Expanding internship opportunities

File photo / EOU’s anthropology program has an existing partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, and faculty from across academic disciplines are invited to learn more about getting students engaged with internships through the new Charter Ranger District Thursday, Oct. 27.

Charter Ranger District expands opportunities for student internships, faculty research

LA GRANDE, Ore. October 20, 2016 – An innovative and practical partnership is launching in Northeast Oregon, and it is bringing expanded learning opportunities in recreation and resource management to students and faculty at Eastern Oregon University.

After three years of planning, leading entities for Union, Baker and Wallowa counties ­­– EOU, Wallowa Resources and the U.S. Forest Service – have implemented a new community engagement framework called the Wallowa-Whitman Charter Ranger District.

Internships are at the forefront for EOU, and an event highlighting how faculty can help students become involved is coming up Thursday, Oct. 27. A reception with refreshments is planned from 5-7 p.m. in the Loso Hall lobby, featuring an information fair where professors can meet and make connections with specialists from Wallowa Resources and the Forest Service.

A formal memorandum of understanding will also be signed by Nils Christoffersen, executive director of Wallowa Resources, Tom Montoya, Wallowa-Whitman Forest supervisor, and Tom Insko, EOU president.

“The goal is to engage with the community and provide real-world experiences for students,” said Randy Jones with the Northeast and Greater Eastern Regional Solutions Center housed at EOU.

Jones is a member of the charter planning committee and coordinates internships through the Regional Solutions Center, working closely with EOU’s Career Services Center. The university’s new minor in outdoor recreation and leadership is just one example of an area that could be connected to internships, he said, and EOU’s anthropology program already has a partnership with the Forest Service.

Other examples include STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), business, teaching and communications, but opportunities span all academic areas. A catalog of internships is being created with the goal of placing students in positions by next summer. In addition to education, the charter’s other key focus areas are landscape stewardship, recreation and heritage.

For more information contact Jones at 503-734-4193 or Peter Maille with EOU’s College of Business at 541-962-3371.