Establishing Cooperative Competency-based Internships for Parks and Recreation Students

Internships serve several purposes, including (1) networking with professionals; (2) developing professionalism; (3) demonstrating, refining, and acquiring competencies; (4) working toward securing an entry-level position; and (5) bridging the gap between theory and practice (Stier, 2002). * Agency supervisors should view themselves as an extension of the university faculty and be prepared to spend time teaching and mentoring student interns (Steinbach, 2004). Furthermore, she argues that a fully cooperative relationship among all three people will help enhance the internship experience through such aspects as meeting established internship goals and outcomes, adhering to academic requirements, ensuring the academic integrity of the internship, and providing opportunities for mentoring and professional development.