I have had several interns from an organization called CMC -- Chicago
Metropolitan Council, or something like that. They have very well-defined
guidelines (which is a blessing!). Students work for their institutions
full-time four days a week, and attend classes/seminars/workshops/etc. on
Fridays, for a full semester. At these sessions they discuss their
internships and write their various reports. During their last week, I as
their on-site supervisor am asked to write an evaluation covering four
defined areas, and then suggest a letter grade. We then have a meeting,
about an hour, with the intern, the instructor, and myself, where we review
the on-site work. Final grades are assigned by the instructor, who also
takes into account the student's work in the Friday classes.
All my CMC interns have been great. Can't reccomend the program highly
enough! It's a little more work, but I think it's worth it.
Other internships have not been as stuctured. Usually I am asked to write a
one-page report covering a few loosely-defined performace areas. One
intern, from the University of Toronto Museum Stuies program, had a mid-term
on-site visit from her supervisor, who required me to write a summary
covering work performance in some defined areas.
One of the big rules of internships -- the more BOTH you put into it (in
terms of up-front planning, understanding of requirements, understand of
mutual expectations), the more you BOTH get out of it.
For my own internal needs, I always give interns projects which we can
reasonably expect them to complete in the ime available, and always ask them
to write up a "summary report" of what they did, where he project stands,
what steps are left, etc. (These are mostly exhibit-related projects.)
Hope this helps.
Eugene Dillenburg
Geology Department
The Field Museum FAX: 312-922-9566
Roosevelt Road at Lake Shore Dr. phone: 312-922-9410 ext. 293
Chicago, Illinois 60605
"It's not really food if it doesn't hurt."
-- Bruce Elliott
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