Internship Resources for Faculty & Staff

Faculty and mentors are among the most important influences on students’ career development. Research shows that when students have someone who encourages their goals and dreams, they are more likely to find purpose in their work after graduation. At Appalachian State, internships are a vital bridge between classroom learning and career success—and faculty support plays a central role in making these experiences possible.

Internship Inventory: Log In, Approval, Tracking & Reporting

The Internship Inventory is a web-based application designed to:

Manage the internship approval process
Track student enrollment records
Provide a database for internship reporting

📄 [Download the Approval Flow Chart]

Students

Students seeking internship approval begin by speaking with their academic department.

Faculty

Faculty who approve internships must have access to the Internship Inventory.

To request access or adjust permissions, contact your department’s signature authority.
For login issues, contact Jennifer Shaffer at shafferjl@appstate.edu or x3066.

Signature Authority & Dean Approval

Faculty with signature authority can:

Approve internships through the Inventory
Sign the internship contract as a university representative
Forward records for dean approval once departmental requirements are met

📄 [Signature-Authority-Responsibilities]

Internship Contract

The internship contract outlines the responsibilities of the University, student intern, and host site. It is automatically generated within the Internship Inventory and must be signed by all parties. Once complete, upload the signed document to the student’s record in the system.

Affiliation Agreements

Some sites require an affiliation agreement. These must be prepared with the Office of General Counsel and signed by the Provost. Contact Jennifer Shaffer (x3066) to confirm if an agreement already exists for your student’s site.

Reporting

Faculty can easily generate reports in the Internship Inventory by using the search function and exporting results to a spreadsheet. For more complex or combined reporting, contact Jennifer Shaffer at shafferjl@appstate.edu.

📄 [View the User Guide for Internship Inventory Updates]

Help & Feature Requests

Technical Issues: Submit a help ticket via the IT Service Desk.
Feature Suggestions: Use the [Internship Inventory Feature Request Form]. Requests are reviewed by the Internship Inventory Work Group, a subcommittee of the Internship Advisory Council.

State Authorization: Domestic Internships

For internships in the U.S. and its territories, review the:

📄 [State Authorization Internship Resources]
📄 [State Authorization Internship Handbook]

Need the NC-SARA Google Workbook outlining requirements by state? Contact Adryona Nelson at nelsomam1@appstate.edu or call x7559.

International Internships

International internships require both departmental and university approval:

Departmental Approval – Faculty confirm that the site aligns with student learning goals and degree outcomes.
OIP Certification – The Office of International Programs certifies the country and ensures students complete pre-departure paperwork.

Deadlines: Students must apply no fewer than 15 business days prior to departure or 15 days before Add/Drop, whichever is earlier.

Internship Enrollment & Key Dates

Internships may start/end within the broadest term dates, which may differ from regular course schedules.
If dates fall outside the term, students must submit the Academic Course Meeting Dates Exception Form through the Internship Inventory.
Important dates include:
- Drop/Add: 5th day of fall/spring terms; 2nd day of summer terms.
- Census: 10th day of fall/spring; 3rd day of summer.

📅 View all key dates at the [Registrar’s Academic Calendar].

Tuition, Fees & Insurance

Students are charged tuition/fees for credit hours earned through internships.
All interns are automatically enrolled in professional and general liability insurance; fees are billed to their student accounts.
To assist students with tuition and fees details, see our internships page and the Student Accounts tuition and fees page.

Insurance Details:

Policy runs from Aug 15 – Aug 14 each year.
Internships must occur within policy coverage dates.
Need a Certificate of Insurance (COI)? Contact Jennifer Shaffer at shafferjl@appstate.edu.

Internship Eligibility & Policies

University-wide policies are published in the Graduate and Undergraduate Bulletins.
Departments may set additional GPA, prerequisite, or program-specific requirements.

📄 [View Undergraduate & Graduate Bulletins]

Background Checks & Drug Panels

Faculty may request these through the Internship Inventory. Our provider, Certiphi, contacts students to complete the process via ApplicationStation. Results are sent to students, who must share them with their internship site.

Internship Advisory Council

The Internship Advisory Council supports policy development and program improvement. Membership includes faculty, staff, and administrators from:

Academic Departments
Office of International Education & Development (OIED)
Registrar’s Office
Career Development Center
State Authorization
Financial Aid
Legal Counsel

Meetings are held twice per semester. Faculty with Signature Authority are invited to attend.

National Standards

All internships at Appalachian State adhere to:

U.S. Department of Labor: [Fact Sheet #71 – Internship Programs under FLSA]
NACE Career Readiness Competencies [Career Readiness]

Quick Contacts

Internship Inventory Access & Reports – Jennifer Shaffer (shafferjl@appstate.edu, x3066)
State Authorization – Adryona Nelson (nelsomam1@appstate.edu, x7559)
International Internships – Office of International Programs (OIP)

✅ Faculty play a critical role in helping students connect academic learning with professional experience. By guiding students through the internship process, you not only ensure compliance with university policies but also support their long-term career success.