Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does the Senior Intern have to be a senior?
A: Yes. At this time the Bonner Congress and the Foundation agree that this intern position should be open only to seniors. The Senior Intern brings three years of experience with your campus' Bonner program. S/he may have seen coordinators, directors, and presidents come and go, thus offering a seasoned perspective lacking in underclass students. Furthermore, it is important that a senior be given the experience of the internship because it is intended to serve as a capstone experience for a Bonner who has demonstrated a strong commitment to the program and an interest in programming.
However, many schools also have "Junior" Interns or interns from other classes. This is particularly true of newer Bonner Programs, where student leaders are playing a major role in building the program. In addition, some schools have developed junior-class level internship positions, which groom rising seniors for the Senior Intern position.
Q: Can a Senior Intern do Direct Service?
A: In planning your Senior Internship, there is a great deal of flexibility. Though it is suggested that a Senior Intern dedicate all ten hours to the internship, s/he may want to continue to devote several hours to an off-campus site. In this instance, the coordinator should make sure that the intern is not spread too thin.
Q: Can a Senior Intern be involved in Congress?
A: Though some Senior Interns also serve as Congress Representatives, it is preferred that the positions be filled by three different Bonners. By dividing these responsibilities, more Bonners are able to take advantage of leadership opportunities, and they are allowed to focus their energies on just one area. Ideally, a student should serve as a Congress Rep his/her sophomore and junior years, and then as a Senior Intern his/her final year. It is important that the distinction be made that a Senior Intern is a liaison between the coordinator and Bonners, while Congress Reps are liaisons between the Foundation and Bonners. You might ask the Senior Intern and the Congress Reps to work on a project together, with the idea that their different perspectives will enrich the outcome. It is suggested that Senior Interns attend the Summer Leadership Institute, and in the future they may be trained at this event.
Q: Can Senior Interns do office work?
A: Just as a coordinator or director's work must involve a bit of organizational office work, such as filing or data entry, a Senior Intern can be expected to carry out these tasks as necessary to the projects on which s/he is working. Such office work should not, however, make up the bulk of the internís time. This internship must carry more weight and responsibility and serve as a learning experience from which s/he will gain important professional skills.
Q: Should a Senior Intern work on campus over the summer?
A: The Foundation strongly encourages the intern to work in the office over the summer. Help your student take advantage of the Local Summer Service Stipend Fund, which is designed to give Bonners extra resources to stay in their campus' community during the summer. A student may receive up to $1,500 from this fund. The deadline to apply is April 15. Please see www.bonner.org/resources/guidelines.htm for more information. Working on campus will ensure that the intern is able to attend the SLI. Just as during the year, the internship counts as direct service, so that the internship can be the senior's only summer service site if s/he so chooses. Because it is not the regular school year, the coordinator or director has more time to dedicate to training the intern. When other Bonners arrive back on campus, the Senior Intern has been intensively involved in his/her projects for months. The intern has already completed a great deal and developed many of the qualities that will serve him/her throughout the school year in the position.
back to the Senior Intern Wiki main page
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.