Penn State Intercom......January 18 , 2001

Cooperative Extension,
Schreyer Honors College
create internship program

A new partnership between Penn State Cooperative Extension and The Schreyer Honors College will create internships enabling Schreyer Scholars to apply their learning outside the classroom within communities throughout Pennsylvania.

"Students simply can't gain access to the best career or graduate school opportunities without this kind of experience," said Cheryl Achterberg, dean of The Schreyer Honors College. She added that this partnership has great potential to make life better for many people.

The internship program, which begins next summer, will match honors students with Penn State Cooperative Extension agents throughout the Commonwealth on community projects, according to Theodore R. Alter, associate vice president for outreach, director of Cooperative Extension and associate dean in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State.

"I have asked our regional directors of Cooperative Extension and Outreach to identify potential internship opportunities for the students," Alter said. "Our goal is to ensure that each internship project affords a substantive intellectual and practical experience for the student."

Alter envisions students will make significant contributions in such areas as designing curricula, teaching, developing and conducting workshops and evaluating the impact of outreach programs on the people and communities served by the programs.

"I hope that through the internship program, the students will have an intellectual, challenging and rewarding experience; that they will gain practical perspective and experience in their subject matter or discipline, as it applies to the everyday world of work serving others; that they will be exposed to Outreach and Cooperative Extension work as a career opportunity; and most importantly, that they will become engaged in their community -- thus experiencing and learning the value of civic involvement," he said.

"The internship program is a very rich initiative in terms of learning for the students and Cooperative Extension educators," Alter added. "This program is a manifestation of the University's commitments to engagement, to civility and to the integration of teaching, research and service."

Alter said the partnership between Penn State Cooperative Extension and The Schreyer Honors College demonstrates the collaboration and connection of Penn State Cooperative Extension across the entire University and the University's commitment to integrating teaching, research and service through outreach.

Josephine Carubia, coordinator of Student Programs and Service Learning for The Schreyer Honors College, noted the partnership benefits everyone involved. She and Alter are working together to implement this program.

The Schreyer Honors College and Penn State Cooperative Extension have committed $10,000 each to provide students with stipends during their internships -- an indication that both partners are serious about supporting this program, Carubia said.

"This financial commitment makes it possible for more students to consider applying," she said.

Planning is under way to develop internship opportunities, and the program's first interns are being selected.

Carubia said the Cooperative Extension Director Leadership Team for the Capital Region already has suggested several possible internship opportunities.

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