Seminar and Practicum

The Seminar

June 9-June 22, 2013

During the Seminar, interns attend a series of workshops in which they examine the characteristics of successful communities. As the interns develop a community among themselves, special attention is paid to conditions that allow for harmony, productivity, and individual growth and empowerment.

Topics under consideration include:

  • communication skills
  • conflict resolution
  • self-discovery through personal writing
  • leadership and management skills
  • inherent role of policy and rules in community building

Preparing for the Resident Adviser Role

One goal of the IBC Seminar is to develop a community of leaders who are equipped to serve as resident advisers and program assistants in Columbia's Summer Program for High School Students. To that end, the Seminar includes sessions in which interns gain exposure to the history and resources of New York City and Columbia University, undergo the practical training required of all Columbia University resident advisers, and develop extracurricular activities that they will be responsible for implementing in the High School Program.

The Practicum

June 23-August 3, 2013

The Practicum provides interns with the opportunity to apply the skills and plans developed in the Seminar. Each intern serves as both a resident adviser and an all-purpose program assistant.

As resident advisers, interns are each assigned a group of approximately 10 high school students with whom they live in a dormitory suite or on a dormitory floor. Interns are expected to embrace their custodial responsibility as a call to lead students through the process of building a functioning community in which mutual respect, personal and collective responsibility, and discipline are the hallmarks. In addition to having standard RA responsibilities, interns lead extracurricular activities both on campus and off. When students are in class, interns have time to plan and assess program-related projects.

As program assistants, interns assemble student orientation materials, staff the High School Program office, ensure that students are attending class, fulfill instructor requests for photocopying and technical support, serve as teaching assistants, and organize community outreach projects. In short, they are responsible for the day-to-day administrative and extracurricular functioning of the High School Program.