Career Services and the School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs are once again working together to offer the Queen’s Doctoral Internship in University Administration (QDIUA).

The QDIUA responds to recommendations made in the 2019 Queen’s Working Group on Graduate Student Success Final Report for increased graduate experiential learning and professional development opportunities, by offering PhD candidates paid internships within university administrative units. The program is an excellent way for PhD candidates considering non-academic careers.

Through a combination of mentorship and participation in meaningful projects, interns can contribute to the day-to-day operations of the university and develop relevant and transferable skills.

During the first year of the QDIUA program (2021-22), interns:

• Gained and developed professional competencies that complemented their degree training,
• Developed a more comprehensive understanding of how the university functions,
• Collaborated with administrative professionals within the university, expanding their professional networks, and
• Explored career pathways within the post-secondary sector.

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time as an intern in the QDUIA program and recommend it to interested students,” says Katie-Marie McNeil, a PhD Candidate in History who worked with the SGSPA as a Supervision Resources Intern. “The internship offered me the opportunity to explore career options in university administration as well as provided me the chance to contribute back to the Queen's community through the project I supported. I gained experience working in a team environment and received excellent career advice and mentorship.”

Interns also engage in reflective practice — individually and in collaboration with supervisors and mentors — which is integral to their ability to identify, develop, and articulate the many skills they acquired through the QDIUA.

“The QDIUA program was a great way for our team to inject some highly analytical help for a short period of time,” says Nick Jewitt, Manager of Corporate Relations - Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, about the contributions of the unit’s first intern. “The energy the student brought was contagious and their inquisitive nature led us to optimize some of our operations. With appropriate planning and preparation, this program can lead to harnessing some of the bright minds studying at Queen's.”

After the success of the QDIUA’s first year the program has returned for the 2022-2023 academic year. Administrative units at Queen’s are encouraged to consider hiring an intern through the QDIUA. Career Services and SGSPA will be coordinating the hiring process through the month of November, with internships taking place January-April 2023.    

An information session for interested host units will take place on Wednesday Oct. 12 at noon via Zoom. Please email QDIUA@queensu.ca to register.

To learn more, visit the QDIUA website.