Ever heard a colleague or #sagrad saying they did a “NODA”? Wondering what to do over the summer with all that free time graduate school affords you? You should apply for a NODA Internship! NODA is the Association for Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education (formerly known as the National Orientation Directors Association). This is the national organization for knowledge and advancement of orientation and transition programs in higher education and student affairs. The NODA Internship Program connects host institutions and professionals with graduate students seeking to expand their orientation experiences or try something new. Host institutions post 10 – 14 week positions through the association and interested students are able to apply and be matched with their top preferences through an exciting and dynamic selection process.
I had the opportunity to serve as a NODA Intern at Montclair State University, in Montclair, New Jersey, this summer and it was an amazing experience! I’d never worked in orientation prior to applying for the internship and was ready to try a new functional area in the field, knowing I would gain a lot of valuable skills in the process. I was a bit nervous to apply at first, after hearing about how competitive the program was, but took a leap of faith and will be forever grateful for my experience at Montclair State with the team at the Center for Advising and Student Transitions. I am by no means an expert on the application process (having gone through this almost a year ago now) but I hope I can impart some of what I learned for those interested in pursuing this opportunity.
Sifting Through Lots of Postings. To begin the application process, you’ll want to look through the NODA Internship page and read up on the program and what applying and interning will look like. Then, you’ll need to create an account through their online selection system. There is an application fee involved so be prepared for that. Once you’ve created your account, you’ll be able to look through all of the available internship postings. THERE WILL BE A LOT. The positions are listed in a database by institution name, position name, state, institution type, start date, and end date. I would suggest first figuring out your ideal start and end date, according to assistantships or other commitments, to begin narrowing down the positions. Thinking about the location and institution type would help as well. There will also be different types of positions, anything from orientation leader supervisor, to family programs intern, to overnight orientation coordinator. Plenty of options to choose from!
Compensation. Most all internships offer housing and a stipend. Some may offer extra amenities, such as parking and meals on campus.
Narrowing Down Your Preferences. It can be overwhelming but also exciting to know you have so many places to choose from. To make it easier to process, I copied and pasted all of the database information into an Excel spreadsheet and used filters to search through positions. Each posting had a separate PDF document detailing the position description, compensation package, and institution background. I made sure to save all of the ones I was interested in to my laptop. Dropbox came in handy here! When applying, you’ll be given only eight slots for your preferences. Keep in mind that some institutions may have several positions available and you can select one or all of them, but one slot = one position. When selecting preferences, you can put down eight different positions, or use one of your slots to select “where needed in region…” This option would send your application to any institution, in a specific region of your choosing, looking for more applications and wishing to broaden their applicant pool. I chose to select eight different positions in mostly northern states, therefore limiting my options a bit.
Application Materials. You’ll need to submit a current resume and cover letter as part of your application. The website may say the cover letter is optional but it is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (so just submit a cover letter). Your cover letter should be generalized to any position you might be applying for. It should focus on the skills and common duties required of the positions you’re looking into. I applied for several positions that involved supervising orientation leaders and emphasized my previous supervisory experience to show competence in that area. Your resume should also be tailored to the transferrable skills you’ll bring to those positions. I had no formal orientation experience but made sure to highlight advising and programming experiences from my assistantship at NC State. You’ll also have to answer a few brief questions about your interest in orientation and previous experiences with transition programs. Focus on your cover letter and resume and have someone you trust look over them!
Choose Your References Wisely. The application calls for three references. Ask three supervisors or mentors who know your work ethic and can attest to skills that would benefit you in any of the positions you’re applying for. Let them know they’ll be receiving a phone call from a potential employer according to the NODA Internship Program application timeline!
The Waiting Game. Applications are due at midnight on January 13, 2015. Submit them early if possible! After submission, you might end up waiting a very long time to hear back from institutions. Hosts may start contacting applicants on January 21 and interviewing on January 26. You might get a call right away and you might wait a long while; it just depends on the host institutions you applied for. Some might send you emails declining your application and some you may never hear from.
The Phone Interview. If you are contacted by an institution, they’ll schedule a phone interview with you. Carve out about an hour for this interview and make sure you are in a quiet space with no distractions. Learn everything you can about that institution and be ready with questions to ask them. Remember that mood and tone can be easily detected through a phone conversation; I would suggest talking over the phone with a friend or colleague and getting feedback on their interpretation of your demeanor over the phone. Again, you could get one interview, eight, or none—all a part of the process.
Final Decisions. My experience was a bit nerve-wracking because I didn’t hear from anyone for a very long time. I finally got a phone call in February to schedule a phone interview. That was my one and only interview and then my one and only internship offer. If you do not get an interview/offer towards the beginning, there is a second round of selection built into the process for institutions still looking for interns. Although your application will only be sent to those institutions you put down as preferences during the first round, your application may be sent to new institutions during the second round. In the end, depending on the offer(s) you get, you’ll have to decide what works best for your goals and interests and where you’ll have the most engaging experience.
I am beyond grateful I had the chance to spend my summer at Montclair State University. I met amazing people, explored a new institution with a refreshing culture, navigated a new state, and further honed in on the type of professional I aspire to be. The NODA experience gives graduate students the opportunity and flexibility to explore orientation while living and working at a new institution in a new area of the country. You can craft the experience around your interests and make it what you want. I encourage you to apply today!
Please email me at nmrollan@ncsu.edu with any questions and I’d be happy to help!
Natalie Rollan is a second-year master’s student in the Higher Education Administration Program. She serves as a Graduate Advisor with the Department of Greek Life at NC State and is the Higher Education Association’s Vice President for Communication.