Jewish Studies Program

Internships Available to jewish studies students

The Jewish Studies Program encourages students to engage in meaningful extracurricular activities that enhance their education and further their career plans.  One terrific alternative is to intern with a Jewish institution or organization concerned with Jewish issues.  In the past Penn State students have worked at our local synagogue, assisted Hillel and Chabad, contributed to the development of an on-line course, and served Jewish institutions in New York and elsewhere.  Some internships are paid; even if they are not, academic credit can be awarded.

Some organizations solicit interns by contacting academic units like the Jewish Studies Programs.  The Program will circulate these opportunities as they become available. Most, however, do not.  It thus becomes the task of the student to seek out internship opportunities by contacting organizations with which he or she would like to work to learn if internships are available.

To gain academic credit for an internship contact the Program Director of the Jewish Studies Program.  You will have to make an appointment with the director to complete the registration process.  Questions you will be asked at that time include: the start and end date of the intern- ship, the sponsor of the internship, the site supervisor of the internship, the number of academic credits that are expected to be earned, and the mode of evaluation.  The Program Director will require that you submit a document which outlines the scope of the internship: tasks, hours, expectations, which is signed both by you and the site supervisor. This document is to protect both sides of the collaboration from mis-understandings of what is expected.

Jewish Studies Internship Requirements

Each intern will need a letter of agreement with their internship provider that specifies:
-- term of the internship  -- hours per week and number of weeks -- this will determine the credits to be earned
-- SPECIFIC duties you are assigned
-- mode of performance evaluation to be used by the internship provider
-- name and contact information of the internship supervisor
The internship provider will form you of specific items you will need to produce for 
them to complete the evaluation.  However the Program will need:
- a diary that describes discursively the activities you engaged in during the course of the internship
-- copies of any materials you produced -- lesson plans, flyers, etc -- during the course of the internship
-- a summary essay that identifies what you learned in the course of completing this internship.
The internship provider will submit these materials to the Director of the Jewish Studies Program together with a recommended grade.