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Katelyn Franzen

Internship Portfolio Dublin City University

Language Services Ireland

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Table of Contents

Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3

Learning Plan Drafts and Final Version .......................................................... 10

Goal #1 ...................................................................................................................... 11

Goal #2 ...................................................................................................................... 13

Photos ........................................................................................................................ 14

Evaluations .............................................................................................................. 17

Conclusion ............................................................................................................... 21

Final Resume ............................................................................................................. 24

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Introduction

…All About Me…

Hi. My name is Katelyn Franzen and I am a junior at Loras College. I am majoring in English Literature and Secondary Education. After Loras, I

hope to share my passion for helping others by fulfilling my life-long dream of being a high school English teacher. In my free time, I

enjoy baking and cooking, reading, running, traveling, and spending time with my nieces and nephew.

…All About my

Internship…

My internship is at the Dublin City University in the Language

Services Office. The Language services Office focuses on helping international students who come to DCU to learn English. I work on

Mondays and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. My supervisor is

Nina Sherlock, the Language Training Coordinator. She can be reached by phone at 353-1-700-

6772 or by email at nina.sherlock@dcu.ie

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Profile

Purpose & Mission:

The DCU Language Services is a branch of DCU, so I believe their mission statement is the same as the whole university: “To Transform lives and societies through education, research and innovation.” The purpose of the Language Services department is to provide English courses to adults of all ages who aren’t native speakers of English. They offer classes ranging from general English through classes that prep students for the Cambridge exam. A co-worker sent me a flyer which elaborates on how the Language Services operates in terms of their vision for the future. Unfortunately, it is in a PDF format, so I can’t attach it to this document, but I will email it to Abbie. (http://www.dcu.ie/transforming-lives-and-societies.shtml) Organizational Chart:

I haven’t seen a formal organizational chart, but on my first day, Nina took me around the office and introduced me to everyone. During this time, she explained the chain of command for our “team.” At the top is the CEO, Cathal, who is a very kind man. Next on our team would be Dorota, the School Operations Manager. Nina is the next person in line on our team as the Language Training Coordinator. Finally, at the bottom are the interns. That is the organizational chart for our small team, but there are many more people in our office, but they focus on different areas. Other than the CEO, we all work in the same office together, which makes the chain of command more lateral. After talking to some of my co-workers, I finally found a formal organization chart that shows the hierarchy of power within each office. Unfortunately, it is in a PDF format, so I have emailed to Abbie. New Policies:

I’m not exactly sure how new policies are formed. I know everyone in the office meets once a week for a meeting to discuss issues or upcoming events. This is when anyone can give input or suggestions. I think Dorothy, the School Operations Manager, then can take that input and take it to Cathal, the CEO. I’m not sure if Cathal has to approve anything with the DCU president before a new policy can be put in place or not. Ultimately, from my observations, anyone can give input, but Cathal makes the final decision. Competition:

After doing a simple Google search using the phrase “learn English in Dublin,” a list of many schools came up. Some of them were the Dublin English School, ULearn English School, Arena School, and Dublin City University. Even with all of this competition, the DCU Language Services is doing very well. In fact, I talked my co-worker Tanja who said DCU Language Services has been incredibly busy over the past six months. Their enrollment has greatly increased. I asked her why she thought the enrollment had increased, and she said there were several reasons. First, they have greatly increased their use of social media to advertise. Secondly, they offer a Business English course which has become very popular. Thirdly, students can start any Monday of the year and they can take English classes anywhere from one week to a whole year or more. It is very flexible. Tanja believes it is these three things that pushes them ahead of the competition. As their website states, DCU Language Services is “one of Europe’s leading English language schools.” (http://www.english.dcu.ie/)

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Funding:

I am honestly not sure how the DCU Language Services is funded. My best guess is since it is a part of DCU that the university itself funds it, which probably gets a lot of its money from fundraising. Population Served:

The population served by DCU Language Services is anyone college aged or above who is interested in learning English. Number of Employees:

The website shows 15 employees in the DCU Language Services offices. It is important to note that some of these employees work on the translation business side of the company. Also, this number does not include the teachers, as the teachers can sometimes change from week to week. Employee Benefits & Issues facing the organization:

I am placing these together as I don’t know the answers to them and I don’t feel comfortable enough to ask Nina or my other co-workers. I might feel more comfortable asking these questions at the end of my internship, but overall, don’t feel like I have a strong enough relationship with any of my co-workers to be finding out some more personal information like benefits. I just don’t feel like it is really any of my business, since I am only a part-time intern. Also, I don’t feel comfortable asking about what issues are facing the organization. Again, I feel like this is a sensitive topic, and maybe in the future I’ll be more comfortable to ask it. I think I need more time to build relationships in order to ask these questions. Update: I never did find the answers to these questions. I attempted to set up a meeting with Niamh who works in a different office and is in charge of things like this, but we could never find a time to meet as I only worked Monday and Friday and those were here busiest days.

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Katelyn Franzen

3275 270th St.

Fredericksburg, IA 50630

Telephone: 1 (641) 330-5944

Email: Katelyn.Franzen@loras.edu

November 28, 2015

Ms. Margaret Purdy

European Programme Manager

InternsPlus

Guinness Enterprise Center

Taylors Lane

Dublin 8, Ireland

Letter of Motivation

Dear Ms. Purdy:

I am writing to inquire about and express interest in internship positions that involve working

with children or in a school. A life-long passion for helping children has led me to major in

English and Secondary Education.

The enclosed CV highlights the many experiences and skills that I could offer in such a position.

Among the highlights:

Academic excellence in my majors of English Literature and Secondary Education which

exemplifies my formal knowledge about children and education

Numerous experiences working with children and young adults through jobs and

volunteer activities

Several certificates that are of great importance when working with children

Leadership responsibilities

Though I have had countless experiences working with children, the most impactful has been my

three-year commitment as a counselor at the Northeast Iowa Royal Family KIDS Camp. This

internationally-known camp gives abused and neglected children, many of whom are in the

foster care system, a chance to go to camp for a week to just have fun. I can’t imagine spending

that week anyway else; a truly life-changing experience.

I am excited for the opportunity to be a part of your organization and look forward to further

discussing how I can help make a positive impact during my time in Ireland. If you have any

questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me through my email Katelyn.Franzen@loras.edu.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Katelyn Franzen

Katelyn Franzen

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Curriculum Vitae

Name Katelyn Jo Franzen

Address

Home 3275 270th St.

Fredericksburg, IA 50630

USA

Term Chubb Properties

Suite One, Lad Lane Apartments

Cumberland Road, Fitzwilliam Square,

Dublin 2, Ireland

E-mail Katelyn.Franzen@loras.edu

Home Phone 1 (641) 330-5944

Personal Information

Date of Birth 11 April 1995

Nationality American

Gender Female

Desired Employment Internship position working with children or in a school

Work Experience

Academic Year 2013-Present Loras College (Dubuque IA, USA)

Financial Planning Office Student Intern

Fulfilled detail-oriented tasks

Organized and filed confidential papers and files

Academic Year 2014-Present Resident Advisor

Planned and implemented programs for residents

Developed strong relationships with residents

Handled roommate conflicts and personal issues and offered

potential solutions and resources

Enforced the rules of the college and properly documented

situations when rules were broken

Summer 2015 Project Renewal (Davenport IA, USA)

Summer Program Supervisor

Fostered friendships with the kids ages 5-14 living in a low-

income, inner-city neighborhood

Facilitated daily homework activities

Designed crafts and games to keep the kids active

Supervised groups of 8-12 kids on public field trips

Summer 2014 Sumner Family Aquatic Center (Sumner IA, USA)

Lifeguard

Monitored the pool deck and enforced all rules to keep

patrons safe

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Entrusted to run the cash register and collect admission fees

Assisted with swim lessons

Volunteer

Summer 2013, 2014, 2015 Royal Family KIDS Camp (Sumner IA, USA)

Assigned the position of a counselor for 2 female campers

Created a nurturing and safe environment to allow the

campers to just be children for one week

Listened actively to the campers’ emotional stories of abuse

and neglect and comforted them

January 2015 Service Trip (Camden NJ, USA)

Aided the homeless by helping at homeless shelters

Assisted students at a Catholic school with homework

Attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to gain insight

about addiction

Education

2013-Present Loras College ( Dubuque IA, USA)

Third-year student majoring in English Literature and Secondary

Education

GPA: 3.981/4.0 scale

Dean’s List (4 of 4 completed semesters)

Delta Epsilon Sigma Honors Society

Presented literary analysis paper titled “Mr. Darcy & Mr.

Knightley: The Transformation from Selfishness to

Selflessness” at Loras College Legacy Symposium (2015)

Involved in the following activities: Literary Society

(treasurer), The Lorian (editor), eDUcation Club (active

member), Campus Ministry (hospitality)

2009-2013 Sumner-Fredericksburg High School (Sumner, IA USA)

GPA: 3.99/4.0; Class Valedictorian

National Honors Society

Certificates

Mandatory Reporter Training (Child Abuse) (August 2015)

Lifeguard training, first aid, and CPR- American Red Cross

(May 2014)

VIRTUS Training: Protecting God’s Children-National

Catholic Risk Retention Group, Inc. (January 2014)

Languages English

Computer Skills

Proficient in Microsoft Office programs

Proficient in the social media sites Facebook & Pinterest

Interests/Activities

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Service and community leadership

Indoor activities: cooking/baking, reading, crafts

Outdoor activities: traveling, running

Referees

Hilarie B. Welsh, Ph.D

Asst. Professor of Education

Loras College

1450 Alta Vista, Box# 250

Dubuque, IA 52001

Hilarie.Welsh@loras.edu

1 (941) 356-4119

Kasey Buchholz

Director

Royal Family KIDS Camp

102 Country View Ct.

Sumner, IA 50674

rfkneia@gmail.com

1 (319) 361-3843

Ann Schwickerath

Director

Project Renewal

906 W. 5th St.

Davenport, IA 52802

projectrenewal@revealed.net

1 (563) 940-0809

Julie Dunn

Director

Loras College Financial Planning

1450 Alta Vista, Box# 12

Dubuque, IA 52001

Julie.Dunn@loras.edu

1 (563) 588-7136

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Learning Plan Drafts and Final Version

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Goal #1

DRAFT

Goal/Skill: Strengthen Cultural Awareness

Objective: Build relationships with my co-workers

Objective: Learn more Irish terms and slang and about Irish traditions

Means: I will be able to strengthen my cultural awareness by building relationships with my co-workers. By conversing and interacting with them, I can gain information on their backgrounds and where they grew up. Not only will I learn

more about Irish culture, but I will learn about other cultures, too, as many of my co-workers are from places around the world. In order to converse and interact with my co-workers more, I need to break open my shell a little bit. I can sit with others at lunch instead of sitting by myself and I can start conversations when I am waiting to use the copy machine or making coffee, etc. I need to utilize the small windows I have to interact with others and ask questions. Through conversing, I will be able to learn new Irish terms and traditions. Also, I need to stop and read the bulletin boards as there are always Irish words of the week. I can gain more knowledge about the Irish culture by trying to attend programs that are put on for the students. Overall, I just need to not be so quiet and start conversations. Assessment: I will know when my goals are met when I know something specific about my 12 co-workers in the office by having a conversation with each of them. I will deem myself successful in learning more Irish terms if I know 10 new words by the end of my internship.

Final

Goal/Skill: Strengthen Cultural Awareness

Objective: Build relationships with my co-workers

Objective: Understand and learn about what sets the Irish culture apart from other

cultures

Means: I will be able to strengthen my cultural awareness by building relationships with my co-workers. By conversing and interacting with them, I can gain information on their backgrounds and where they grew up. Not only will I learn more about Irish culture, but I will learn about other cultures, too, as many of my co-workers are from places around the world. In order to converse and interact with my co-workers more, I need to break open my shell a little bit. I can sit with others at lunch instead of sitting by myself and I can start conversations when I am waiting to use the copy machine or making coffee, etc. I need to utilize the small windows I have to interact with others and ask questions. Through conversing, I will be able to learn new Irish terms and traditions in order to figure out how the Irish culture is different from other cultures, specifically my own culture. I can gain more

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knowledge about the Irish culture by trying to attend programs that are put on for the students. Overall, I just need to not be so quiet and start conversations. Assessment: I will know when my goals are met when I know something specific about my 12 co-workers in the office by having a conversation with each of them. I will deem myself successful in understanding how the Irish culture is unique by understanding how my cultural background and traditions are alike and different than what I have observed and learned while in Ireland. This will force me to go beyond my preconceived ideas about Irish people.

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Goal #2

DRAFT

Goal/Skill: Learn about the career of teaching English to non-native speakers

Objective: Converse with teachers at DCU

Objective: Observe classes

Means: I will be able to learn more about the career of teaching English to non-native speakers by introducing myself to teachers and asking questions about what they had to do to get where they are today. By conversing with teachers and building

relationships, I might be able to observe a class or two by going in on a day I don’t work. I will just need to ask beforehand and follow the appropriate steps the teacher tells me to be able to observe his/her class. I also can research on the internet about teaching English to non-native speakers. Assessment: I will be successful in my goal if I can compare and contrast the teaching pedagogies I have been taught to the teaching pedagogies the teachers use at DCU.

Final

Goal/Skill: Learn about the career of teaching English to non-native speakers

Objective: Develop relationships with DCU teachers

Objective: Observe classes to learn the differences in pedagogy between teaching

native English speakers and teaching non-native English speakers

Means: I will be able to learn more about the career of teaching English to non-native speakers by introducing myself to teachers and asking questions about what they had to do to get where they are today. By conversing with teachers and building relationships, I might be able to observe a class or two by going in on a day I don’t work. I will just need to ask beforehand and follow the appropriate steps the teacher tells me to be able to observe his/her class. I also can research on the internet about teaching English to non-native speakers. Assessment: I will be successful in my goal if I can compare and contrast the teaching pedagogies I have been taught to the teaching pedagogies the teachers use at DCU.

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Photos

Snapshot #1: A Day in the Life

Katelyn Franzen Junior

English Literature and Secondary Education

At the Dublin City University Language Services Department, I have the opportunity to meet and interact with students from all

over the world who come to Dublin to learn English. My main tasks are to proctor weekly placement and level tests and assist

with other administrative responsibilities. I also have the opportunity to network with teachers and faculty to learn more about Irish culture and engage in academic conversations about

how to teach English to non-native speakers.

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Snapshot #2: What I Learned

Katelyn Franzen Junior

English Literature and Secondary Education

Through my internship at DCULS, I have experienced and interacted with students and co-workers from all over the world, which has taught me about countless cultures and has shown me

the importance of diversity. I have also gained insight on the difficulties of learning and teaching a new language through

observation and the proctoring of exams. Finally, I have learned how to do many behind-the-scenes tasks that are crucial in

keeping the office running smoothly.

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Photo Release Email

From: Nina Sherlock [mailto:nina.sherlock@dcu.ie] Sent: Monday, April 4, 2016 9:52 AM To: Katelyn J. Franzen Subject: Re: Picture Release

Good Morning Katelyn,

I have no problem with you using the attached photograph for your portfolio for your internship.

Please let me know if you require anything else or need to take more photographs.

Kind regards,

Nina

On 2 April 2016 at 13:40, Katelyn J. Franzen <Katelyn.Franzen@loras.edu> wrote:

Hi Nina,

I have attached the picture I plan to use for my portfolio that I have to complete for Loras about

my internship. Would it be possible for you to send me an email just saying it is okay for me to

use the picture? Then, I can just attach the email to my portfolio. Also, it is a requirement for

Loras to have our internship supervisors fill out a midterm evaluation form about our

performance. I have attached that to this email, too. If you could fill that out whenever you have

a chance that would be great. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Katelyn Franzen

Loras College ‘17

English & Secondary Education

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Evaluations

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The evaluations were what I expected. Nina never sat down and discussed them with me; rather, she

handed them to me in an envelope on my last day and told me to let her know if I had questions. I was a

little frustrated that we never met to talk about the midterm evaluation, especially since I had to fill out

an evaluation form for DCULS about my thoughts of the internship so far. It would have been nice to

have had a meeting, even though I am only part time. If we would have had a meeting, I could have

brought up how I felt that I could handle more work and/or projects, so that I could have been busier

during the rest of my internship. Overall, I am very happy with my evaluations, and I believe they show

that I was a productive and professional intern.

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Conclusion

How is it that my semester abroad is already over? It seems like yesterday I was trying to cram four and a half months of clothes and belongings into two suitcases. Now, I would consider myself a worldly traveler who accumulated ended up accumulating a whole extra suitcase of stuff. While the entire semester was full of fun, learning occurred, too, especially at my internship. Although it had its positives and negatives, I am so grateful for the opportunity I had at the DCU Language Services Office. First, I want to address the learning goals I had for myself throughout my internship. I can confidently say that I successfully achieved both of my goals. My first goal of strengthening my cultural awareness was an easy one to complete. I simply had conversations with my co-workers, all of whom are from different places in Ireland and across the world. I became especially close to Tanja and Claire as I worked with them most often. I got to know Claire very well when I had the opportunity to interview her for my paper I completed for Dr. Davis (see week 14). We also bonded when I talked with her after I observed different classes during my last week of my internship. She is so knowledgeable about teaching; she will be a great resource for me in the future. I also became very close with the three other interns I worked with throughout my internship: Leonie, Nastja, Alisson (see week 4). They definitely helped to increase my cultural awareness since they are all from different countries and we spent lots of time together, which allowed us to get very close. My second goal was a little harder to achieve, as teachers weren’t typically available to talk about teaching and the type of education they received to get the job they have. Although I didn’t complete my first objective very well, I still conversed with a few teachers when I could, but I by no means knew all of them. I was successful in completing the second objective, specifically during the last week of my internship (see week 15). It was such a wonderful experience observing the classroom; it had been so long since I had been in one to observe! I enjoyed interacting with the students, but more importantly, I was able to pick up on what makes teaching non-native English speakers than native speakers. The biggest things are the amount of student-teacher interaction and the depth of learning the English language (see week 15). It was a successful internship in terms of my goals. This internship has changed me and my perspective for the future in a couple of ways. First, it made me recognize how little diversity I have experienced in my life because of where I grew up. It was a unique experience to work with people from all over the world and interact with students from all over the world (see week 6). I have grown so much as a person because my views have broadened and I have been able to consider new perspectives and viewpoints. Furthermore, I have learned so many unique things about different countries and cultures. I actually met a group of students the last week of my internship when I was observing their class. I ate lunch with them during my last week. One of the students was from Spain, so I was able to ask her about things I should see on my trip to Spain and she told me about their traditions. Another student was from Columbia and he told me to contact him if I was ever in the area. Not only did I meet so many people, but I built a world of connections and networks. This experience has changed my plans for the future, too. Because of the trips I went on and my interactions with a diverse group of students, I am stuck with having the “travel bug.” I want travel to be a part of future. As a teacher, that would mean teaching abroad. Although I considered getting my license so that I could teach English to non-native English speakers, I just don’t think that is for me. I want to actually be teaching literature, not just grammar. I was able to network with one of my mom’s high school classmates who is the dean of students at the American school, Ash, in Waasanar in The Netherlands. I was able to travel to visit her and observe in the school there. She has made connections for me in American schools across the world and as of now, I plan to try and get a teaching position

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abroad at one of these schools after I graduate. This all started with my love of the diversity I experienced at my internship. This is what I found most beneficial and enjoyable about the internship. Perhaps the most frustrating things about the internship were the monotony of the tasks, the lack of work to do, and the pointless tasks we sometimes had to complete (see week 7). It was also frustrating that I couldn’t express my frustrations with Nina at my midterm evaluation, since Nina never scheduled a meeting. One last thing I found irritating was how I had to work on Mondays and Fridays, as this made traveling hard. Thankfully, Nina was typically very flexible and allowed me to switch my schedule around sometimes. Overall, these frustrations were only minor. I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to intern at DCULS. I have made lifelong friends and a network of contacts from all over the world. It even changed my perspective on my future. For students who will be completing internships in the future, I would give them three pieces of advice:

1. Be a good communicator—If need a day off, communicate this with the appropriate person as soon as possible, and if you have a frustration or problem, don’t be afraid to share it with your supervisor. That is better than complaining about it.

2. Embrace diversity—Learning about other countries and cultures is fascinating. You never know what kind of connections you will make or the lifelong friends you might meet.

3. Pack your own lunch (and snacks!)—You will save so much money and probably eat healthier! I will never forget this experience. I know for a fact that I will be back to Dublin in the future; it will forever hold a piece of my heart.

The other interns, Nastja and Alisson, and I celebrating my last day at DCULS.

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Final Resume

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KATELYN FRANZEN

3275 270th St., Fredericksburg, IA 50630 Katelyn.Franzen@loras.edu 641-330-5944 (Cell)

EDUCATION

August 2013-Present Loras College (Dubuque, IA) Junior majoring in English Literature & Secondary Education

GPA: 3.988/4.0 scale

Dean’s List (5 of 5 completed semesters)

Delta Epsilon Sigma Honors Society

Presented literary analysis paper titled “Mr. Darcy & Mr.

Knightley: The Transformation from Selfishness to Selflessness” at

the Loras College Legacy Symposium (2015)

Involved in the following activities: Literary Society (treasurer),

The Lorian (editor), eDUcation Club (active member), Campus

Ministry (hospitality)

January 2016-May 2016 Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design & Technology (Dun Laoghaire,

Ireland)

Participated in the Loras College affiliated study abroad program

Completed 12 credits

Interned at the Dublin City University Language Services Office

August 2009-May 2013 Sumner-Fredericksburg High School (Sumner, IA)

GPA: 3.99/4.0 scale; class valedictorian

KWWL’s Best of Class (2013), Governor’s Award (2013),

President’s Volunteer Service Award (2012 & 2013)

National Honors Society Vice President (2013), Class Secretary

(2009-2013)

WORK

Academic Year 2013-Present Loras College (Dubuque, IA)

Financial Planning Office Student Worker

January 2016-April 2016

Fulfilled detail-oriented tasks

Organized and filed confidential papers and files

Dublin City University (Dublin, Ireland)

Part-time Intern

Proctored English placement tests and level tests

Interacted with students and co-workers from diverse backgrounds

Assisted with secretarial tasks including compiling reports

Academic Year 2014-Dec. 2015 Resident Advisor

Planned and implemented programs for residents

Handled roommate conflicts and personal issues and offered

potential solutions and resources

Enforced the rules of the college and properly documented

situations when rules were broken

Summer 2015 Project Renewal (Davenport, IA) Summer Program Supervisor

Fostered friendships with children ages 5-14 living in a low-

income, inner-city neighborhood

Facilitated daily homework activities, crafts, and games

Supervised groups of 8-12 children on public field trips

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Summer 2014 Sumner Family Aquatic Center (Sumner, IA) Lifeguard

Completed Red Cross CPR, first-aid, and lifeguard training

Monitored the pool deck and enforced all rules

Assisted with swimming lessons

VOLUNTEER

October 2011-2015 Halloween Hustle 5K (Fredericksburg, IA)

Orchestrated the idea and organization of the event

Funded and installed mile marker signs on the Fredericksburg Trail

using money raised by the 5K

Donated $5,000 generated from the 5Ks to the Fredericksburg Trail

Fund

Summer 2013, 2014, 2015 Royal Family KIDS Camp (Sumner, IA)

Assigned the position of a counselor for 2 female campers

Created a nurturing and safe environment to allow the campers to

just be children for one week

Listened actively to the campers’ emotional stories of abuse and

neglect and comforted them

January 2015 Loras College Service Trip (Camden, NJ)

PERSONAL

Aided the homeless by helping at homeless shelters

Assisted students at a Catholic school with homework

Attended AA meetings to gain insight about addiction

July 2013-2014 Chickasaw County Fair Queen

Represented the county at the Iowa State Fair Queen competition

Exemplified my pride for the county by attending all of the local

festivals, volunteering at breakfasts, the Big 4 Fair, and the county

Achievement show, and reading to elementary students

Assisted in the crowning of the next queen