Internship Gudelines- MIS Department The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is offering an internship program through the Membership and Information Services (MIS) department to qualified graduate students. The internship is an opportunity to participate in a research project that focuses on an issue of import to community colleges and that uses national data. Additionally, the intern will experience first-hand the daily activities of a national higher education association responsible for representing America’s network of community colleges and providing information to its constituents and the public at large. This valuable three-month opportunity gives graduate students a chance to gain a national perspective on research and how it impacts current issues facing our colleges. It is fully intended that the internship will be mutually beneficial to both the student and the Association through interaction between the intern and Association staff and with other members of the higher education community. Limited funds are available for internships. In instances where the research being done is of special interest to the Association or to its member colleges, monetary compensation may be included for the research and for the writing of a paper. It is also possible that the work can count toward college credit. Course credit, however, would have to be negotiated through the graduate university. Intern Work Description The intern’s primary role will be to: - Work within the office of Membership and Information Services (MIS) of AACC.
- Take responsibility for work on the research project as assigned by the MIS office.
- Assist with daily office activities related to initiatives undertaken by the various components of the department and the Association.
Additional activities might include: - Observing meetings of researchers from other higher education associations located within the National Center for Higher Education, and also within the DC higher education community.
- Attending meetings at other agencies with Association staff members as appropriate.
- Researching and responding to requests asked by member colleges, media sources, and/or individuals interested in community colleges.
- Supporting research activities by other members of the department or other areas of AACC.
- Learning about the higher education systems in other parts of the world by assisting with meetings of international visitors to the Association.
- Learning about the work AACC does, and the various types of programs offered nationwide on community college campuses.
- Writing articles for the Community College Times.
- Submitting an article(s) for the Community College Journal or other AACC publications.
Qualifications: To qualify for the AACC Research Internship Program, the applicant must be a student enrolled in a graduate program specializing in higher education with strong ties to the community college sector. The applicant must be proficient in computer software including Microsoft Word, Access, Excel and SPSS or their equivalents. The applicant must have superior written and oral communication skills. Application Steps: Provide three references, including one from the college/university faculty advisor. Provide a writing sample that reflects research done on a former project. Provide a resume (including relevant course work).
Other Details: Internship selection will be done by the MIS department and will be based on applications and research goals. The intern’s work schedule will be the same as regular AACC staff: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The intern’s daily activities will be overseen and managed by the MIS director. The Association will provide a computer for the intern to use. The computer will be equipped with SPSS, e-mail, an Internet connection and appropriate software. Interns will be evaluated during the internship and at its conclusion. Interns will have the opportunity to provide feedback to the Association upon concluding their internship. Evaluation of the intern will be based primarily on the quality of the research conducted. The MIS department will work with the graduate student advisor to ensure a successful internship program and will also arrange for the intern to participate in other scheduled Association activities that will enrich the Washington, D.C. experience. Upon request, AACC staff will be happy to discuss the possible uses of the various national data sets or the current research agenda put out by the Association. Research Intern Selection Criterion The following are guidelines for the types of projects AACC will consider when awarding an internship. Not all criteria need be met, but space is limited and highest consideration will be given to applicants who meet most of these criteria. Guidelines include that: - The project is national in scope.
- The project addresses an identified community college research need. A good source for potential topics can be found in the Community College Research Agenda.
- The project uses data that is available from some of the already collected data sources. These include, but are not limited to: institutional data (e.g. IPEDS), student data (e.g. NPSAS, BPS, NLS), faculty data (e.g. NSOPF) and population data (NHES or Census).
The Association currently has most of these data sets on site and available for use. - The researcher has already done background or literary research on the topic.
- The research project includes quantitative analysis. This may be little more than descriptive statistics, but ideally would include a more in-depth analysis of the topic.
- The project scope is focused so that the majority of work can be completed within a 3-month period.
Download Application (PDF format) Return Application To:
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
Attn: Kent Phillippe
One Dupont Circle, NW Ste 410
Washington, DC 20036
Fax - 202-833-2467 Contact:
Kent Phillippe
Senior Research Associate
202-728-0200 x 222
kphillippe@aacc.nche.edu
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