, we focus on the following priorities:

1. Go to the source. Finding interns can be an initial hurdle. Connect with the community college, trade schools, and universities in your region and make friends in the career services office or the office of multicultural student engagement. These offices will be able to direct you to interested and qualified students and internship directors in specific programs.

2. Set clear expectations. We have job descriptions, agreements, orientation, and reviews for our interns. Clear expectations set team members up for success.

3. Give them real work. Using an intern only for coffee and copies truly is a lost opportunity for all involved! Take this time to learn what’s new in the industry, from skills, to platforms, to the new dances out.

4. Each one, teach one. Share skills and opportunities you wish you would have known or received. Teach them skills about making the most of their time in school, about strategies for healthy communication, and how to manage money in and out of college. They are the leaders of our twenty year vision for community.

5. Make it worth it. Even if you can only pay in college credit, free lunches, and introductions to your network — pay them!

6. Show off your industry. We try to share as many perspectives on our industry as possible to that they are able to understand what kind of work moves them, inspires them, and is worth exploring. We connect our interns with 3–5 people they want to meet in the City and work to coordinate a connection. Some of our interns have even received job offers while on these explorations. There’s no better success for us than that! From lunches to full days job shadowing, these experiences deeply enrich the intern and the workplaces they visit.

7. Carve out time for reflection. Writing skills are important in almost every workplace, yet in the traditional education system, this skill is weaning. We ask our interns to submit regular reflections to document their time, draw connections to their studies, and to help them write their final papers in advance.

8. Support upon Exit. In addition to real deliverables and sharing the art of the lunch meeting, help interns prepare for their next steps beyond their time in your business. Help update their head shot, resume and LinkedIn on the way out. Throw in a gift card. Happy interns are great potential employees and can be great cheerleaders for your company.

Thank you to our last round of interns, coordinated with the Big Brothers Big Sisters ACES Program in Kansas City.

If you need support designing your internship program, we’d love to help. To work with SEED Collective, we start with a consultation to learn more about your consulting needs. If we’re able to help, we’ll outline a consulting plan and prepare a formal proposal. To schedule a consultation to learn more, find a time that works best for you here.

To inquire about opportunities, please email info@seedconsults.com with your contact information, resume, and cover letter that speaks to your qualifications.