Really Want That Internship? Pay Up
Money can't buy you love, but maybe it can buy you a summer internship.
Thousands of college students are on the prowl for the precious eight- to 10-week postings that could prove crucial to their employment future. A company called University of Dreams has 2,000 internships lined up, and they're for sale.
Those accepted will head off to work in their chosen field in San Diego, Barcelona, Chicago or other cities.
It's a package deal that includes transportation, housing and most meals. The interns have group activities, and someone's always keeping track.
CEO and founder Eric Lochtefeld says the money is mostly about logistics. Students might find something on their own in New York City, for example, but, Lochtefeld says, "They're still going to have to find a landlord in Manhattan that's willing to rent to a college student. They're still going to have to pay for their subway passes and all of their meals. We have students who are coming from China to New York, and you know how difficult it would be to plan your own logistics at age 21?"
Annie Fleishman, who now has a regular job with Lionsgate Films in Santa Monica, Calif., loved her University of Dreams summer in London. She paid $9,000 and figures it was a bargain.
"It was eight weeks of housing, breakfast and dinner Monday through Friday," she says. "Six weekend excursions with hotels in Paris and Brussels, and Oxford, England. They had seminars, and speakers would come to talk about networking and different aspects of business."
But say you find your own unpaid internship, but you're broke. Several universities have special funds to help.
The University of Virginia has a Parents Committee that gives out $2,500 grants to second- and third-year undergrads. The committee has 20 grants available this year.
"The internships must be in public service: civic engagement, public policy, business development, health or the environment," says Heather Rudd, who helps run the program. Many of the students wouldn't be able to accept their internships without the extra money, she adds.
And for the real springtime dreamers? Washington and the White House await. The Obama administration says please apply by March 22.
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MADELEINE BRAND, host:
Along with everything else, Spencer is also competing with people half his age. College kids are also trying to find work. Competition is so fierce that even finding a summer internship has become cutthroat. NPR's Noah Adams has been looking at the Web site for a company called University of Dreams.
NOAH ADAMS: The deal here - your dream of being an intern can come true if you can pay several thousand dollars.
Mr. ERIC LOCHTEFELD (Chief Executive Officer and Founder, University of Dreams): Hi, my name is Eric Lochtefeld. I'm the CEO and founder of University of Dreams.
ADAMS: It's now a big business that Eric Lochtefeld started nine years ago. They're actually turning down many of the dreamers. This year, they'll get 15,000 applications, only 2,000 internships to fill. You sign up and pay the University of Dreams for the screening and the placement, and off you go to San Diego or Barcelona or Chicago. Transportation is arranged, housing, most of your meals. The interns have group activities and someone's always keeping track. Eric Lochtefeld says mostly, the money is about logistics. Students might find something on their own in New York City, but…
Mr. LOCHTEFELD: They're still going to have to find a landlord in Manhattan that's willing to rent to a college student for two months or three months. Good luck on that. They're still going to have to pay for their subway passes, for all of their meals in New York City. I mean, we have students that are coming from China, you know, participating in our programs in New York and L.A. You know, how difficult would it be to plan your own logistics at the age of 21 to be able to do that?
ADAMS: Annie Fleishman signed on with University of Dreams for an internship with a movie company in London. She paid $9,000.
Ms. ANNIE FLEISHMAN (Former Intern, University of Dreams): It was eight weeks of housing, breakfast and dinner Monday through Friday. It was six weekend excursions - hotels in Paris and Brussels and Oxford, England. They had seminars, which was like every week, they would have like some speaker come and talk to you about networking or like different aspects of business. And they brought this guy, Emmanuel(ph), who's been an activist in Ghana, for disabled people's rights. And they brought him all the way from Ghana to talk to our program, which was pretty inspiring.
ADAMS: That summer in London helped. Annie Fleishman now works for Lionsgate Films in Santa Monica. But what about the other students, the ones who just have to laugh at the idea of paying that much money? Let's say, they go and find their internship, but it's an unpaid position. They're broke to begin with. What do they do? Several universities have special funds to help. The University of Virginia has a Parents Committee. They give out grants to second- and third-year undergrads. The internships must be in public service.
Ms. HEATHER RUDD (Parents Committee, University of Virginia): For us, public service is civic engagement, public policy, economic business development, education, health and the environment.
ADAMS: Heather Rudd helps run the Parents Committee program for UVa, twenty grants this summer, $2,500 each.
Ms. RUDD: And many students do say without the funding of this particular grant, I would not be able to accept this internship.
ADAMS: And so with spring close at hand it's game on for the summer internships however you can get them. Noah Adams, NPR News Washington. And by the way, the White House - certainly. The Obama administration says please apply by the 22nd of March.
BRAND: And as we wind down the show here, we just want to give a special shutout to Noah, Noah Adams. He has hosted Day to Day many, many times for a long time while I was out on maternity leave. He's just one of our favorite people.
ALEX COHEN, host:
Thank you, Noah, for sharing your wisdom, your grace, and your lovely warm voice with us over the years. Stay with us on Day to Day from NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.
