Overview of the MTS Internship Program

To become an intern, one must have completed The Evaluation Center's Summer Evaluation Institute training. This means one will have at least an introductory knowledge of evaluation theory and methods. The intern program is intended to be follow-up, hands-on training for participants.

The Evaluation Center surveys Summer Evaluation Institute participants for interest in the internship program. Project staff invite a limited number to participate each year.

When selected, a participant will provide assistance and guidance in developing and conducting an evaluation plan for an NSF project. Interns engage in up to 10 days (80 hours) of program evaluation work, primarily with NSF-ATE (Advanced Technological Education) projects.

A successful candidate will be paired with an ATE project that is located within a reasonable distance (approximately 200 miles) from the participant's home. This is to assure easy access to the project during the evaluation.

The ATE representative will collaborate on a work plan with each participant, which will be presented to The Evaluation Center for approval. A specified amount of time (a few months) is given to complete the 10 days of evaluation work. A mentor from The Evaluation Center will be assigned to provide supervision, counsel, and resources throughout the internship. A final report (5-8 pages) will be submitted to the ATE collaborator and The Evaluation Center at the close of the internship.

A contract is required to be paid at the rate of $175/day (up to 10 days) for your work. The MTS grant covers expenses up to $1000 for involvement in the evaluation such as phone calls, site visits, or ATE updates.

Participants are required to attend a two-day orientation meeting at The Evaluation Center in Kalamazoo. Copies of key documents from the ATE project will be sent before the orientation where a meeting with the assigned ATE representative will be held to begin collaborating on an evaluation work plan. The project will cover travel expenses (airfare, lodging, per diem) for interns and ATE representatives up to $1000 per person.