Guide to Supervision of Student Internships
2015-2016 Supervisors/Mentors
Expectations of Supervisor/Mentors
Supervisor-mentors play a critical role in the effectiveness of internships for ministry formation. This cannot be overemphasized. Charlene Jin Lee, professor of Christian education at San Francisco Seminary, has said that we form students whom we supervise/mentor as they experience us: “They learn who we are…so we must be authentically present for formation to take place.” As formational learning, it is a process by which the student becomes a certain kind of thinking, feeling, and acting being (M. Floding, Welcome to Theological Field Education, 2011, p.10).
· Hospitality – intentionality about helping the student gain a sense of belonging, conveying that the internship really matters to you and your church or organization; active listening that is attentive to the student’s changing needs.
· Oversight – opportunities for learning and serving, with guidance and observation of those activities and behaviors in accordance with clearly defined expectations and boundaries.
· Teaching – being a resource for new information through word and action, while also employing others in the community to teach from their particular skill sets.
· Reporting – assessment at the end of each semester that exhibits the fruit of ongoing honest and compassionate feedback.
· Time – consistent mentor meetings and occasions for informal conversation that include sharing their own faith and pastoral journey. Students regularly report that the one thing that would have enhanced their internship was more time with their supervisors.
· Education – an attitude of lifelong learning about your own practice and professional identity as well as interest in enhancing your supervision and mentoring of others, e.g., greater attention to and respect for cultural differences.
Expectations that Supervisors can have of the OSM
· Training and continuing education – an orientation session each year, occasional events for supervisor-mentors each year, substantive resources for supervision and mentoring on our website, plus information and access to innumerable special events at YDS.
· Communication – regular OSM updates and announcements of YDS opportunities and events.
· Problem solving – the Director is responsible for management of internship outcomes and encourages immediate consultation if any internship problem arises.
· Accessibility – the Director is available to supervisors and students to answer questions, receive suggestions, consult on best practices, respond to complaints, etc.
· Student preparation – OSM conducts a mandatory professional ethics workshop and orientation for students for a successful internship experience. The weekly practicum provides student support and realignment with the goals of ministry formation. Note: Yale University does not conduct background checks on its students. Please communicate with your student intern about any training or other requirements they must meet.
Supervisor/Mentor Privileges
We are grateful for the important partnership we share with our Supervised Ministry sites and our supervisors/ mentors. As a small expression of our appreciation, we are pleased to provide these benefits while you are hosting a student internship.
Auditing YDS courses. Simply let Lucinda Huffaker know of your interest, and then contact the professor to make sure the course can accommodate an auditor. The most current course schedule can be viewed here: http://students.yale.edu/oci/search.jsp. Under Program/subject, select Divinity School. You can participate in the Summer Study program at a significantly reduced rate (in 2013, $175 instead of $325).
Use of Yale libraries. Go to the Information Desk at Sterling Memorial Library (on the right as you walk toward the circulation desk) and your name will be on a Privileges list that Lucinda sends to them each year. You will be issued a card free of charge that you can use at all the Yale libraries. See www.library.yale.edu for all sorts of information. If you know you will only be checking books out of the Divinity School library, it is possible to obtain a Divinity-only card. Simply ask at the Divinity Library desk and tell them you are a Supervisor on Lucinda’s list. However, we strongly encourage you to obtain the Yale card so that you can do things like request a book from Sterling.
Payne Whitney Gym membership. Go to the Membership Office at Payne Whitney Gym (PWG) and your name will be on a list. This privilege lets you join the gym at the faculty rate, which is $300/yr. See http://sportsandrecreation.yale.edu/payne-whitney-gym/payne-whitney-gym-membership-information for PWG information and rates.
10% discount at the YDS Bookstore. A supervisor privilege that the bookstore also extends to members of the clergy and YDS alums. You are also encouraged to purchase a bookstore membership for an annual fee of $25 (July-July); members save 15% on purchases. See http://divinity.yale.edu/sbs-main for hours and other information.
Membership in the Ministry Resource Center-The MRC is part of the YDS Library, so your library card enables you to check out MRC material. This privilege applies only to you as an individual. We encourage your institution to join the MRC; fees start at $94/year and are based on congregation size. See www.library.yale.edu/div/mrc/.
Procedures for Addressing Conflict
If during the course of an internship the intern, supervisor, or Director of Supervised Ministries feels that a problem has arisen and the Learning Agreement is not being honored, the following steps are taken:
1. The intern, supervisor, and Director meet at YDS to discuss the problem and attempt to identify a solution that will ensure learning on the part of the student while retaining the integrity of the internship. If it is impossible to meet at YDS, other arrangements will be made.
2. If necessary, a second meeting takes place within two weeks, involving other persons as applicable and appropriate.
3. If a resolution is reached that involves continuing the internship, the Learning Covenant is modified as necessary and signed by all three.
4. If the resolution involves terminating the internship, the Director writes an explanation and provides it to all parties, including the Dean of Academic Affairs and/or the Dean of Berkeley.
5. In the case of disagreement, the Director makes a final decision about continuing or terminating the internship.
6. In the event that an internship is terminated after the deadline for withdrawal, the student receives a No Credit grade and the Director’s written statement is placed in the student’s permanent academic file. Any appeal to remove the No Credit grade must be directed to the Professional Studies Committee.
7. If the Director determines that the supervisor or site primarily caused the problem leading to the termination, the site will be reevaluated with respect to future participation in the part-time internship program. If the Director determines that the student primarily caused the problem, he or she will receive a notation on his or her transcript indicating a failure of supervised ministry.
In the event of illness or other serious problems that prevent the intern from fulfilling the Learning Covenant, the intern and/or supervisor notifies the Director of Supervised Ministries. If possible, the three arrange a leave of absence, after which the student works additional hours to compensate for lost time. If this is determined not possible, the student may withdraw from the internship (see # 6 above). Deadlines and fees for terminating or withdrawing from an internship follow the same calendar and policies set by the Registrar, as for all courses.
The Office of Supervised Ministries at Yale Divinity School
5/2015