CPSP 118e - Internship Preparation - Spring

This portion of the second colloquium for first-year ES students emphasizes exploration of individual personal, academic, and career interests as they relate to environmental studies. By the end of the semester, each student will produce a formal proposal for an internship, which is the capstone experience in the Environmental Studies program.

SCHEDULE OVERVIEW

Unless otherwise notified, we will meet in your regularly scheduled small (discussion) sections.

All Assignments are due in your small section class the week indicated -- if your small section meets on a Wednesday, your due date is the Wednesday indicated. These due dates also appear on your CPSP 118E COURSE SYLLABUS.

  • Assignment 1, Part I- High School Activities Worksheet (5 points) -
    DUE     week 7 of classes (Wed. Sections: 3/12, Thurs. Sections: 3/13)
  • Assignment 1, Part II - (15 points) -
    DUE     week 7 of classes (Wed. Sections: 3/12, Thurs. Sections: 3/13)
  • Assignment 2 - Meet with Ms. Giblin (5 points) - Mondays and Wednesdays are best, and sooner is BETTER!!
    • Send 3 different days/times that could be good for you, and I'll e-mail back to confirm one of them.
    • You may earn 2 BONUS POINTS if you ask for help BEFORE Spring Break!
  • Assignment 3 - Internship IDEAS Paper (10 points) -
    DUE     week 13 of classes     (Wed. Sections: 4/23, Thurs. Sections: 4/24)
    • NOTE: If you have not already met with Ms. Giblin, arrange your meeting NOW!
  • Assignment 4 - Write a Resume (5 points) -
    DUE     week 13 of classes (Wed. Sections: 4/23, Thurs. Sections: 4/24)
    • See Grading Template for 2 BONUS POINTS option
  • Assignment 5 - Internship Proposal - FINAL (15 points) -
    DUE     week 15 of classes (Wed. Sections: 5/7, Thurs. Sections: 5/8)
Your High School Activities (5 pts) - DUE week 7 of classes (Wed. 3/12, Thurs. 3/13)
  • List ALL high school activities; include in-school and out-of-school activities, jobs, volunteer experiences, awards and honors. Identify which Holland personality codes they represent.
  • You can find the High School Activities Worksheet - HERE.
  • This assignment will provide the basis of Assignments 2, 3, and 4, so it's important to complete it thoroughly.
OPTION A - Majors & Careers (15 pts) - DUE week 7 of classes (Wed. 3/12, Thurs. 3/13)
  • Option A - Worksheet. Print out the assignment, then spend time "surfing" the links below before writing your paper.

Your Personality and Careers

  • Career Finder - careers organized by personality type
  • Quest - Ball State University Career Quiz
  • What can I do with a major in...? - career information organized by major.

  • All careers - Occupational Outlook Handbook
  • Science & policy - includes biological resources, policy and planning, outdoor and environmental education, earth systems, and information sciences.
  • ES-related careers - including animal sciences, "green engineering," landscape architecture, outdoor education, sustainable tourism, and others.
  • Current job-openings - environment-related.

  • Google - Type "your career interest" + "environment" (or "green" or "sustainable"), e.g., "sustainable engineering," into Google and see what you get!

Majors

OPTION B - Env. Studies & YOU (15 pts) - DUE week 7 of classes (Wed. 3/12, Thurs. 3/13)
  • Option B Worksheet. Print out the assignment, then spend time "surfing" the links below before writing your paper.

  • Environmental Studies Library - check out our collection of books on a wide variety of environment-related topics. The ES Library is located in Room 1213 Centreville, right next to the ES Office. Contact Ms. Giblin if you don't know the code to get in!
  • Environmental organizations - Explore groups working on issues of interest.
  • Environmental studies - Explore different ways of looking at the environment.
  • Google - Learn about environmental issues confronting your home state by typing "your home state" + "environmental" into Google.
    • If you are a Maryland state resident, try "Your County, Maryland" + "environmental" to get a County perspective.
  • Google - Learn about your home region's environmental history by typing in "environmental history" + "your home state" + "your region"
    • Examples of "regions" include: "New England", "Chesapeake", "Mid-Atlantic," etc.
  • Google Scholar - Learn how your academic interests "connect" to scholarly work in environmental studies by typing "your major" + "environment" into Google Scholar.
Internship IDEAS Paper (10 pts) - DUE Week 13 of classes (Wed. 4/23, Thurs. 4/24)

1. Generate Ideas

You may propose virtually ANY experience provided it is meaningful to you personally, academically and/or career-wise. The only requirements are that the experience be a learning experience for you and that you gain approval before starting. Your internship does not have to be environment-related!!

  • Talk to family, friends, former teachers, supervisors, etc., to discuss ideas and possibilities.
  • Explore the links below, and make notes on a print-out of the INTERNSHIP IDEAS PAPER.
  • Follow the directions carefully, and type up your ideas. A carefully crafted Internship Ideas paper will give you a head start on the Final Proposal.

2. Find possible internship sites

3. Make an environmental connection

  • Explore possible academic research topics: Google or Google Scholar or UM Libraries.
  • Type "your major" + "environment" into the search engine (for example). This is where we connect your internship to the environment.
  • Explore environmental topics on the ENSP Links page.
  • Complete your INTERNSHIP IDEAS ASSIGNMENT - DUE Week 13 of classes, Wed. 4/23, Thurs. 4/24. Note that the assignment is very, very similar to your Final Internship proposal (due Week 15 of classes, Wed. 5/7, Thurs. 5/8).
Resume Writing (5 pts) - DUE Week 13 of classes (Wed. 4/23, Thurs. 4/24)
FINAL Draft of your Proposal - (15 points) - DUE Week 15 of classes (Wed. 5/7, Thurs. 5/8)
  • The Internship Proposal.
  • DON'T WORRY if, when you get home, you find your internship plans have changed! Your well-written final proposal will 99.9% probably work fine. Get in touch, and we'll work something out, I promise!! Over the summer, your first point of contact will be Nicole Wynands, Graduate Assistant and Assistant Director for Environmental Studies, nwynands@umd.edu.