Community Engagement Internship (SOC 4940)

In Fall 2023, we launched our Community Engagement Internship Program. Through the Community Engagement Internship, we place students with community partners in the Chattanooga region. Our sponsoring organizations help students gain practical job experience and learn the ropes of a particular field. At the same time, these internships involve a high degree of intentionality: through reflection and analysis, students apply insights from the classroom to their internship experience. Partner organizations include a wide variety of public, private, and non-profit institutions such as Green | Spaces, Chattanooga Design Studio, the National Park Service, and Lookout Mountain Conservancy.  

To participate in the Community Engagement Internship, students must attend an orientation, meet with the Internship Coordinator, and file the application to the internship coordinator no later than the first day of registration for the semester in which the student wishes to take the course. Orientation dates will be announced through the UTC Anthropology Majors and Minors Canvas site. For more information, contact Dr. Chandra Ward ([email protected]u)

SOC 4940/ANTH 4950:Community Engagement Internship

Students are placed with an organization for at least one semester under the supervision of the organization. Although the intern is a registered student at UTC and receives college credit for this program, the intern serves under the authority of the organization and must abide by the general rules and regulations of the organization that provides the internship. At the termination of the internship, the student should have a acquired a basic knowledge of the organization, with a concentrated work experience in some activity in the student's particular area of interest. The student is expected to begin work at the designated organization at the start of the semester, usually on the first day of classes. The student, unless there is a special situation or problem, will remain at the organization until the required number of hours are completed.

Students must meet the following qualifications:

• The student must have at least a 2.75 GPA
• Must be a Junior or Senior
• Must have completed ANTH 2500 and/or SOC 1510
• Complete personal interview with the Internship Coordinator (Dr. Chandra Ward)
• Receive approval of the instructor
• Must adhere to the general rules and regulation of the organization and UTC.

To see the experiences that our students had, you can read our Student's reflections on Internships.