November 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 36

FUTURE LEADERS

SUPERVISING INTERNS: IT'S WORTH YOUR TIME!

their criteria, expectations, and requirements for interns, and use their
guidelines to help create your intern
program. In efforts to recruit quality interns, inform the students about
your speciﬁc opportunities and commitment to creating quality learning
experiences. Send regular correspondence to the intern coordinators, career centers, and/or academic advisors,
because they are relying on you to help
in the learning process and can encourage their students to make needed changes.
During interviews, treat potential interns the same as you would any other professional applicant. As with any
other applicant, it is important to only
hire individuals that you feel will be a

good ﬁt for your agency because they
may at some point represent you and
your organization.
Once they are hired, you need to " let
go " and let them do the duties you have
assigned. Do not micromanage. Create a regular communication plan with
them so you can be their guide on the
side and really allow them to learn the
ropes. This will give them the opportunity to grow, and give you the opportunity to work on other responsibilities. It
is important to not let supervising an
intern consume your time. They are
there to complete certain tasks and assist you in growing your programs and
organization. Too much time spent micromanaging will damage the learning
process and efficiency of the internship

and its purpose.
You will impact the person you hire.
Will it be an experience that they positively recall and work to mirror as they
grow professionally? Or will it be an
experience that they wish they never had? It is up to you. As in your everyday work, if you are prepared, plan,
and communicate, you will personally
succeed and plant the seeds for growing future successful professionals. It
is worth your time and theirs.
LoriKay Paden, CPRP, is an academic
advisor in the Department of Recreation,
Sport, and Tourism at the University of
Illinois. She also has more than 20 years
of experience as a park and recreation
professional and is the past president of
the Illinois Park and Recreation
Association (lkpaden@illinois.edu).

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November 2012 - Parks & Recreation

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