Gerontology Internships and Volunteering

Students in the Gerontology Minor must complete an internship at an appropriate agency or facility. Students are expected to contact organizations for their placement. All undergraduate gerontology minors must inform the Director of Gerontology about their proposed internship sites.

There are plenty of volunteer opportunities as well. Students may choose to join the Shippensburg Gerontological Organization, which is a student volunteer club that serves older adults in the Shippensburg community.

Required Internship Materials from the Agency, Facility or Organization

After making the initial contact with the organization, and obtaining approval of the site from Dr. Bourassa, students may be required to participate in an interview process for selection by the organization. Once the position is secured, the following items must be sent to Dr. Bourassa before the first day of work at the site:

1. A letter from the student's supervisor addressed to Dr. Bourassa on agency letterhead. This letter will describe the internship duties (direct contact with older adults). This letter will also confirm that the student will work 40 hours for each academic credit. Internships must involve 120 hours of work for 3 credits, however, students are allowed to work 240 hours for 6 credits.
2. The contact information (phone number and email) of the student's workplace supervisor.
3. A brochure, pamphlet or information guidebook from the agency or facility should be submitted as well.

Facility Internship Advisor

The facility internship advisor may assign readings, require a journal, require a paper or require a presentation from the student. Faculty internship advisors will make contact with the internship supervisor at mid-term and at the end of the semester to inquire about the performance of the student intern. Faculty internship advisors visit the workplace to meet with the student and his/her supervisor at the end of the semester.  Students are reminded that they must meet the expectations of their internship supervisor in the workplace and the academic expectations of the faculty internship advisor. Any faculty member who teaches a course in the SU Gerontology Minor, or who serves on the SU Interdisciplinary Gerontology Council, may serve as a facility internship advisor. The faculty internship advisor assigns a grade of Pass or Fail at the end of the academic semester.