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Roles & Responsibilities of InternsYou are responsible for meeting both academic and professional requirements.

The internship supervisors expect you to:

• Work 32 to 36 hours per week, depending on program enrollment, for the duration of the program.
• Be responsible for your assigned work schedule and to report to the internship site at the agreed upon time(s).
• Coordinate with the internship site all travel arrangements necessary in carrying out your duties.
• Learn and follow all internship site policies and procedures regarding dress code, professional, legal and ethical behavior, emergency preparedness, etc., as set by the internship site.
• Seek assistance in understanding your internship site’s policies and procedures from the internship supervisor when necessary.
• Share your Individual Development Plan (IDP) with your internship supervisor.
• Inform the internship site and/or TWC of any problems that occur in a timely and reasonable manner, including concerns regarding a lack of substantive work assignments.
• Supply forms/evaluations to the internship site and follow up to ensure timely submission to TWC.
• Assist in arranging all necessary site visits with your program advisor (minimum of one).
• Ensure that the internship site is informed in a timely manner of mandatory events at TWC.

The Washington Center expects you to:

• Complete an academic course scheduled for one evening a week through TWC.
• Attend the Simpson-Mineta Leaders Series and the Public Policy Dialogues on Capitol HIll.
• Participate in all assigned programming organized by your program advisor.
• Complete all academic portfolio requirements as directed by your program advisor.

Your college or university expects you to:

• Complete all requirements as specified by your campus liaison.
• Communicate with your liaison on a regular basis, including sending them your Vital Statistics Information via email.
• Inform your liaison of any extended or international travel scheduled as part of your assignments.
• Contact your liaison of any early departure from The Washington Center internship program (all interns are expected to be at their internship site until the last day of the program, unless given special permission to leave early).

Roles & Responsibilities of The Internship Management Team

• Facilitate all communication between TWC, prospective internship sites and the student during the internship placement process until placement is confirmed.
• Work directly with the student to match prospective internship site referrals with goals and objectives for the term.
• Assist the student throughout the interview process.
• Answer any questions/concerns the student may have prior to placement confirmation or direct them to the appropriate resource.
• Provide training to internship site supervisors which include: mentoring, diversity in the workplace, and networking among partner organizations.

Roles & Responsibilities of The Washington Center’s Program AdvisorsTo perform his or her job effectively, your program advisor needs to know immediately if you have a problem. Do not hesitate to call on your program advisor, particularly prior to evaluation meetings, if you need to discuss a situation at your internship.

Your program advisor is expected to:

• Orient and instruct you regarding The Washington Center’s academic program requirements, professional behavior, and evaluation procedures.
• Answer questions and/or channel any concerns to the appropriate resource.
• Arrange for weekly programming activities to take place on Monday morning or afternoon, depending upon the program.
• Monitor the quality of internships.
• Ensure that at least 80% of your time is spent on substantive projects.
• Conduct at least one site visit to review your performance and the quality of the internship.
• Assist you and the internship site in resolving any problems that might arise during the course of the internship.
• Provide all necessary evaluation forms.
• Advise you in the development and implementation of your Individual Development Plan (IDP).
• Conduct an individualized evaluation of your academic, professional, civic, and personal growth.
• Advise and mentor you in further development of skills with regards to the three pillars of TWC: Civic Engagement, Professional Achievement, and Leadership.
• Provide a written evaluation for you that encompasses your overall internship experience, including the assessment of your academic portfolio and participation in Leadership Forum activities.
• Explain and enforce TWC’s policies and procedures as necessary.

Roles & Responsibilities of the Internship SupervisorThe Washington Center expects an internship supervisor to:

• Comply with all state and federal labor laws.
• Provide you with a schedule comprised of no less than 80% substantive work.
• Ensure that you report to work for 32 to 36 hours per week, depending on your program requirements.
• Provide you with information regarding the internship site policies and procedures regarding dress code, professional, legal and ethical behavior, emergency preparedness, etc., and be available to respond to any questions you may have.
• Provide an orientation to the office and your position in addition to training you on how to use office equipment.
• Communicate clear and timely instructions for completing projects and relevant feedback.
• Provide a desk and computer and other necessary tools in order to effectively complete internship responsibilities.
• Review your final Individual Development Plan (IDP) by the stated due date.
• Complete your mid-term and final evaluations by the stated due dates.
• Allow flexibility in your workflow to avoid scheduling conflicts with mandatory academic events at TWC.
• Notify TWC in a timely and reasonable manner if any problems arise.
• Participate in a minimum of one site visit to evaluate your performance and conduct follow-up meetings if requested.
• Work with you to establish and implement a work plan that supports your IDP and aligns with the company’s mission and needs.

Roles and Responsibilities of Campus LiaisonThe Washington Center expects your campus liaison or sponsor to:

• Serve as your primary on-campus contact and assist with administrative matters on campus (i.e., early grade requests, advance registration for next semester, etc.).
• Receive and distribute (if necessary) all forms and materials from The Washington Center.