About Internships

Navigate Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences

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The internship program of the Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences Department at Indiana University of Pennsylvania is well organized to give each student the opportunity to complete an internship that is of interest to him or her.

The Anthropology Club sponsors poster sessions or presentations each fall where students can share their internship experiences.

Many students choose to earn part of their credits toward graduation through an internship placement. Regardless of the curriculum track the student selects, it is possible to arrange an internship which will enhance his or her learning experiences by providing an opportunity to acquire new skills, develop professional contacts, and gain first-hand knowledge of potential workplaces. Recent placements have included museum laboratories, ongoing research projects, and human service agencies that deal with multicultural clients.

Internship Advantages for Students

Gaining a real-world perspective.
Promoting the application of anthropological knowledge and theory, e.g., archaeology, historical preservation, refugee resettlement, analysis of organizational structures, comparisons of missions of organizations and their practice, etc.
Development of specific job competencies, e.g., learning how to implement research, develop and organize workshops, and write internal policy documents.
Learning skills that are part of a liberal studies education, e.g., critical thinking and analytical skills, problem-solving abilities, integration of various approaches to an issue, and identifying options for action.
Development of interpersonal skills, e.g., how to interact and secure an internship site, how to interact with coworkers, and instituting change in an effective manner.
Development of research skills, e.g., practicing and gaining new research skills, and the ability to organize and communicate research results.
Networking and learning what career slots are available and what is needed to apply and secure a position. Decision-making is enhanced, e.g., discovering if this work is for you.
Enculturating students into a professional demeanor.
Building initiative as students learn at the outset that the success of their internship is in large part dependent upon their institutional research, groundwork, and negotiation of a work plan.
External evaluation of student performance; successful students secure references from beyond the pool of departmental faculty.

Research demonstrates that students are more motivated and do better academically after completing an internship. Seventy percent are eventually employed by their internship organization.

Students who wish to undertake an internship must meet certain minimum grade point requirements and be a junior. Internships are arranged jointly by the student and the internship coordinator and require a fair amount of advance planning.

Internships are an ideal bridge between coursework and the world of work. Especially valuable in internships are the quality of feedback you get, the contacts you make, and the workplace skills you learn—including how to get along in an office. One of the surest ways to land a good job is to land a good internship—paid or voluntary—while you are still an undergraduate. Two-thirds of all interns are eventually hired by their internship site.

Our department has a well-developed program and has placed students into internships for over 25 years. Contact the IUP Anthropology, Geospatial and Earth Sciences Department internship coordinator to begin the process. You need about a year to select and obtain an internship site that will meet your needs.

Contact Information

Amanda Poole, Anthropology Internship Coordinator
pooleab@iup.edu
724-357-2735
McElhaney Hall, G1K

Brian Okey, Regional Planning Internship Coordinator
bokey@iup.edu
724-357-3765

Local and National Summer Internship Opportunities

American Geological Institute: Geoscience and Public Policy Internships
Carnegie Institute of Science: Geophysics
Department of Energy: Global Change Education Program
GSA: Geocorps America
Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS)
Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI)
National Science Foundation: Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) in Astronomy, Earth Science, Ocean Sciences, and many other disciplines.
PA DCNR Internships
Student Conservation Association
Smithsonian Natural History Museum: Research Training Program

Volunteering

Community Service: Develop Your Skills and Give Something Back to the Community

An increasingly popular alternative to internships is the community service option. Students work in community-based agencies that are related to the themes or topics of courses, whether dealing with hunger, community development, poverty, domestic violence, etc. Community service thus counts toward satisfying course requirements and provides excellent first-hand experience with real-world problems—often calling for analytical ability, problem-solving, and human relations skills.