Volume 124 Issue 145
kansan.com
Monday, April 30, 2012
CAREERS
MARSHALL SCHMIDT
mschmidt@kansan.com
With summer around the corner, many students will spend their break away from books working internships, both paid and unpaid.
Regardless of major, students can apply their academic knowledge in a workplace environment while gaining valuable experience for their future career.
"Internships are being sought by more and more KU students because they realize how important internships are in their future job search," said Erin Wolfram, assistant director of career networks at the University
Career Center. "Employers are really seeking candidates that have hands on related experience."
Wolfram said internships relating to engineering, business, journalism, strategic communications and nonprofit organizations were most prevalent. While internships relating to more technical fields such as business and engineering are usually paid — from $10 an hour to over $20 an hour — those in journalism, marketing, and nonprofit organizations are often not, she said.
In fact, a journalistic organization now faces a lawsuit because of unpaid internships. Hearst Corporation, publisher of Harper's Bazaar fashion
magazine, faces a lawsuit from former intern Xuedan Wang, a recent graduate from Ohio State University, according to Reuters.
Wang worked at the magazine from August through December of last year, and her case claims her internship violated labor laws.
"If the interns weren't doing the work then they would have to hire someone else to do it," said Elizabeth Wagoner, lawyer of Wang.
The Hearst Corporation claims no violation occurred under the Fair Labor Standards Act, which allows academic credit to be considered proper compensation.
Overall, Wolfram thought half of
University students' internships were paid, which has remained consistent over the years.
While making money as a student is preferred, Wolfram still encouraged students to pursue unpaid internships.
"A lot of unpaid opportunities provide a lot of valuable experience," Wolffrom said. "It's the experience that really makes the difference on a resume."
AstudyconductedbytheCollegiate Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University found that more than one third of companies were expanding their internship programs. Sixty-six percent of
companies offered paid internships, 18 percent offered unpaid, and the remaining 16 percent offered both types. The study found that recruitment had increased in the past year and a half, but found monitoring the growth of unpaid internships difficult.
The number of students involved in internships is also difficult to monitor, Wolfram said, because of the different ways students find them. Some find internships through professors, family members, or career services.
But regardless of where they find them, students are able to gain class credit for their experience.
"An internship allows students to fulfill a graduation requirement or elective while reflecting on their experience," Wolfram said.
As for when to look for them, Jolene Phillips, Assistant Director of Business Career Services in the School of Business, suggests looking early.
"The main recruiting time is in the fall for internships starting the following summer." Phillips said.
While most students opt for summer internships only, some work them part, time during the year.
DISTRIBUTION OF INTERNSHIPS
SEE INTERNSHIPS PAGE 7A
FINANCE
Andrew Porter discusses the student debt problem in America at the Young Democratic Socialists meeting at the Kansas Union Wednesday night.
Student debt may not be impossible to decrease
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
VIRAJ AMIN
vamin@kansan.com
April 25 marked the day where economists predicted student debt would hit $1 trillion, according to Andrew Porter, national organizer of the Young Democratic Socialists group.
Porter said Wednesday night in a speech at the Kansas Union that student debt surpassed credit card debt as the largest debt in the United States. Porter and the Young Democratic Socialists believe the rise in debt has caused access to higher education to be a privilege rather than a right. The event drew a little more than 20 people, but Porter feels his presentation had an impact. Porter believes free higher education is possible it is just whether the government chooses to pay for it.
"The most immediate thing we can do is to work on the Student Loan Forgiveness Act of 2012," Porter said. "On top of that, we need to be pressing state and national representatives to invest in higher education, so to actually get them to put the funding back into higher education."
The Student Loan Forgiveness Act would allow forgiveness to borrowers by paying 10 percent of their discretionary income for 10 years as long as income is above the poverty line.
Porter said it would cost the government about $15 billion to pay for everyone's tuition in college right now, and it would cost $80 billion if everyone who was eligible
for college attended.
Porter said free higher education is possible through a two percent military budget cut. However, in order for this to be possible, Porter believes more students need to be aware of how high student debt is because they are the ones that can make free higher education possible.
"Students need to be out on the street. We need to show that students care about this issue," Porter said. "We need to build movements to get to the point where there are enough people on the streets to see this is a real problem. In the same way Occupy allowed us to shift the conversation away from budget deficits toward income inequality, student movement will allow us to show that funding is the real problem."
Jackie Sewell, President of KU Young Democrat Socialists and
"It's not going to happen overnight," Sewell said. "It takes a lot of time for a campaign like this to reach a lot of people. It will take a combination of more teach ins, more events like this and reaching people on an individual level, whether in the classroom, through tabling or on campus."
"Even though the turnout wasn't great, funding for higher education is something all students should be active in." Sooner said. "If students can't get politically active in this issue where it affects all of us then, there has to be changes and we need to do a better job of raising awareness."
Matt Soener, a senior from Overland Park, was particularly motivated by Porter's presentation.
event organizer, believes free higher education is feasible, but it is still a work in progress.
Edited by Christine Curtin
TELEVISION
MTV's "MADE" visits campus looking for next reality star
KELSEY CIPOLLA
kcipolla@kansan.com
If you could be "MADE" into anything, what would it be?
For nine years, teenagers across the country answered that question and tried to transform into models, actors and athletes with the help of MTV's 'MADE' The show pairs students struggling to reach their goals with expert coaches then chronicles their progress.
Last Friday, University students had the opportunity to audition.
Preston Brown, a sophomore from Wichita, wants to be made into a stand-up comedian.
"Being visually impaired, a lot of funny shit happens, and I don't have a problem talking about it," Brown said. "I just think it would be cool to share those stories. And I love attention."
Brown said he has experimented in acting and comedy for years, but thought being on "MADE" could launch his skills and public profile
The show usually follows high school students, but casting producer Nathan Johnson said that after 11 seasons, a change was needed.
to new heights.
"It's time for 'MADE' to grow up," Johnson said. "We have a really great formula that really changes lives, and we wanted to transpose that to college-age kids."
Johnson has been interviewing students on campuses for months and said he decided to come to the University because it would be a beautiful place to shoot.
"There are a lot of kids who want opportunities that they can't get unless they're in a big city," Johnson said.
During interviews, Johnson looks for energetic and honest people with a great goal. Although many people want to become rappers, actresses or models, having a popular goal doesn't automatically rule a candidate out. Personality
KELSEY CIPOLLA/KANSAN
KLESTE DIEHL-KANSAN Tyler Waugh, a 2009 graduate from Topeka, is an aspiring rapper who wants to take his career to the next level by appearing on MTV's "MADE." A casting producer interviewed Waugh and other candidates for the show in the Kansas Union on Friday.
SEE MADE PAGE 7A
CRIME
University employee faces rape charges
A University employee charged with rape in Douglas County still works at the University, according to Jill Jess, University spokeswoman.
The 49-year-old Lawrence man was arrested March 24 on suspicion of raping his 20-year-old daughter in his rural home.
Jess wrote in an e-mail that the
University does not have a policy requiring action against personnel if they are charged with a felony, but could take action depending on the circumstances.
"The University takes its responsibities seriously," Jess wrote. "If an employee is charged with a felony offense, the University will take appropriate personnel action if warranted and supported by available facts."
CLASSIFIEDS 2B
CROSSWORD 4A
March 26, the man asked Douglas County Pro Tem Judge James George to lower his $100,000 bond to something affordable for him so he could return to his workplace of more than 20 years.
During his first court appearance
According to Douglas County booking records, he was released on $75,000 bond two days later.
He is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing May 9.
CRYPTOQUIPS 4A
OPINION 5A
SPORTS 1B
SUDOKU 4A
Don't forget
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2012 The University Daily Kansan
This is the last week of classes and STOP DAY is Friday. Enjoy the last four days of classes for Spring 2012.
Today's Weather
South wind 5 to 10 mph.40 percent chance of rain.
Rachel Salyer
HI: 76
LO: 60
It's not too cold or hot, just right