Recent Program Features

Internship Contract Form:

After students have identified an internship of interest, the following should be done to take an internship for academic credit:

• Find a faculty supervisor for the internship. This can be a student’s academic advisor or any member of the department.
• Students should talk with their internship advisor to ensure that this internship is appropriate for course credit. Students should work with their advisor to complete the internship contract form.
  • Keep in mind, the contract MUST be signed by the student’s internship advisor and by their onsite internship supervisor before it can be accepted by the department.
• Submit completed contract forms to the Communication Studies Department (AH 230). The administrative assistant will enter permission for the student to register for CMST 498. Metro students can email this form in to the department.

How will my internship be evaluated?

The student’s supervisor at their internship will complete an evaluation form assessing the intern’s performance.

Internship papers and the overall internship experience always challenge students to apply what they’ve learned in classes to their internship. 

• Internship Evaluation Form

Students will also write an internship paper to be turned in to their MSU Mankato internship adviser. There will be an opportunity for students to talk with their adviser on what details must be included in the final paper.

Example Internship Reflection Papers:

• Katrina Cronk – Man Cave
• Sammie Gessner – Academy of Whole Learning
• Zach Remillard – Enterprise Rent-a-Car

A majority of internships require a resume and cover letter. These documents must be strong and well laid out to even be considered. The Career Development Center offers many resources to help prepare resumes and cover letters. Their Job Search Handbook is particularly helpful for helping prepare these documents (plus there are examples!).  Here are some additional resources for students:

• ResumeBuild, Indeed Resume Builder and Resume.com can be used to craft resumes but there are many other resume builders out there. Students should find the one that suits them best.
• Cover Letter Builder is a resource to help understand what a cover letter should look like. Students should write their own, original letters but this can be used to get students started.
• Community Engagement (volunteering) can help build connections, enhance a student’s relationship with the community and provide a new outlook to someone else’s life all while helping advance one’s own career.

Where to Look:

• Search for an internship, there are many wonderful options out there! Greater Mankato Jobs is a partnership of Greater Mankato Growth, MN Job Match and RealTime Talent. Indeed, Handshake and Linked-In also have great internship opportunities.
• Work with the University’s Career Development Center (CDC). The CDC hosts internship events throughout the academic year.
  • Handshake will suggest jobs based on the student’s user profile and job application history, so it is important to keep track of what the user has signed up for.
• Students should talk with their professors inside and outside of the department to help explore options in Mankato and beyond. Most importantly, talk to your faculty academic advisor to ensure that an internship is appropriate for course credit. 
• Talk with friends and family to see if they know of internship opportunities where they work. Personal contacts often work well.
• Check the department’s website and Facebook page. We post several internship opportunities throughout the semester.

Previous Internship Locations:

• Harley Davidson Mankato
• Weichert Realtors Heartland
• March of Dimes
• Mankato City Center Hotel
• AmericInn, Mankato
• United Way, Mankato
• Radio Mankato
• Habitat for Humanity
• Alumni Center
• Northwestern Mutual
• FYE Office at MSU, Mankato
• Camps for children with disabilities
• VITRO, San Diego, CA
• Clear Channel communications
• Enterprise Rental Car, Mankato
• Extensive Travel
• Verizon Wireless Retail Store
• St. Stephens Human Services
• Chrysalis Chiropractic
• Lifetime Fitness, Eden Prairie
• Sindhorn Tower, Bangkok
• First Presbyterian Church
• Feeding our Communities, Backpack Food Program
• Bethan Lutheran College
• Art Education Classes
• Finish Line
• Student Events Team at MSU, Mankato
• MN Council of Churches
• Refugee Services, Mankato

Good morning, 

Only five weeks before the beginning of classes, and much remains up in the air. We continue planning for a mix of FlexSync, in-person, and online course delivery.

One of the questions that we didn’t get to during last week’s faculty and staff town hall was: What evidence is there that students want in-person experiences this fall?

Understanding and connecting directly with our students has been a primary focus since the pandemic disrupted our operations in March. Our comprehensive, interpersonal approach to student success during the pandemic is perhaps unique within our state and beyond. I want to thank the many students, staff, and faculty that have undertaken a tremendous effort to reach out to thousands of students. Here is a summary of the outreach that has been done to assess student interests and concerns: 

• Redeployed staff from across the university, led by the Division of Student Success, Analytics & Integrated Planning, spoke individually with 6,007 students during the spring semester. 
• Academic advising staff have met individually with nearly 2,000 first-year students this summer, with 500 more conversations scheduled. 

• A team of 27 faculty members are currently in the process of calling more than 2,500 students to check-in with them as we get closer to the start of fall classes.

The overwhelming sentiment expressed by thousands of students in these conversations was a desire for on-campus, in-person fall experiences.

Here are a few of the ways we are trying to accomplish safe, on-campus, in-person fall experiences: 

• Requiring face coverings indoors on-campus with certain exceptions and with appropriate accommodations available for those who are unable to wear them 
• Obtaining thousands of face shields and transparent masks for faculty members who would prefer that option when teaching 
• Removing thousands of chairs and other furniture from classrooms and public spaces; indicator dots will show where people and chairs should be, and signage will state social distancing requirements 
• Placing hand sanitizer stations and disinfectant wipes in every classroom and public space 

• Adjusting cleaning protocols to adhere to the Minnesota Department of Health and Office of Higher Education guidance 
• Deploying a highly-visible social norms campaign to encourage safe behavior 

Most of the public health indicators are trending in the wrong direction. Thousands of questions remain, and our Return to Learn and Work teams continue their progress, adapting their work as new public health guidance is shared with us. The resulting plans are being shared as they are completed. This week, I can report that our Employee Expectations for Returning to Work document has been posted here: https://mankato.mnsu.edu/about-the-university/news-and-events/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-and-the-campus-community/return-to-learn/timeline-and-planning/return-to-work/ 

During the coming days and weeks, you will see additional communication outlining plans and procedures on topics like student activities, distribution of cleaning supplies and PPE, health and safety training, events and meeting guidelines, and much more. 

Once again, I want to urge everyone to remain patient. Day-to-day developments are shaping our work, and no one can predict what the situation will be in five weeks. We are planning for a variety of scenarios. Please share your concerns, ideas, and questions with me at provost@mnsu.edu.  

I encourage everyone to find time during the remaining weeks to relax and recharge. Thank you for all you do for our students and our university. Stay safe. 

Kind regards, 

Matt