Psychology Department

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Volunteering, Community-Based Learning, and Internships

In addition to academic work inside the classroom, Muhlenberg's Psychology students frequently engage in volunteer work, community-based learning experiences, and internships.  These experiences are invaluable ways for student to explore their career interests and to learn about civic engagement, community, leadership, and important social justice issues.  Muhlenberg's Community Service & Civic Engagement Office administrates many of the volunteer opportunities and emphasizes the goal of Muhlenberg and Allentown communities connecting in meaningful, reciprocal relationships in which each party learns from the other.

Volunteering

Students interested in volunteering are encouraged to visit the Community Service & Civic Engagement Office, both on the web and in person (lower level of Seeger's Union).

Community-Based Learning

Community-based, or service, learning combines lessons within the classroom and in community to reinforce knowledge and address community needs and desires. Service-learning courses engage students, faculty and community in mutually beneficial relationships allowing for programs/projects that enhance community and provide students the opportunity for reflection on experiences. For example, students in Dr. Sinno's Fall 2010 Advanced Developmental Psychology Lab partnered with South Mountain Middle School to aid South Mountain in increasing family engagement and community connectedness. Students developed measures, and collected and analyzed data from a representative sample of middle school students, family members, teachers and administrators. Students in Dr. Harring's Health Psychology class have done many projects, including designing, implementing and evaluating community interventions to address childhood obesity in collaboration with the Allentown Health Bureau and St Luke's Community Health Program. Psychology of Adolescence, Psychology of Women, and Child Psychopathology are additional examples of classes which often include a service-learning component. 

Internships

An internship is a work experience characterized by intentional learning.  During this experience, the student assumes a responsible role in an organization and actively reflects on what he or she is observing or learning. Muhlenberg Psychology students have held internships in many different settings. Check out the list of opportunities below for leads on possible internships. This list is not complete (and may not be up-to-date); it is just a starting point.  Muhlenberg students may want to check with Dr. Scuitto, Dr. Bips, Dr. Richmond, or Dr. Tjeltveit about clinical and school psychology internships. Contact Professor Wolfe at wolfe@muhlenberg.edu with additions or corrections.

Muhlenberg Psychology Majors
Declared majors can access a list of internship sites with contact information via Blackboard.

Muhlenberg Career Center  - Jobs & Internships Resources
http://www.muhlenberg.edu/main/aboutus/careercenter/students/job/jobs.html

American Psychological Association list of research & internship opportunities
http://www.apa.org/education/undergrad/research-opps.aspx  

Muhlenberg College Admissions Office
See Dr. Harring for more information about these competitive internships.

Lehigh Valley Health Network Summer Scholars Program

The Research Scholar Program provides structured educational research opportunities for undergraduate students. The summer session spans 8 weeks, and the fall and spring sessions span 10 weeks each. Within each session, students apply for positions offered by health network departments. Each position involves a combination of research, as well as professional and clinical observations. The program offers educational experience for students and additionally provides valuable assistance to health network departments. For more information, visit: http://www.lvh.org/researchscholar. 

Lehigh Valley Hospital - Hospital Elder Life Program, Allentown PA

This is a research driven initiative which may be of interest to Muhlenberg College students who want to work with older adults, but also an opportunity for other students to get more applied research experience.  Please contact the Muhlenberg's Office of Community Service & Civic Engagement if you want more information.  

Market Research Internship, Marketing Department - The Morning Call, Allentown PA

The internship responsibilities will depend largely on the active projects during the term of the internship, but examples of responsibilities include:  assist with tabulation and analysis of research using SPSS, analyze and assemble research data to create audience and marketing profiles, assist in developing a program of research to monitor the competition, assist with news content analysis, organize and conduct panel discussions. This is an unpaid internship.  For more information click here.

Social Perception, Action and Motivation Undergraduate Summer Internship: Summer 2013 (NYU): Deadline - April 12th

New York University's Social Perception Action and Motivation Lab, run by Dr. Emily Balcetis, is inviting applications for the 2013 Summer Undergraduate Internship in New York City. This 8-week, research intensive experience intends to offer students hands-on training experiences with research methods, data analysis, presentation, and writing in various domains within social cognition. We particularly invite undergraduate students from liberal arts and community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, members of underrepresented groups in the sciences, and students with limited opportunity for research at their home institutions. Applications are due April 12th, 2013. For more info, please visit the lab website.

Clinical Research Assistant (Kent State University): Deadline - April 15th

The Child Anxiety Research (CARe) Program and Pediatric Health and Stress Laboratory (located in the Department of Psychology at Kent State University) are looking for a full-time (40 hrs/week) clinical research assistant to aid in the conduct of several ongoing projects. This position would begin in May or June of 2013, and we ask for a two-year commitment.  To apply, please send a cover letter, resume/CV, and two written recommendations by email to Dr. Christopher A. Flessner (cflessne@kent.edu) no later than April 15th, 2013. For more information, please open the following document (DOC).

Social Psychology / Social Justice Research Assistantship: Summer 2013 (UCLA)

Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff’s Psychology of Social Justice Lab (PSJL) at UCLA is currently accepting applications for volunteer research assistants this summer! PSJL is a social psychology lab interested in basic and translational social justice research. Specifically, we look at issues of racial and gender disparities, immigration policy, the treatment of children across real world settings (e.g., in schools, within criminal justice contexts, within organizations). Our summer research assistants will gain hands-on experience with these issues in both the laboratory and real-world settings. For more info, please visit the following link (PDF).

National Alliance to End Homelessness (Multiple Opportunities)

The National Alliance to End Homelessness is a leading voice on the issue of homelessness. The Alliance analyzes policy and develops proven, sensible policy solutions. We work collaboratively with the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to build state and local capacity, leading to stronger programs which help homeless individuals and families make positive changes in their lives. We provide data and research to policymakers and advocate for improved policy. For information on currently available interships, please click the following link.

Insulation Corporation of America (Summer 2013)

Insulation Corporation is offering a summer internship to assist in the creation of concepts, branding, advertising and marketing. The applicant must be proficient in the Microsoft Outlook and Excel, along with a willingness to learn new techniques and take part in collaborative training, which will allow ICA to grow in today’s market. This paid internship offers a $2500 stipend. For more info or to apply, contact Sandy Posocco (VP of Business Development) at sandy.posocco@insulationcorp.com

Center for Children and Families - Summer Treatment Program

The CCF hires Undergraduate Counselors, plus several Developmental Aides and Research Assistants for the STP each summer. The STP is for children and adolescents with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Conduct Disorder (CD), or Oppositional-Defiant Disorder (ODD). The STP is conducted every summer. For more information, see Program Overview. Interns are compensated with either a stipend or academic course credit, which must be arranged by the student through his/her own university department or Florida International University (FIU) prior to the beginning of the program. FIU currently offers twelve credits for participating in the program. During the first week of the program, all employees will undergo intensive training conducted by the Center for Children and Families staff. The selection process is highly competitive and interested students are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Students who wish to apply for more than one position should submit only one set of application materials. Positions are available for high school students, undergraduate students and recent graduates. To apply, please visit http://careers.fiu.edu (search keyword STP).

Additional Summer Treatment Program Sites
For information and to see if the programs are recruiting interns, contact these sites directly.

Wediko Children's Services in New Hampshire

Wediko is a non-profit agency located in Boston with 70 years of experience dedicated to children whose learning, social development and self-direction is lagging. During the summer months, Wediko operates its Summer Program 100 miles north of Boston in Windsor, NH. The Wediko Summer Program is a short term residential treatment program that serves approximately 150 children with emotional and behavioral difficulties. Each year, we hire a group of dedicated, ambitious, and talented individuals to make the program meaningful and successful for each child. We offer a unique opportunity for students in a variety of majors to teach art, athletics, theatre, mountain biking, fishing, and other water based activities. There is also an opportunity for students who are interested in teaching in the classroom and direct care positions. Many applicants are interested in job and graduate school options for the future. One of the most exciting parts of working at Wediko is the diversity of professional training, including: special education, therapeutic recreation, counseling and school psychology, research, social work, psychiatric and community nursing, and psychiatry. Senior Wediko staff will talk about these professional growth opportunities in the summer. A strong Wediko reference travels well - both in job-hunting and in the graduate school application process. The ability to meet the physical demands of a rugged 450-acre campus is required. We do not have a set application deadline. Hiring decisions are made on a rolling basis. For more information and to request an application, visit our web site at http://www.wediko.org/staff/wediko-summer-staff.

Davidson-Broughton Summer Study Program, North Carolina

Davidson College sponsors an eight-week summer program for undergraduates which includes coursework and an internship at Broughton Hospital in Morganton, N.C., a state psychiatric facility serving western North Carolina. Students complete one practicum course credit in which students work in the hospital and meet weekly. Participants work with hospital professionals as observers and assistants in patient treatment programs. In past years placement options have included the Divisions of Adult Admission Division, the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Division or the Specialty Services Division, which includes the adolescent, geropsychiatry, and medical units. For more information, visit http://www3.davidson.edu/cms/x31462.xml.

Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues (SPSSI) Student Internship Program in Washington, DC

SPSSI has year round opportunities for graduate student and undergraduate student internships at the SPSSI Central Office in Washington DC. Interns assist SPSSI staff on various projects. Depending on the intern's training and skills, the time of the year and what projects are on the "front burner," interns may work with us on a range of communications, or administrative projects, such as providing research and/or editorial assistance needed to prepare materials for publication; researching or writing new content for SPSSI website; posting and editing content on SPSSI website; communicating with SPSSI members on various issues assisting association management and administration tasks. For more information, visit http://www.spssi.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.viewpage&pageid=957.

National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness Activist Internships

Meet new people, get involved in your community, learn important skills, and make a difference on the issues that matter. Interns take on a leadership role within a campaign, and in many cases are able to receive course credit for their work. We are now accepting applications for our spring internship program. Muhlenberg College students will organize with students across the nation on our Spring 2013 campaign, the Hunger Cleanup, and learn how to make a difference on poverty issues in their community. You'll learn how to recruit a team, plan an event, and build grassroots support for the campaign, as well as learning how to educate your peers on the issue. Apply here today: www.studentsagainsthunger.org


Opportunities in Related Disciplines

Search for a non-scientific summer job at the National Institute of Health: http://www.jobs.nih.gov/

NIH Summer Internship and other Programs: http://www.training.nih.gov/student/index.asp

Department of Energy opportunities for life scientists: http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/scied/sci_ed.htm

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Internship Program: http://orise.orau.gov/doescholars