The Amica Center for Career Education, extension 6090, at Bryant University seeks to facilitate self-assessment and career exploration, develop avenues for experiential learning, aid in the transition from academia to the professional world, provide opportunities for employment and serve as a resource to employers and faculty. The Amica Center provides a comprehensive Career Development Program (career coaching, assessments, workshops), Recruiting Program (career fairs, on-campus recruiting, and more), and an Experiential Education Program, which includes the Academic Internship Program. Information is found at https://career.bryant.edu/

Whether students are preparing for graduate school or entering the workforce directly upon graduation, they will benefit from a partnership between the Amica Center and you. The Amica Center serves both graduate and undergraduate students for both colleges – and across all class levels.  Here are some of the ways Amica Center can assist you:

Class presentations: Invite the Amica Center to your classroom to speak about a career topic of your choice that might even be related to your syllabus content. Topics might include: identifying a major, personal branding using social media, communication strategies for interview success, organizing your search, networking using LinkedIn, and more.

Employer and alumni contacts: Many employers are interested in expanding their presence and connecting with faculty. The Amica Center can assist in connecting with these employers and alumni for class presentations, projects or competitions.

Stay informed: The Amica Center distributes a faculty-oriented newsletter weekly via email. Find out which employers are recruiting Bryant students for jobs and internships. Keep in touch with the Amica Center’s latest programs, workshops and resources. Alternatively, join the Amica center’s Facebook page or follow them on Twitter for career and program updates.

Online resources: Take advantage of online resources for U.S.-based and international employers, career information, online interview preparation, and more.

Outcomes: Curious about where students go when they graduate? Refer to the graduation outcomes report or contact the Amica Center for information specific to your discipline.

Here are some of the ways you can assist the Amica Center:

Tell students: Refer students to the Amica Center’s services, programs and resources — described throughout the Amica Center’s website at https://career.bryant.edu/

Share your expertise: The Amica Center’s most successful programs are often presented in collaboration with faculty members and student associations. Past topics include: graduate school, federal employment, career presentations by field, social media and more.

Refer students to the Career Planning Course: The Amica Center offers an extended, multi-session workshop that helps students explore career plans, values, and interests – a perfect opportunity for students not sure of their major and/or career path.

Refer employer requests directly to the Amica Center: By serving as the centralized recruiting resource, the Amica Center ensures that Bryant maintains a solid recruiting and internship program for all Bryant students.

Familiarize yourself: Review the faculty guidelines and legal considerations published by the National Association of Colleges & Employers; know when and how to refer students to employers.  The Amica Center is glad to assist!

Recommend employers specific to your discipline: If you have employer contacts, the Amica Center welcomes your leads and suggestions. Contact Pat Miernicki (x6539 or pmiernic@bryant.edu), Assistant Director of Employer Outreach and Development, to discuss or suggest employers who may benefit from recruiting Bryant students.

Academic Internship Program

Bryant University offers undergraduates the opportunity to gain work experience to compliment academic study through internships and practica as credit-bearing experiences. Such opportunities recognize the value of experiential learning as an essential part of each student’s personal and professional career development, along with critical reflection to explore career options and prepare for the future.

The Academic Internship Program is facilitated by the Experiential Education Program, which is housed within the Amica Center for Career Education.

Approval and Registration Process Overview

The Academic Internship approval and registration processes are facilitated by the Amica Center. To initiate the process, students first meet with their Undergraduate Academic Advisors, who create the Academic Internship Enrollment form in Banner (if student is eligible). Students then meet with an Internship Coordinator in the Amica Center, who communicates with the student’s internship site and prepares the information required for approval by the academic Department Chair. Once the approval and registration steps have been completed, the Internship course is created by the Office of the Registrar and placed on the student’s schedule.

• Internship: Limit to one internship per major, concentration, minor area of study or as open elective in either the College of Business or College of Arts and Sciences. Limit to one internship per semester. Total of nine credit hours may be accumulated towards degree program.
• Practica: Approved as a six, nine, or twelve credit elective course by the Department Chairs in a specific area of study. Assessed by professor(s) based on syllabus or learning agreement as a group of elective courses.

Questions regarding the step-by-step process should be directed to the Amica Center.

Student Eligibility (Internship):

• Must have completed a minimum of 60 credits prior to starting an internship
• Must be in good academic standing, requiring a minimum overall GPA of 2.0

• Established a major/concentration GPA of 2.0 or better in a major/concentration area of study; establish a minor GPA of 2.0 or better in a minor area of study

• Exception: Finance and International Business departments require a minimum overall GPA of 2.5
• Meet all prerequisites for the internship as determined by the specific academic department and stated in the course description located in the course catalog (course electives listed as 391, 450, or 491)

• Transfer students must complete one full semester of study at Bryant University to establish a GPA

Academic Department Approval

Internship Coordinators in the Amica Center reach out to the internship site to obtain a description of the internship responsibilities and other relevant details. All information is forwarded to the appropriate Academic Department Chair, who will approve or deny the internship as a 3-credit elective course within a concentration, minor or degree area of study. The Department Chair will also approve the student’s Academic Internship Enrollment form in Banner as the last step in the internship registration process.

Faculty Supervisors

• If approved for academic credit, a professor within the appropriate department assesses the student’s learning based on a learning agreement he/she provides to the student, and the employer’s mid-semester and final performance evaluations completed during the internship period. A letter grade is assigned upon completion.
• Only Full time or Tenured track professors are permitted to supervise an Intern.
• Students notify the Faculty Supervisor when their Academic Internship Enrollment form in Banner is ready for the Faculty Supervisor to approve.
• Syllabi can also be uploaded into the student’s enrollment form. Professors may use a Learning Agreement (provided by the Amica Center) in lieu of a syllabus.
• The student provides the on-site internship supervisor a schedule form to determine work hours. Amica Center Internship Coordinators send mid-semester and final semester evaluations directly to internship supervisors to complete and send back at the respective times during the internship. The student uploads his/her schedule form into the Academic Internship Enrollment form in Banner. Internship Coordinators upload the mid and final semester evaluations into the student’s Academic Internship Enrollment form.

Tuition and Timelines

• Available during the fall, spring or summer semesters only
• Tuition-based:

• no additional tuition during the fall or spring for up to six courses per semester.
• summer tuition and/or program fees are charged
• Timelines established by Academic Affairs, Registrar and Amica Center for Career Education for each semester
• Summer Internship Fellowship- The Amica Center offers funding for unpaid or low paying summer internships. Formal application required and found in Banner. Application doesn’t guarantee award.

Searching for Internships

• The search for academic internship should begin AT LEAST one semester prior to doing the internship.
• Internships are posted in Bryant Career Connection (BCC) by employers seeking Bryant talent. Students are welcome to use additional resources to identify internships.
• Students can meet with a Career Coach in the Amica Center for assistance with searching, applying and interviewing for internships

SPECIAL ACADEMIC PRACTICA

The Washington D.C. Internship Practicum

Bryant University has partnered with The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars in Washington D.C. to provide supervised internships in business, government agencies, for-profit or nonprofit sectors as well as in international organizations in DC.  Internships are available in all degree programs, concentrations, and minor area of studies.  This fee-based program also includes a course selected by the student, weekly leadership speaker’s series, and a community service project. Internship placement is guaranteed, and housing is provided to students who apply and are accepted into the program.

TWC Eligibility: Must complete a minimum of 75 credits; Minimum overall G.P.A. of 2.75

Information Systems/Data Science Practicum

The Information System and Analytics (ISA) academic department offers a six month, full-time paid internship program earning 9 credits (Summer-Fall or Spring-Summer time period). Second semester sophomores and juniors may apply after meeting with the ISA Department Chair and discussing eligibility with an academic advisor in the Undergraduate Advising Office.

Eligibility: Must complete a minimum of 45 credits; Minimum overall GPA of 3.0.

Non-Credit Internships

Students at any class level can apply for and engage in non-credit internships.  Non-credit internships can be found on BCC, through networking, or other resources (e.g., other job boards).  While the non-credit internship will not provide academic credit, the experience can be extremely valuable and can be listed on one’s résumé.  Working with one’s Academic Advisor and the Amica Center for Career Education to ensure the quality and applicability of such an internship is always recommended.

For details or further information, please contact:

Denise Gormley, Senior Internship Coordinator, at x 6169 or dgormley@bryant.edu or Amy Steere, Internship Coordinator, at x 6355 or asteere@bryant.edu