As the semester begins to wrap up, college students across the country are not only preparing for finals, but also putting plans in place for the summer. Even with summer months away, deadlines for some of the most competitive internships and summer programs are swiftly approaching. The problem is, not every student can afford to work at a competitive internship, as they are often unpaid.

Brown University recently addressed that issue with the creation of the new initiative BrownConnect. Brown’s President Christina Paxson created the goal, “to provide every undergraduate receiving financial aid with at least one funded internship or research opportunity,” The Brown Daily Herald reported Thursday. Although many universities might have similar career preparation tools, providing internship support to students who receive federal financial aid specifically is an angle other universities should consider adopting.

Many schools offer assistance to students in their hunt for the perfect summer job or internship. Syracuse University, for example, provides assistance such as Career Services and OrangeLink — an online database to connect SU and SUNY-ESF students to a number of professional development resources. But not all students have equal access to the high-caliber positions they would qualify for. Some college students do not come from backgrounds that place them at close proximity to professionals in their respective fields.

While trying to build those networks through summer internships, not all students may be able to afford the costs of living where there internship is located in if the position is unpaid.

Some college students have aspirations to have a dream internship or job while in school, but the reality of being able to provide for themselves or even a family can become inhibit that dream.

Many internships and summer positions for college students are unpaid, which can cause students to sacrifice taking the experience that could help build their careers in order to take a paid job out of their field.

A program similar to BrownConnect that aids students with their internship search could lessen the ultimatum many students feel they are faced with in deciding on their summer plans. Driven and qualified college students should not have to face a toss up between monetary gain and professional experience, especially when not all of the peers at their school do not have to face the same circumstances.

SU’s OrangeLink and Career Services department have both been successful resources for students on campus for many years. A newer service, ‘CuseConnect, is also unique in its opportunity to provide students with connections to alumni in their quest to find mentorship and ultimately a job. But the addition of helping students who need it most to find funded summer opportunities — or financial help — is a new addition that the university should consider adopting.

Nina Rodgers is a junior sociology major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at nmrodger@syr.edu.

Published on November 18, 2014 at 12:01 am