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Specifics/Internships
with a BA in Philosophy
Philosophy majors-along
with Liberal Arts majors in general-have a very wide range of job
possibilities open to them. According to career counselors, the best
way to connect with these job possibilities is by means of an internship.
Internships are a bridge to the workplace, potentially giving you
both vital contacts and valuable work-related experience. Below you
will find:
I.
An Illustrative List of Internships For Philosophy Majors
(Note: Each illustrative internship correlates with a specific field
of work.)
II. Brief, General Remarks on the Nature &
Value of Internships
III. Practical Steps To Take
I.
An Illustrative List of Internships for Philosophy Majors
Note 1:
This is a list of illustrative internship sites. Always look at Jobnet
or Interncenter FIRST to research application procedure BEFORE contacting
the employer.
Note 2:
Check Jobnet and Interncenter for additional internship sites.
Also check Jobnet or Interncenter for additional internships at these
sites. If you contact a site and are told that the "contact"
no longer works there, ask for the Internship Coordinator.
1. WA State
Legislative Internship http://www.leg.wa.gov/
(search for "Internships")
Policy Internship:
Student interns typically do legislative research, bill tracking,
and constituent correspondence. Contact: Judi Best, Senate Education
Coordinator, 360-786-7451 or best_ju@leg.wa.gov
or Joan Elgee, House Intern Coordinator, 360-786-7993 or elgee_jo@leg.wa.gov
Computer
Internship: Provide computer support for other interns; maintain
users configuration files; troubleshoot hardware and software; program
applications; and convert data. Contact: Judi Best, Senate Education
Coordinator, 360-786-7451 or best_ju@leg.wa.gov
Photography
Internship: Photograph, as assigned, House members in their
various legislative duties. These may include situations with visiting
constituents, visiting school groups, with high school pages, other
interns, candid House floor and committee action. Contact: LeMoyne
Coates, Supervisor, House Photo Services, 360-786-7171 or coates_le@leg.wa.gov
Video Internship:
Perform videographer and general production assistant duties.
Contact: Sarah Scott, Manager, House of Representatives Video Services,
360-786-7236 or scott_sa@leg.wa.gov
2. WA Institute
Foundation - http://www.washingtonpolicy.org/
Washington Policy Center is a non-profit, non-partisan, free-market
research organization. The Center has a strong focus on Washington
State and local issues, focusing on state policy in addition to county
and city policies. It also sponsors events and forums with nationally
known speakers one or two times a month. Students will conduct research,
file research material, and perform administrative tasks. Interns
will be expected to work between 15-20 hours per week. If you would
like to apply for an internship, please send a cover letter, explaining
your desire to work with a free-market organization, be sure to include
what you have to contribute to free-market, limited government values
and include a resume, to Washington Policy Center, 4025 Delridge Way
SW #210, Seattle, WA 98106 or for more information please contact,
Dan Zarelli, Operations Manager, at 206-937-9691 or dzarelli@washingtonpolicy.org.
3. World
Affairs Council - http://www.world-affairs.org
Public Programs
Intern: Responsibilities include coordinating logistics of public
programs, including assisting in developing outreach strategies,
booking venues, event registration, and speaker correspondence.
Attend public programs and provide program support. Support event
planning of major fundraisers. Assist with marketing and publicizing
events. Contact: Ms. Cynthia Hansen, (206) 441-5910, chansen@world-affairs.org
International
Visitor Program Intern: Research local resources (community
groups, business, etc...) and current local issues for programs
and proposals. Arrange professional appointments for visitors and
create full itinerary programs. Arrange home hospitality with WAC
membership. Attend meetings with international visitors. Contact:
Ms. Amelia Tockston, Deputy Director, 206.441.5910, atockston@world-affairs.org
4. Discovery
Institute - http://www.discovery.org/
1402 Third Ave Suite 400 - Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 292- 0401 - (206) 682-5320
Discovery Institute's mission is to make a positive vision of the
future practical. The Institute discovers and promotes ideas in the
common sense tradition of representative government, the free market
and individual liberty.
5. World
Vision - http://www.worldvision.org
Contact: Ms. Pat Bittner, Human Resources, 253.815.2017, pbittner@worldvision.org
Business, marketing, communications, information systems/information
technology, web, media, accounting/auditing, customer communications,
international/domestic programs, legal, church relations, research
and human resources internships.
6. Pyramid
Communications - http://www.pyramidcom.com
Contact: Ms. Colleen Wadden, 206-374-7788 ext. 419, pyramid@pyramidcom.com
Media Relations
Intern: Writing and distributing press releases and media advisories.
Make follow-up calls after releases and advisories have been sent.
Create and maintain press files on client-related issues.
Event Coordnation
Intern: On-site coordination for press conferences, concerts,
conferences, and events.
Coalition
Building Intern: Assist in building and maintaining broad coalitions
for client accounts, including targeting individuals and groups,
letter writing, follow up and mobilizing action.
7. Seattle
City Attorney's Office - Contact: Wendy Aubert, Volunteer Program
Coordinator, 206-684- 0843 or wendy.aubert@ci.seattle.wa.us
Victim Services Assistant-Victims of Crime Program
Paralegal Assistant
Administrative Assistant-Case Prep Unit
8. Washington
Wildlife & Recreation Coalition - http://www.WildlifeRecreation.org
811 First Avenue, Suite 262, Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 748-0082 - Volunteers@WildlifeRecreation.org
Online Communications:
an upgrade of our website and electronic newsletter to improve
design, increase content and incorporate interactive elements.
Legislative:
work on an outreach and education campaign in preparation for
the 2003 Legislative session when Olympia lawmakers will decide
on future funding for parks and habitat.
Outreach:
work with our 55 board members and 129 member organizations to educate
decision makers on the importance of parks and habitat in Washington
State.
9. American
Studies Program (Washington D.C.) - http://asp.bestsemester.com/
Internships are designed to be pre-career work experiences that will
assist the students in understanding the nature of professional life
in their fields of interest. Interns have been placed in over 500
offices and agencies across the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan
area. Students intern in the legislative, judicial and executive branches
of government. Other internships are in the arts, social services,
science and the environment, business and economics, international
affairs, law, journalism and communications, and with public interest
research groups.
10. Northwest
Environment Watch - http://www.northwestwatch.org
Contact: Ms. Rhea Connors, Internship Coordinator, 206-447 1880, rhea@northwestwatch.org
Research intern will work alongside director or research director
conducting library and telephone research, analyzing data, presenting
research results, and carrying out office work. This is a paid position.
$1000/month, full benefits, 32 hours/week.
II.
General Remarks on the Nature & Value of Internships
Internships are
critical opportunities for Liberal Arts students to explore career
interests, gain essential skills specific to professional disciplines,
and increase their marketability to employers. Employers also benefit
from internships by getting a jump on recruiting qualified and skilled
employees while meeting project needs and improving processes or procedures.
WHAT IS AN
INTERNSHIP?
An internship is a work experience that integrates practical experience
in the workplace with reflection, research, and other academic work.
It is a planned, structured, and supervised experience that enables
students to gain career-related work experience before graduating.
Internships are opportunities to "try-on" and explore various
career options while developing communication, teamwork, leadership,
and other industry specific skills. Graduating with internship experience
is essential in today's job market.
"Over 87
percent of the employers are looking at resumes and deciding on interviewing
and hiring decisions based on internships that students have completed,"
said Sophia Demetriou, director of the career center at City College
of New York. "They will be getting full-time job offers faster
and with less effort than with those students without internship experience."
INTERNSHIPS:
CRUCIAL IN TODAY'S JOB MARKET
Today, participating in internships is crucial for students. Internships
provide students with many benefits including:
- Gaining critical
skills specific to professional disciplines
- Greatly increasing
their marketability to employers after graduation
- Opportunities
to explore career interests and make educated choices about what
type of environment they want to work in after graduation
- Gaining self-confidence
in the work place
- Learning how
to interact professionally
- Easing the
transition from college to their chosen vocation
- Earning course
credit and possibly money
- Establishing
contacts for letters of reference and networking
III.
Practical Steps to Take
This list of practical
steps is provided by the Center for Career and Calling.
Step 1:
For best results, start the process at least 5 weeks before the quarter
in which you wish to do your internship.
Step 2: Do
your homework - look through JobNet and InternCenter on the Center for Career and Calling web page prior to meeting with a career counselor.
Bring a list of the internships you are interested in and a rough
draft of your resume to your appointment with the career counselor.
Step 3:
At the appointment with the career counselor you can explore your
internship goals, and explore further options.
Step 4:
If you are taking an internship for credit and are unsure how the
internship credits fit into your overall academic schedule, meet with
your faculty sponsor. Each academic department has policies about
the number of internship credits you can take.
Step 5:
Call each internship site you are interested in and ask the Internship
Coordinator if the position is open, when it begins and ends, the
hours you are expected to work, and what materials (resume, cover
letter, application forms, etc.) are required for the application
process.
Step 6:
Complete the Learning Contract with your on-site internship supervisor
and faculty sponsor.
Step 7:
Register for internship credits in the Student Registration office
by the date indicated in the SPU Time Schedule. (No later than 10
days after the beginning of the quarter.)
Step 8:
You and your internship supervisor will receive evaluation forms near
the end of the quarter. These will need to be returned to the Career
Center by the end of the quarter.
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