Academic AffairsProvost and Vice President: Scott McNallGraduate, International,and Sponsored Programs:Dean: Susan Place, InterimOffice of Experiential EducationDirector: William Lerch530-898-5893e-mail: ids@csuchico.eduhttp://ids.csuchico.edu/Rural CaliforniaNursing PreceptorshipsCoordinator: Kathleen Kirby530-898-5797e-mail: rcnp@csuchico.eduhttp://www.csuchico.edu/rcnp/

Internships

CSU, Chico’s Experiential Education programlinks the university to business, industry, andgovernment by giving students an opportunityto combine classroom study with career re-lated work experience. The program helpsstudents define their educational goals andprepare for their careers by exploring therealities of the working world.

Bill Lerch, DirectorValuable teaching and learning can occur out-side the classroom. In recognition, the Office ofExperiential Education has formed a partnershipwith business and government which providesstudents with the opportunity to gain academi-cally related work experience prior to gradua-tion. These practical learning experiencesextend the walls of the university, permittingstudents to blend theory and practice at anearly stage in their professional growth.The program provides an excellent source of en-ergetic, highly motivated employees and enablesemployers to evaluate interns under actual work-ing conditions and assess their performance asprospective employees.

Experiential education opportunities are essen-tially limitless, bound more by the imaginationthan geography or type of work. Work experi-ence opportunities exist throughout the nationand world in a spectrum of subjects from agri-culture to the fine arts. Through the Office of Ex-periential Education, students have interned witha vast list of agencies and corporations includingBritish Petroleum in London; the U.S. State De-partment in Washington, D.C.; Hewlett-Packard,Chevron Texaco, and Cisco in the San FranciscoBay Area; and Meeks Building Center in Chico.These experiences allow students to exploretheir career dreams, test their abilities in support-ive work environments, gain invaluable insightsinto various careers, develop skills, and workwith equipment not available at the university.Experiential education positions can be paidor unpaid, full time or part time, and normallycoincide with the fall, spring, or summer terms.Students earn academic credit for a universityassignment associated with work experience.A maximum of 15 internship units (coursesnumbered 389, 489, 589) may be applied toa bachelor’s degree at CSU, Chico.

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"Many students don’t have a focusor an idea of what they want to dowhen they get out of school. Theco-op gives them an idea of whatjobs are available and what it reallymeans to work in industry."

Hewlett-Packard Software Manager

"Working for NUMMI was an eye-opener to the real world. I learnedproblem-solving skills that will beuseful to any job I have in the future.It was an excellent experience."

NUMMI Intern(Toyota/General Motors Joint Venture)

I n t e r n s h i p s

Office ofExperiential EducationThe university’s cooperative education and in-ternship programs are coordinated by the Officeof Experiential Education. The office assists stu-dents, employers, and academic departments indeveloping and improving academically relatedwork experience programs and matching stu-dents with employers. The Office of ExperientialEducation offers the following services:� Internship Exploration System (IES): An easy-

to-use database with more than 1,400 listingsin the United States and overseas.

� Overall coordination of departmentalco-op/internship programs.

� Counseling and placement.� Referral to departmental internship programs.� Career counseling.� Coordination of the Rural California Nursing

Preceptorships program.

Internships andCooperative EducationInternships cover the broadest spectrum of expe-riential education. Most internships are non-paidand part time. The university also has active de-partmental internship programs to assist employ-ers and students. Each departmental internshipprogram has its own requirements, and it isadvisable to consult the department directly.The Cooperative Education Program (co-op) isalso administered by the Office of ExperientialEducation. Co-op positions are paid and can befull time or part time. The work periods are typi-cally from January - June and June - December;however, summer-only work sessions may bearranged. The salaries for co-ops range from$1,000 to more than $3,000 per month and de-pend upon the student’s major, year in school,and the company. Many co-op students receivepermanent job offers from the companiesparticipating in the co-op program.Approximately 1,500 students are placed annuallywith nearly 450 agencies and companies.

Rural CaliforniaNursing PreceptorshipsThe Rural California Nursing Preceptorship(RCNP) program provides comprehensive oppor-tunities in a variety of clinical settings. Both seniorlevel nursing students and registered nurses canparticipate. Short-term preceptorships allow stu-dents to evaluate the benefits and career optionsin rural health and gain additional clinical experi-ence before graduating. Placements can be madethroughout the year for periods of four or eightweeks. Preceptors include RNs, PHNs, FNPs, andMDs. Facilities used for placements include hos-pitals, community clinics, and public and homehealth agencies. Placement sites are located be-tween the Monterey Bay Area to the south andnorth to the Oregon border. Participants mayearn credit through their own nursing schoolor through CSU, Chico, receiving 2 or 4 units.RNs may receive 30 BRN-approved CEUs.

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"If I could participate in a co-opevery other semester until I gradu-ate, I would do so. Doing a co-op isvery inspirational. My work experi-ence has made me extremely enthu-siastic about learning, and I nowknow I have made the right careerchoice."

Intel Co-op Student

"The co-op allowed me to put to useall of the problem-solving skills I havedeveloped during my education. Itgave me experience in areas that Ihad not been exposed to before."

Chevron Texaco Co-op Student

"My rural preceptorship with RCNPwas a fantastic experience, and itchanged my life. It provided me withthe opportunity to practice clinicalnursing in a specialty area of mychoice. I’d do it again and haverecommended it to all my friends."

RCNP Participant

I n t e r n s h i p s