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STUDENT INTERNSHIPS IN SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS: ISSUES AND ANSWERS Thaddeus McEwen North Carolina A&T State University Kenneth J. Lacho University of New Orleans John R. Kerr Florida State University Gene Teeple University of Central Florida ABSTRACT Internships given through the university as part of the student's curriculum are expected to grow even more in the future. Correspondingly, the U.S. is moving toward an entrepreneurial society. Self-employment and employment in small to mid-sized firms are the sources of career opportunities in the future. Panel members will address the issues and possible solutions in conducting an internship in a small business/entrepreneurship program. INTRODUCTION This symposium is about student internships in university entrepreneurship and small business programs as viewed by professors who teach in these areas, a university director of internships, and small business owners who have used student interns. The need for such an exchange of ideas on this topic reflects the trend to experiential learning on universal campuses and the growing importance of small business in the United States. Internships are defined as structured, out-of class experiences that include a substantial work component (Kaston, 1984). They may be taken during the summer or regular academic semester, be paid or unpaid, full or part-time employment, and taken for credit or noncredit purposes. Since the 1980's, internships have increased in popularity with college students across the United States. One-third of fouryear students have worked as an intern before graduation (Watson, 1995) The total number of business student internships continues to increase each year ("Business Internships," 1994).

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The interest in internships by both college students and employers is due to several factors. The U.S. labor market is congested. There will be 18 million college graduates competing for 14 million college entry jobs in the year 2005. Eighty percent of these jobs will require vocational training. One-forth of graduates entering the job market during the period 1992-2005 are expected to settle for job's that do not require a college degree (Bounds, 1995). On the other hand, the U.S. is moving toward an entrepreneurial society. The development of new jobs is coming from the small business sector as 22 million small businesses represent a significant and growing part of our economy (Ashmore, 1996). The entrepreneurial fever has also spread to universities and colleges in the 1900's. As many as 800 to 1,000 two and fouryear schools have courses in small business, entrepreneurship, and new venture startups compared to as few as 50 in 1975 (Vesper, 1993). The Small Business Institute Program itself dates to the mid 1970's. The academic and trade literature leave the impression that internships are the domain of large companies and the public sector (Hite, 1986; Shively 1986; Gabris & Mitchell, 1989; Farnham, 1993; Bounds, 1995). This isn't necessarily so. Although we have no firm statistics on the number of internships in startup, small, and middle-sized firms, internships may be found in many types of small businesses including high-tech ones Cronin, 1993; Gangerni, 1995). Internships which are conducted through various university departments such as management, accounting, marketing, or communications, may well-be carried out in a small business. An entrepreneurship or SBI-related course is by nature handson or project oriented. Students, usually in teams, work with small business clients in writing business plans, solving problems, etc. Though experiential in nature, little attention has been paid to the student internship as a learning technique in small business or entrepreneurship programs. Vesper's (1993) compendium of entrepreneurship education shows only four schools having an internship in small business/ entrepreneurship. These are Boise State, Fairleigh Dickinson, University of Maryland, and Wichita State. Although there are numerous articles and papers in the literature about teaching SBI-related courses, a review of the literature found none on the topic of internships in small business. Student internships given through the university are expected to grow even more in the future as well as opportunities in the

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small business sector. The effectiveness of an internship program depends upon how well it is carried out by university personnel, including the faculty advisor, and the company sponsor. This symposium addresses the issues and possible solutions in conducting an internship in a small business/entrepreneurship program. Our panelists will address the following topics: 1.

What makes for a good internship experience for both the student and the company sponsor?

2.

Search for, screening, and selection of student interns and company sponsors. What criteria are used in selection of each?

3.

Organization of the internship program. Who does what? What is the role of the faculty member in the internship process?

4.

How do we keep the company sponsor honest? What means are used to ensure that the intern is provided with meaningful work assignments and adequate supervision?

5.

What should be the content of a small business/ entrepreneurship internship?

6.

What are the ways or techniques used to integrate theory into the intern's work experience?

7.

The student's first week on the job is critical as it sets the tone for the total internship experience. What should be done to acclimate the student to the work situation?

8.

When taken for credit, how is an intern graded? Which is preferred, a pass/fail or the traditional A, B, C, etc. Who does the grading, the faculty member, the company sponsor, or both? REFERENCES

Ashmore, C. (1996). Starting at the top. Vocational Education Journal, 71(4), 35-38. Bounds, W. (1995). Careers: Starting out: All work and no pay. The Wall Street Journal, R7, 11. Business internships: Win-win opportunities for students and companies. (1994). Baylor Business Review, J2(2), 12-15. Cronin, M. P. (1993).

Hiring:

Co-op student internships.

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Inc., 32.

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Edleson, H. (1991).

Innovative internships.

HR Magazine, 39-41.

Gabris, M. & Mitchell, L. (1989). Exploring the relationships between intern job performance, quality of education experience and career placement. Public Administration Quarterly, 12(4), 484-504. Gangemi

R. A. (1995).

More than you bargained for.

Inc., 111.

Hite, R. E. (1986). How to hire using college internship programs. Personnel Journal, 110, 112. Kaston, C. O. (1989) Preparing humanist for work. A national study of undergraduate internships in the humanities. (Executive Summary of report). The Washington Center: Washington , D.C. Vesper, K. (1993). Entrepreneurship education 1993. Los Angeles, CA: Entrepreneurial Studies Center on School, University of California, Los Angeles. Watson, B. S. (1995). 9-12.

The intern turnaround.

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Management Review,