Arts Leadership Program
Summer/ Post-Graduate Internships
Summer and post-graduate internship forms
When are SUMMER applications due?
When are POST GRADUATE applications due?
How can I put my best foot forward?
Establishing contact with prospective host
General information on internship funding & Priority Level
What do we consider a post graduate award?
Will I automatically receive an award?
What to do if internship and grant are awarded
What to do during and at the end of internship
How to apply
To apply for a summer or post-graduate internship fellowship, all students and alumni of the ALP certificate program must do the following:
- Establish contact with the prospective host/employer :
- an additional application form, résumé and/or references MAY be required of you; be prepared to provide these if necessary
- see sample e-mail/letter to prospective host
- Complete and return to the ALP office :
- Intern Application for Summer and Post Graduate
- a résumé and small essay on career goals MUST be included
- Have the prospective host/employer complete and submit to the ALP student/alumni or ALP office:
All 3 forms (Intern Application for Summer and Post Graduate, Host Application for Intern, and Intern Job Description for Summer and Post Graduate) must be submitted to the ALP office before the internship fellowship application is considered complete.
If completing the host forms will delay your application you may submit a letter of offer from your proposed host instead. This letter must briefly describe your position, and must be signed by an official from the organization for which you wish to work. Any information not included in the letter but requested on the forms must then be provided in writing by the student applicant.
You must be notified in writing by the Arts Leadership Office to be accepted for any internship.
When are SUMMER applications due?
Summer grant applications are due Friday, April 17, 2009. Summer grants are open to both current ALP students as well as alumni, and roughly occur during the period May 1 through August 31. If you are considering a summer award you should begin planning in December, 2008, and contact potential host organizations starting in January, 2009. Remember, you are responsible for seeking out your own opportunities here.
When are POST GRADUATE applications due?
Based on past ALP student and alumni feedback, there have been no application deadlines for the past several years for post-graduate funding. That said, money is first come, first serve and once our budgeted annual funding for post graduate awards is gone, it is gone. Over the year many of you mention various internships you are considering as a post graduate student. That’s really great! But if you are serious about applying for a post graduate award, it is strongly encouraged to get your application in early. A suggested deadline for submission would be April 17, 2009.
How can I put my best foot forward?
Your applications are reviewed by a committee, and how you present yourself really counts. Your materials should all be typed, well written and complete. If information is missing, we can’t always take time to go back to ask you questions. Expenses should be as well documented as possible and detailed. As you put them together, think about presenting to someone who knows nothing about the internship. Don’t assume. In addition to information and forms required by the application process, include any additional information about the organization, the internship and/or the community that you think is relevant. Your goals should clearly sell us on why you are interested in the position, and how it fits into what you wish to accomplish down the road. And don’t forget to spell check!! Other helpful resources are available on the ESM Careers and Professional Development website.
Establishing contact with prospective host
In general, you should be professional and take any kind of communication between you and your prospective host seriously. The first contact is crucial, and the impression they get from you is even more important. Not only will you be a representative of the Arts Leadership Program at Eastman, you will also be reflecting your prospects as an intern for them.
There are several ways you can contact your prospective host.
If you decide to call, be prepared to answer on the spot any questions the host may have for you. You may find yourself immediately in an interview situation, so be ready.
- Talk to the office assistant or receptionist as you would your prospective host. If the person you want to contact is not available, ask for a better time to call
- Call from a quiet place where you can devote your full attention to who you are talking to. If you're using a cell phone, try to go to an area where you know you have good reception and make sure the batteries are charged.
- If your prospective host requests that you be home at a certain time, or that you call at a certain time, BE PUNCTUAL
- Some organizations have never hosted an intern, so give them a few ideas of what you could do and what you're interested in. Give them a rough idea of what they should expect from you and what you should expect from them. Direct them to the ALP site if they want more information
- Know why you are calling. Don't wing it! Have at least a rough outline of what you want to say
If you decide to send a letter or e-mail, it may take longer for them to respond (for instance, some employers only check their e-mails on business days during business hours), and there is no guarantee that your note will actually be received. Therefore, it would be prudent for you to follow up any kind of important letter or e-mail with a phone call.
- Sample e-mail/letter to prospective host
- Attach a résumé to your e-mail or letter, with the contact information (phone numbers and e-mail addresses) of references. Reference letters may be required at a later time, depending on the host.
SOME THINGS TO CONSIDER
- At some point, you will need to bring up the issue of funding. The ALP will help fund your internship in an amount agreed between you, the host, and the ALP. Don't be shy, but be delicate. Ask if the host organization has any funds for interns or other part-time workers like yourself.
- You will also need to discuss how long your internship will be. In order to receive course credit for your internship, you will need to complete at least 120 hours with your organization.
THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
Some host organizations may want to find out more about you by means of an interview. Most of the time, you will be asked to be interviewed in person, although some organizations prefer phone interviews.
- Be prepared to talk about yourself--professionally, scholastically, and personally. What do you study in school? What made you go into music? What are your character strengths and weaknesses? What kind of work experiences do you have?
- Prior to the interview, do a little bit of research. Find out at least generally what the host organization is about.
- Be sure to mention the ALP program at Eastman and how it ties in with your internship.
- Know why you want to have an internship with that particular host. How will the internship help your education or career?
- Have a pen/pencil and a piece of paper to take down any notes.
- Have important information ready: the ALP Assistant Director's contact information, the ALP website address, your own contact information, phone numbers and e-mail addressees of references.
- Have a positive outlook! If the interview goes horrendously, dust yourself off and try again somewhere else.
General information on internship funding
Priority Level
- Read this important information on ALP Summer Funding, which includes details on methods of payment and tax withholding.
- Grants will typically not exceed the following amounts:
- $3,000.00 for summer
- $6,000.00 for half-year
- $10,000.00 for full-year internships
- Board (food/meals) are to be covered by the student and are not eligible for funding.
- It is hoped that host organizations can assist with funding to support the internship. Remember, the more money we can leverage from host organizations, the more interns we can support. We generally have more applications for funding than we can fulfill.
- Typically there will be application deadlines for summer and post graduate internships so that all applications may be given equal opportunity. Money thereafter will be disbursed on a first-come, first-serve basis. That said, students graduating have first priority for funding, followed by returning students, and then alumni. Previous monetary awards through the ALP program will also be taken into consideration.
What do we consider a post graduate award?
You are an alumni of the ALP program and your internship opportunity is not limited to the summer months (roughly May 1 through August 31).
Will I automatically receive an award?
We wish we had money to fund all ALP summer and post graduate opportunities, but unfortunately we don’t. Like most programs, we have a limited annual budget. There’s only so much allocated for summer and so much for post graduate. There’s also a priority level based on your status.
What to do if internship or grant are awarded
- You and your host supervisor must complete an Intern Contract (summer/postgrad)
- Provide any additional requested documentation to the ALP office
- The ALP office must receive the Intern Contract AND the Intern Job Description for Summer and Post Graduate forms. Internships cannot begin nor will any fellowships be awarded until this is is done.
What to do during and at the end of internship
DURING INTERNSHIP
If your internship is approved, your host will receive information from us regarding their duties as a supervisor.
Returning students who are doing summer internships in the Rochester area are required to report time in HRMS. Please see Instructions for Interns and Reporting Time for additional information.
Complete, and have your supervisor complete, the appropriate Internship Evaluation forms.
- There are evaluation forms that should be completed by both you and your supervisor.
- For internships lasting 3 months or less, these forms should be completed only once at the END of the internship.
- For long-term internships, the forms need to be completed periodically.
- All evaluation forms are to be mailed back to the ALP office when completed.
- Include any relevant supporting documents.
END OF INTERNSHIP
Summary Report -- Upon completion of this internship you will be required to submit a brief one or two page report summarizing your work experiences. If you are entering into more than one internship, a separate report is required for each experience.