How do I come up with an idea for my Capstone? How do I secure a site?
How do I come up with an idea for my Capstone? How do I secure a site?
1.) Network, network, network! Talk with parents, friends, parents' friends, friends' parents, neighbors, etc. If you want to learn a little bit more about how to network or what networking means, please click on the "Creating Connections to Create Knowledge" PDF above which contains tips on networking. If you are ready to contact a site, here are some tips and sample emails on how to word your email.
2.) Think of your past volunteer and employment experiences. Do you have any contacts from that? Have you googled local businesses in the area? You can reach out to them and direct them to this website for any questions they may have.
3.) What did you do for job shadow last year? Do you have an opportunity to return to that same location for a more in-depth experience?
4.) We have a list of sites that have hosted interns in the past. Please note: These sites may or may not be able to host an intern this year. Contact information is available on the google sheet. If the contact information is out of date, you may need to find the business online and find a contact number to call them.
5.) If you are thinking of a research project, consider topics you have learned about in class that you may want to explore more in-depth. Was there a topic in Psychology that you started that you wanted to research in more detail? Have you always wanted to create something based on models you've learned about in Engineering? This is an opportunity to learn about something that is interesting to you! Visit the "Research Project" site for information and exemplars.
6.) The Capstone Coordinators will be hosting drop in hours after the Advisory in December to talk about opportunities. These will be held in the Counseling Office conference room during long block on December 19, January 6, January 29 and February 3. Drop in hours are for questions you may have about the experience.
7.) Don't forget about the Capstone FAQ document on the main page!
*Please note: A significant learning piece for Capstone is networking. We want you to learn to network so that you can network in college and beyond. It's an incredibly valuable skill. Because of that, we do not assign internships to students. We do have some sites that have contacted us seeking interns, and we can share that information during the drop in hours that will be scheduled with the coordinators.