Internships

The Department of Art at Youngstown State University coordinates internships for students as an opportunity to correlate formal education and learning in an academic area with field experience.

An internship is completed in an area of a student’s studio concentration. One to six credits may be earned for a single internship experience with no more than a total of six credits earned over the student’s tenure at Youngstown State University.

Internships are available to juniors or seniors who earned a minimum of 60 credits and have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.Certain area concentrations, such as Photography and Graphic + Interactive Design require students to have successfully completed the junior portfolio prerequisite.

Paid/Unpaid Internship

The Department of Art at Youngstown State has made clear guidelines for employment during an internship[s] based on the type of organization. The US Department of Labor states that Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) defines the term “employ” very broadly as including to “suffer or permit to work.” Covered and non-exempt individuals who are “suffered or permitted” to work must be compensated under the law for the services they perform for an employer. Internships in the “for-profit” private sector must be paid at least the minimum wage.

In consultation with the faculty internship coordinator, the faculty internship advisor can grant an exception to the payment requirement for “for-profit” internships. Such exceptions may include, but is not limited to, artistic apprenticeships where the artist cannot afford to pay the intern and the internship is considered a valuable learning experience.

Students engaged in an internship for a not-for-profit are not required to be paid for the internship, which relate to the goals of a not-for-profit organization. Not-for-profits are defined as having no ownership and/or operation characterized by government or community-based boards of trustees who are all volunteers. Board members donate their time and talents to ensure that a not-for-profit’s goals and needs are successful.

Selecting an Internship/Student

An internship may be initiated by a student, faculty member, or an employer. Students must begin the search for an internship via the Internet by creating a profile on PenguinLINK located on the Career Services website.

Create Student Profile

PenguinLink allows students and alumni to:
1. Search for Internships
2. Apply for full-time positions
3. Research employers participating in our Job Expos
4. Preview employers interviewing on campus
5. Allow employers to view your resume
6. Upload resumes

Posting an Internship/Employer

If an internship is identified outside of PenguinLINK, the host site must complete a position posting request under the employers link at Career Services.

Create Employer Profile

By using our online management database, Penguinlink, employers will be able to post job openings, internship opportunities and review resumes. The office of Career Services also offers a variety of ways for employers to reach our talented YSU students such as our Career Fairs, on-campus interviewing, information sessions, information tables and guest speaker opportunities. Please contact Career Services for addition information.

Student Application Requirements

Prior to the internship application process, students are required to develop a cover letter and resume with the support of Career Services http://web.ysu.edu/careerservices/ and the Writing Center. http://web.ysu.edu/writingcenter/ Additionally, graphic + interactive design students are required to develop an application PDF containing a cover page, cover letter, resume and 5 – 7 sample portfolio pieces appropriate for the positions of interest. The application material will be posted to the Career Center database for prospective host sites to review.

Application Reference Guide

The application reference guide summarizes the semester prior to registering for an internship and the semester of the internship to assist students with completing the proper forms in the appropriate time period. The Internship Agreement [ IA ] and Course Waiver Form forms are located in the Department of Art office and the remaining forms are provided as downloadable PDF files.

Semester Prior to Registering for an Internship

1. Complete the internship eligibility application. [ IEA ]

2. Schedule a meeting with your academic advisor the semester prior to registering for an internship and bring the completed IEA form to the appointment.

3. If the IEA application is approved, select a Faculty Internship Supervisor within your area of study.

4. Schedule appointment with Diane Hritz in Career Services (330.941.3515 or ddhritz@ysu.edu) for
internship application assistance and requests to review preparation presentations.

5. Develop a cover letter, resume and sample portfolio pieces [application materials] appropriate for your career interests.

6. Schedule an appointment with your Faculty Internship Supervisor to review the Internship Policies and Procedures [ IPP ] and your application materials. After application material approval, create a student PenguinLINK account and upload your application materials. Visit: http://web.ysu.edu careerservices and review the sections for creating a student account, uploading materials and searching database in the Job Finders Handbook.

7. Begin searching for internship host sites via the PenguinLINK database and other internship search engines. [ Note: If an internship has been identified outside of the PenguinLINK database, the host site must submit an internship position application via the PenguinLINK. ]

8. After selecting a minimum of three potential internship host sites of interest, contact each host site and ask about the position, compensation, hours and job requirements. [ Note: All internship positions must be paid excluding not-for profit organizations.]

9. Schedule a meeting with your Faculty Internship Supervisor to review the positions of interest.

10. Schedule a meeting with your internship host site supervisor and complete the following forms:
A. Internship Agreement [ IA ]
B. Internship Goals, Requirements & Time Schedule [ IGRTS ]
[ Note: fill in the student information prior to the appointment.]

11. Schedule an appointment with your Faculty Internship Supervisor and submit the forms in step 10 and the following:

A. Waiver of Liability Form [ WL ]

B. Department of Art Course Waiver Form (select special approval)

C. Completed Internship Agreement [ IA ]
D. Completed Internship Goals, Requirements & Time Schedule [ IGRTS ]

12. Register for your internship

Semester of Internship

1. Keep a detailed log of your internship hours and schedule meetings with your faculty supervisor.

2. Request examples of all projects that you assisted with creating.

3. Submit the Employer Internship Evaluation [ EIE ] form to your site supervisor three weeks prior to semester ending. The evelauation must be received by the faculty internship supervisor two weeks prior to the semester ending.

4. Complete the Student Internship Evaluation [ SIE ] form two weeks prior to the semester ending and submit to your faculty internship supervisor.