MIP Sponsor Guidelines
Scope of Responsibilities
Summary of Intern Academic Requirements
Advisor-Intern Initial Meeting
Management Reports
Performance Evaluations
Communication with the Intern and the School
Additional Information
Scope of Responsibilities
The following information is intended to describe the scope of your responsibility, both to the intern who will be working at your company and to Cornell's Management Intern Program (MIP).
The sponsoring organization should designate an advisor who will provide guidance and feedback throughout the internship. The advisor’s role is to be a teacher and mentor, and to closely supervise the work and progress of the intern. It is important that all staff members working with the intern understand the importance of their contribution to the internship experience.
Summary of Intern Academic Requirements
The intern is prepared to make a contribution to your organization as a responsible team member. At the same time, he or she has an important commitment to the School of Hotel Administration to satisfy the academic requirements of the intern program.
While on the internship, the student will:
- complete three to four management reports
- complete two to three hospitality management checklist summaries
- establish professional and personal goals and objectives with the advisor
- initiate five formal performance evaluations with his or her advisor
- maintain an ongoing learning journal
Upon his or her return to Cornell. the student will:
- deliver an oral presentation to students and administrators
- participate in a debriefing, including a discussion of his or her summary observation statement
back to top
Advisor-Intern Initial Meeting
Within the first few days of the intern's arrival at your company, the advisor and the intern should have a formal meeting. After this meeting, the intern will set broad learning objectives for the internship, which will form the basis for further evaluations and goal setting. We ask you to review these learning objectives and provide feedback to the intern. The intern’s final professional/personal development objectives will then outline what steps should be taken during the internship to achieve the stated goals.
The initial meeting serves as a good opportunity to discuss projects the intern can complete that will benefit your organization and serve as the basis for management reports. Exposure to management planning and decision-making distinguishes a management internship from a general work experience. We appreciate your efforts to include management meetings in the intern’s schedule whenever possible.
Management Reports
In addition to day-to-day responsibilities, the program requires the intern to complete and submit three to four management reports. These reports must analyze a current issue or opportunity for change at your organization, and provide a reasonable, well-substantiated recommendation.
The intern and the advisor should determine topics for the reports jointly. Interns with consulting firms may use reports that they have prepared for clients as the basis for management reports. The intern will ask you to evaluate/react to the reports by completing an Advisor Comment Sheet before sending the report to the school. Report grades are based on both the report itself, and on your feedback.
Performance Evaluations
During the internship, the advisor (or other staff members working with the intern) will be required to complete five performance evaluations at regular intervals. These evaluations will be the basis of the student's 6-credit, pass/fail grade. The evaluations should be based on the intern’s fulfillment of previously agreed-upon goals, as well as day-to-day performance. The intern is responsible for initiating these evaluation meetings and sending the completed evaluation forms to the school.
The completion of the performance evaluations will provide valuable feedback for the intern. We appreciate your commitment as an advisor to meet with the student on a regular basis to assess progress, answer questions, review schedules, and provide candid feedback.
Communication
Communication among the school, the company, and the intern is very important. During the internship, the student is required to make periodic phone calls to the intern administrators. Topics discussed during these calls include student's current objectives, insights, and special projects.
Additional Information
We provide each intern with a manual describing the academic requirements. You may want to request that the intern share the manual with you. We hope that the internship is mutually beneficial for you and for the intern. You can be proud of the important contribution you are making to the hospitality industry and to hospitality education. If, at any time during the internship, you have issues or concerns you wish to discuss, please contact us.