Your internship should enable you to achieve one of the primary goals of our sociological curriculum--the ability to apply what you have learned in the classroom. As an intern, you have extended opportunities to link theories, concepts and ideas to concrete situations, and to apply the sociological perspective in a work place setting just as we hope you will after graduation. Internships are a real life laboratory within a supportive environment. They offer the opportunity to connect formal education to the analysis and understanding of the social world, at the same time providing service to the community.
 
        As currently described in the undergraduate bulletin, the prerequisites for an internship are junior standing, a GPA of 3.0 in sociology, a 2.5 overall GPA, a major or minor in sociology, at least 12 hours of sociology courses, and permission of the instructor.  Other prerequisites may vary depending on the nature of the placement (background checks, previous training, TB tests, etc.). An internship is not just on-the-job training; it is also an opportunity to meaningfully apply and use your knowledge and thus should come at or near the end of your academic career.   There are academic requirements that go along with the time spent at your placement site. Your grade is based on a combination of the placement supervisor's evaluation and the evaluation of the faculty advisor.
 
    Credit is variable, depending on the number of hours spent at your placement site. Generally, three hours of internship per week are required for one hour of academic credit; a typical three hour course requires nine hours of internship placement per week or 120 hours per semester. Students can earn up to a total of six hours of credit for internship(s). Internships are available both fall and spring semester. If you have any questions, please contact Ann Stein at 953-6547.

     Please note that Career Services has internships that do not offer academic credit, but still provide experience for you.  It is possible to receive notation on your transcript that you have completed an internship.  For more information, see the Career Services/Internship web page.  Note that many internships are listed on Cistern Online and some of them might also be appropriate for receiving credit in sociology.  I suggest that you view those listings too as you search for an internship.

     The following list is not inclusive, but gives an idea of the types of placements available. They have either had an intern recently or have requested one. Other internships can be arranged as well. Please note--these are the most recent names that I have, but there may have been staff changes since the list was compiled. If you find an incorrect name, please let me know.  Internships appropriate for gerontology are marked with ++. If you are interested in a gerontology internship, contact Professor Brenda Sanders. For a sociology internship, contact Professor Ann Stein.

Internships that are related to crime and law are listed here. If you are a crime, law and society minor, contact Dr. Heath Hoffmann or visit the Crime, Law and Society web page.

Sociology Internships

American Red Cross:  Lisa Miller-Wills  764-2323 ext. 364

Students may have opportunites for placements in public relations, volunteer services, disaster services, RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program), and Armed Forces Emergency Services departments.

++Ansonborough House Independent Living :   723-8613

Students assist the service coordinator with various tasks, including operating a food store, assessing residents, planning activities and handling administrative tasks related to federal and state programs for seniors.

++Bishop Gadsden:  Cynthia Marterre   762-3300

Students have many options to intern in the different levels of care (independent living, assisted living, skillled nursing) available at this continuing care retirement community.

Boys and Girls Club of the Trident Area: Neesha Patel 937-6523

Interns have the opportunity to divide the internship into three segments: working with programs, working with the administration and learning how non-profits operate, and working with Reading Soulmates. You can also concentrate in just one of these areas.

Carolina Youth Development Center:  Laura Erickson  266-5259

    Among the services CYDC provides are two emergency shelters for children, a residential treatment center for adolescent boys, a day treatment program  providing educational and therapeutic services for elementary and middle school students, a preparation for independent living program for girls aging out of foster care, the Big Brothers/ Big Sisters program, and the Bakker Career Center.  Internship opportunites may be available in several programs.

Center for Women: Jennet Robinson Alterman  763-7333

Students can work to provide information and resources to women; interns may answer referral questions, organize projects and special events, develop mailings and help staff the organization.

Charles Webb Center: Tricia Burgess 852-5545

Students can work with children from birth to age ten with a diagnosed functional/physical disability and various developmental delays in order to improve social skills.  Students assist team leaders with daily routine.

++Charleston Area Senior Citizens Services, Inc.: Sandy Clair 722-4127

Students will have the opportunity to work with this broad based activity and service center within walking distance; other services offered for older persons include employment services, Foster Grandparent Program, food and recreational programs and case management.

  Charleston Area Therapeutic Riding: Murray Neale  559-6040

This organization provides therapeutic riding for special needs children; intern does not have to know how to ride.  The program is at Brickhouse Plantation on Johns Island.

Charleston Center:    Charlie Stinson   958-3300

This program provides a variety of outpatient and residential treatment programs for chemically dependent adults and adolescents and inmates at the County Detention Center.

Charleston County Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department:  Karen Nugent  762-8062

This department provides a diverse sytem of park facilities, programs and services.  Opportunities are very varied.  In addition to recreation, opportunities include a wide variety of supprotive serivces such as human resources and capital projects.

 Charleston-Dorchester Mental Health Center:       Sherri Dangerfield  852-3633 ext. 133

Internships may be available in a number of different programs serving children or adults, including day treatment programs and residential care facilities.

Charleston Housing Authority, Office of Special Housing Needs: Ileen Harvey 720-3692

Intern will assist with social services for residents in transitional housing including the homeless, homeless veterans, physically and mentally challenged individuals, and those with other special needs.  Student will work to develop collaborative resources for those in the transitional housing at Enston Homes.

Coastal Community Foundation: Angel Johnson 723-3635

Students may work with program development, grant making activities and donor services in a community foundation.

Communities in Schools:    Dana Mong 740-6793

Communities in Schools is a drop-out prevention program with programs in several elementary and middle schools and at Clark Academy, an alternative high school.  Opportunities include mentoring, tutoring, general support, working in after-school programs and assistance and planning for special events.

Crisis Ministries: Jeff Yungman 723-9477

Opportunities include working directly with clients or indirectly on policy and possibly grantwriting, depending on student's interest. Crisis Ministries operates HOME, a shelter for the homeless, as well as feeding, social service, and medical services for the homeless.

Dee Norton Lowcountry Children's Center: Maggie Poandl   723-3600

Interns can support the efforts of The Dee Norton Lowcountry Children's Center (DNLCC) in serving abused children and their families by assisting with a variety of tasks. The intern’s time will be spent with the children in the waiting area, completing administrative tasks, helping with events, and observing staff members for educational purposes.

 Department of Social Services: Pam Brooks 953-9465

Students work with social workers in child protective services which includes foster care, assessment, and treatment.

Disabilities Board of Charleston County:  Evelyn Turner  805-5800 ext. 227

Internships are available in the division of Family Support Services which provides a variety of opportunities in the areas of early intervention, and case management.   The program serves and supports developmentally disabled people as well as those with head and spinal chord injuries.

East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO):     Ashley Collins   849-9220 ext. 11

This community outreach program provides a variety of services including financial assistance, counseling, social and dental services to low-income residents of the East Cooper area.

Earth Force: Anna Richardson 720-8525

The intern will assist the program manager with environmental service learning projects conducted at local schools, supporting students and educators involved in Earth Force's environmental education problem-solving programs.  Duties also include serving as a general assistant to Earth Force staff, including helping to maintain the web site and the database and planning for volunteers and special events.

++Elder Supportline: Elizabeth Spencer 724-7180

Students will work with the director of the elder supportline, the part of  the Charleston police department which investigates reports of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation.  The intern will accompany the director on home visits, court visits, and generally advocate for elderly clients.

++ Elderhostel:  Claire Robinson  953-5488

    The College of Charleston hosts an elderhostel program.  The student will work with the director to prepare for upcoming groups of seniors coming in and also work with the Elderhostel-ers who are in town for their program.

Florence Crittenton Programs:  Jessica Williams         722-7526

 This organization provides educational, medical and support services which address teen pregnancy and young single mothers and their babies through a residential program, a day program and a family development program. 

Guardian Ad Litem: Charlene Gadsden 958-4350

Guardians provide legal representation for abused children.  Interns must complete training before beginning the internship.
 
++Hospice of Charleston: Jillian Hollingworth 529-3100

This internship provides the student with the opportunity to either work directly with Hospice patients or to work in the office to support the programs that Hospice provides.  This internship also can provide the opportunity to work in the free-standing Hospice facility.
 
211 Hotline: Sonia Donnelly  566-7186

Trident United Way’s 2-1-1 Hotline is a 24 hour general counseling, information and referral and crisis intervention hotline.  Interns may be trained in counseling techniques and crisis intervention skills to help staff the hotline and will also have the opportunity to network with other agencies, help with tricounty-wide outreach events, and learn about the inner-workings of a non-profit.

Humanities Foundation:  Debby Waid   856-4120

The intern will assist with ShelterNet, a program that offers assistance to families and individuals to prevent homelessness, by processing referrals and working with data.  This student needs good communication skills, both oral and written.

Institute of Psychiatry, MUSC, STAR Program:  Meredith Lyons-Crews 740-6130

This internship may be available for students to assist teachers and therapists in a day treatment program for outpatient youth.  Opportunities depend on the needs of the program.
 
 Lowcountry AIDS Services:  Bradley Childs  747-2273

Students can assist with planning and implementation of special projects including fund raising, compiling information about AIDS for staff and volunteers, and assisting in multiple facets of a nonprofit organization that serves people with AIDS.
 
++Lutheran Hospice, Lowcountry:  Kathy Barham 296-3647

This internship provides the student with the opportunity to either work directly with Hospice patients or to work in the office to support the programs that Hospice provides. 

Mayor's Office for Children, Youth and Families: Jacquie Kennedy 965-4190

Interns provide general assistance with various projects, including planning and implementing programs.

++Mayor's Office on Aging: Janet Shumacher 577-1389

The student will work with the MOA director to assist in making recommendations to the City for improving services for seniors, researching aging issues and matching seniors in need with appopriate organizations and programs.

Metanoia:  Charmaine Townsend  529-3014

This is a community development corporation with several programs. Students can work with the Young Leaders Program, an after school program, as well as with others.

MUSC Children's Hospital:   Michelle Vandermaas 792-1380

Students can assist Child Life Specialists in providing psychosocial services for children who are either in-patients or out-patients. For more information on what child life specialists do, see child life.
 

Our Lady of Mercy Outreach Services: Sister Carol Wentworth   559-4109

There are different oportunities depending on the student's interest.  Services provided on Johns Island include English as a second language classes, health care and social services.
 

People Against Rape: Melonea Locklair  745-0144

Interns must attend training.  Internships include general assistance and possibility of working with child or adult advocacy services, education, counseling, outreach and fund raising.

++Respite Care Ministries:  Alli Menick   884-3817

     The student will work with an adult respite program designed specifically for persons with Alzheimer's disease and related forms of dementia; one of the centers is within walking distance at St. Matthew's Church.

Ronald McDonald House: Barbara Bond  723-7957

Interns assist in providing supportive services for families of hospitalized children.

Saint Matthew's Community Outreach Center:  Margaret Peck  579-0420 ext.32

There are many different opportunities in this active community center within walking distance of campus.  Students can work with children in after school programs,  with adults in adult literacy and  English as a second language programs, grant writing, program development and assisting the director in  various  aspects of non-profit management.

++Sombery of Mt. Pleasant: Cris Gillespie 654-7900

Students have many options to intern in the different levels of care (independent living, assisted living, respite and memory care) available at this continuing care retirement community.

S.C. Coastal Conservation League:  Tonnia Switzer  723-8035

Internships may be available depending on the current projects of the organization.  Specific projects are often research oriented and focus on public policy.

++Trident Area Agency on Aging: Kate Tebben   554.2238

Student will work with the supervisor to support the newly developed Aging and Disability Resource Center which was designed to take services for those 65+ or disabled out into the community.

Trident Literacy Association: Mary Ann Olwig    747-2223

Students will provide tutoring for adults with low literacy skills and assist with operations of the organization.