Letter to Potential Agency Supervisors
Dear Potential Agency Supervisors:
Thank you for your interest in working with University of Utah students majoring in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. Internships, also known as cooperative education experiences, are a central component of student total educational preparation in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. These experiences are designed to combine on-site professional experiences with theoretical and philosophical foundations studied in traditional academic settings. Through internships, students grow professionally and intellectually. Students learn to identify their strengths, interests, and limitations. They also gain an appreciation of roles, duties, and responsibilities of parks, recreation, and tourism professionals.
Internship experiences are associated with three classes in the program: PRT 3800, PRT 4828, and PRT 5828. PRT 3800 serves as an initial exposure to practice and allows students to investigate the depth of their commitment to one of our five emphases and option areas: adventure and outdoor programs, leisure service management (tourism, hospitality, and commercial recreation), natural resource recreation planning management, therapeutic recreation, or sport and community recreation management. This course involves a minimum of 100 hours in a minimum of 10 weeks of fieldwork experience in parks, recreation, or tourism agencies.
PRT 5828 (for therapeutic recreation emphasis area) and PRT 4828 (for all other majors) provide an in-depth internship experience of a minimum of 480 field experience hours in a minimum of 12 weeks that is designed for students who are in their final semester and approaching graduation.
The objectives for the student of the internship experience include:
A. To help students gain an understanding and appreciation of the roles, duties, and responsibilities of park, recreation, and tourism professionals.
B. To assist students in becoming more aware of the nature of practice within their chosen profession.
C. To expose students to the scope of responsibilities of professional organizations and associations and encourage participation in their activities on the local, state, and national levels.
D. To assist students in identifying areas of potential strength and limitations, as well as actual performance evaluations while working in the field.
E. To provide students with leadership opportunities that may aid professional and personal development.
F. To provide students with experiences that increases the understanding of people, of human relations, and to develop the ability to work effectively with clients, customers, and fellow professionals.
G. To provide students with an opportunity to observe the planning, implementation, and evaluation of services within the various park, recreation, and tourism agencies and enterprises.
As a potential sponsor, or agency supervisor, we request the following to assist in the educational experience of the student:
A. Prepare the agency staff for the arrival of the student.
B. Initially confer with the student to present an overview of the agency and the schedule prepared.
C. Inform the student of all regulations and operational procedures.
D. Represent the student as a co-worker and in a manner to insure his professional status.
E. Gradually induct the student into her or his experience, beginning with observations and small responsibilities, and adding increasing involvement as the students abilities permit.
F. Acquaint the student with resources and materials used in the administration of the agency¿s program (books, pamphlets, films, charts, etc.) and to assist the student in acquiring copies of appropriate reports and materials.
G. Give the student challenging opportunities that may support the feeling of growth, achievement, and success.
H. Present criticisms in a constructive, objective, and tactful manner.
I. Have at least one weekly conference with the student.
I would also ask that you encourage the exchange of information concerning the progress of the student and evaluate the student¿s internship experience by completing the appropriate forms on or before the assigned deadlines. It is encouraged that these reports be reviewed with the student before they are transmitted to the University supervisor.
If this sounds like a program that you would like to be involved in, please complete the Internship Opportunity Form on the PRT website. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Betsy Cook, Ph.D., CAPE
Academic Advisor and Internship Coordinator
Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism
University of Utah
(801) 581-8215, elizabeth.cook@health.utah.edu
