Blog

by Agnes Jasinski

Journalism students who have an eye for detail and experience in the copy editing field, whether it be on the school newspaper or at an outside internship, should check out this week's Scholarship of the Week, an annual award given by the American Copy Editors Society Education Fund. The single $2,500 top prize is named after longtime copy editor Merv Aubespin, also a former president of the National Association of Black Journalists. Runner-ups will be eligible for four prizes of $1,000 each. The online applications will be evaluated by a panel of experienced copy editors, so demonstrating an interest in pursuing a career in the field is important. Ideal candidates will boast both relevant coursework and experience in copy editing.

Prize: 1 first prize of $2,500; 4 runner-up prizes of $1,000

Eligibility: College students with a minimum GPA of 2.5 who will be juniors, seniors or graduate students in the fall, and graduating students who will take full-time copy editing jobs or internships.

Deadline: November 15, 2009

Required Material: Completed online application form that will demonstrate an interest in and aptitude for copy editing.

Further details about the application process can be found by conducting a free college scholarship search on Scholarships.com. Once the search is completed, students eligible for this scholarship award will find it in their search results.

by Agnes Jasinski

Many fields of study require or strongly suggest semesters or summers of unpaid, or “educational,” internships, where students get experience in their intended future careers but not pay, and often not even college credit.

To address concerns that some employers may be taking advantage of the opportunity to have eager college students come work for them at no cost, the U.S. Department of Labor released a set of rules Wednesday that clarify the roles of those employers and the students’ colleges. The rules will fall under the Fair Labor Standards Act, which also establishes the minimum wage, overtime pay, and any youth employment standards.

According to the Labor Department, internships may be unpaid if they meet the following six criteria:

1. The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment;
2. The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;
3. The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff;
4. The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;
5. The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and
6. The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.

The Labor Department rules agree with the notion that internships existing as partnerships between employers and colleges are best, and most likely to comply with the new regulations. According to the Labor Department: “The more an internship program is structured around a classroom or academic experience as opposed to the employer’s actual operations, the more likely the internship will be viewed as an extension of the individual’s educational experience (this often occurs where a college or university exercises oversight over the internship program and provides educational credit).”

We know sometimes students have no choice but to apply for internships led by private companies and organizations, and outside of their colleges’ control. Some of those experiences offer not only stipends or salaries but benefits as well, since the students are considered more than interns but temporary employees. What do you think about unpaid internships? Should there be more oversight, as the Labor Department hopes there will be now?

by Emily

College students and recent graduates across the country are currently starting summer internships. Whether paid or unpaid, the internship can be an integral part of the college experience, as well as a chance to earn college credit for doing something you hopefully want to do. Internships are one of the best ways to hone major-specific job skills and gain valuable experience in a potential career.  For some students, though, summer internships are also a way to gain exposure to an entirely new line of work as well as hands-on experience with movements or industries they support.

The New York Times reports a growing summer internship trend is organic farming, with many students from disparate backgrounds signing up to grow crops or raise livestock on small farms across the country. While farming internships are traditionally seen as the province of agriculture students from rural state universities, students on both coasts, including many at small private colleges, have begun to take interest in these programs as well, thanks largely to a growing interest in sustainable agriculture.  Students who support organic farming and want to learn more about the industry first-hand can spend a summer working with plants and animals, as can students who just want a change of pace from their usual college lifestyle.  An agriculture internship could bring students with urban or suburban backgrounds a change of perspective, and also some fodder for green scholarship applications.

If farming isn't your thing but you're intrigued by the idea of taking an internship in a field outside your major, options abound.  While some internship programs may require a relevant major or course experience, others may just want students with a genuine interest in the job.  Think about the things you'd like to do and jobs you'd like to try out and see if any internship opportunities exist in those areas.  While these experiences may not directly lead to a job placement at that business (although this is no guarantee with traditional internships, either), they could lead to new experiences and a more diverse résumé, which could in turn lead to job offers down the road.

by Alexis Mattera

Starting college with a specific idea what you want to do with your life can make choosing a major, selecting classes and finding internships much easier than the decisions facing your undecided roommate. But is that specificity better? The answer is yes...and no. Well, actually, it’s a maybe.

With the increasing demand for expertise in narrow fields, some schools are putting programs in place to produce candidates perfectly suited for these niche jobs. SUNY at Albany, for example, has opened a College of Nanoscale Science to meet what The National Science Foundation estimates will be about 2 million workers with nanotechnology-centric backgrounds needed by 2014. The results so far are promising – even first-year students have already been offered summer internships with companies like Intel and IBM – but is this kind of specialization always wise?

To an extent, but career counselors, hiring consultants and academic officials think it’s more important for students to diversify their undergraduate years. Industry-specific skill sets may get a graduate into their chosen field faster but may severely limit career flexibility down the line. You may think you know your ideal career path but wait until you’ve taken a wide enough variety of classes to be sure...especially when employers report they value soft skills like effective communication, critical thinking and problem solving over precise training.

What do you think? Should you specialize right away or sample what your school has to offer before making a potentially life-changing decision?

by Angela Andaloro

Hi everyone! My name is Angela and I’ve just completed my sophomore year at Pace University’s New York City campus, where I double major in communication studies and English. I can’t believe I’m already halfway through college; I’ve learned so much in the past two years that high school seems like a totally different world ago. College was far from what I expected, but I’m definitely enjoying it nonetheless.

Becoming a virtual intern here at Scholarships.com is one of the most exciting things to happen to me recently. As my choices in majors might indicate, I love writing and think there’s so much importance to communicating feelings and sharing experiences. That’s what I hope to do through this opportunity: share my feelings and experiences about college life and the many things that go along with being a college student.

Like most things in New York City, I find my life and my college experience to be far from typical. I’m a commuter student, I took nearly a semester’s worth of classes online and I picked up my second major despite early graduation being a very real possibility for me. Still, I think there are many things that do connect me to your “average” college student: I like to hang out with my friends, go to parties, and yes, I’m addicted to social networking.

Combining my unique college experiences with my more common ones, I hope to be able to share something useful with everyone. I’d also love to hear from some of the readers of the Scholarships.com blog too, so feel free to say hi in the comments! After all, college is all about networking and it never hurts to get to know some awesome new people.

by Anna Meskishvili

Personally, I think that choosing a roommate is one of the most challenging things about college. They are the ultimate lottery. But in order to pick the right roommate for you, you must first properly understand yourself.

I’m sure you have all completed (or will soon complete) some variation of the “roommate survey,” which might reveal to you a prototype of the perfect roommate but here’s a reality check: Roommates are not perfect. In order to be the best roommate you can be, evaluate yourself. Speaking from experience, I thought I wanted to be best friends with my roommate, wanted my room to be the social hot spot of the floor and didn’t care about order or rules. Turns out, when you’re busy as a bee like me and are exhausted when you come home, the last thing you want to see is a dog pile of frat boys on your bed trying to see how many grapes they can shove in their mouths. Don’t get me wrong, I work hard and play hard but I always idealized my room as a place I could go to do neither those two things.

The bottom line about choosing roommates, make sure you both are on the same page and don’t just assume you are – talk about it. This is someone you will be living four feet away from for a year and avoidance is not an option. Top issues to cover are:

• What time do you usually go to bed? Do you need the TV on to fall asleep?
• Do you plan on studying or partying in the room?
• If I vacuum the room on Mondays, can you do it on Fridays?
• Are you going to have a lot of overnight guests? Let’s make a code.
• Do you expect me to be in the room all the time?

And before you ask your prospective roommate any of these questions, ask them to yourself. Good luck, roomie!

Anna Meskishvili is a rising senior at Boston University pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations at the College of Communication. She is part of Kappa Delta at BU and has loved every second of it. She is also involved in Public Relations Student Society of America and Ed on Campus. Anna was born in the Republic of Georgia and considers herself a citizen of the world because she’s lived in Russia, England, France, Brooklyn and Connecticut. She hopes to someday work in Healthcare Administration Communication. She loves to travel, run and learn.

by Kara Coleman

Hi! My name is Kara and I’m really excited about being one of the newest Scholarships.com virtual interns!

I have spent the past couple of years studying at Gadsden State Community College. I live at home with my parents and commute to school and work every day. I attend Gadsden State because it is affordable, close to my home and workplace and I don’t have to pay room and board expenses. I plan to transfer to Jacksonville State University for many of the same reasons: JSU offers everything involved in a “normal” college experience, like clubs and football games, but I can choose what to participate in while still meeting the demands of my work schedule and being able to watch my little brothers’ soccer games.

Ever since I could hold a pencil, I have loved to write. My dream has always been to write a New York Times bestseller but until that happens, I would like to have a job that involves writing. When I enrolled at Gadsden State, I declared myself as an English major. I took every literature class that Gadsden State had to offer and I even spent the past year tutoring English. At JSU, I intend to major in communications, with concentration in print journalism. I think that writing for a newspaper will give me a consistent day job while I write books on the side.

When I received the email stating that Scholarships.com was looking for virtual interns, I immediately began composing my writing sample. This opportunity will allow me to do what I love, add some bylines to my portfolio, and (hopefully!) give me some more exposure as a writer. I look forward to sharing my transfer experience and helpful hints with anyone who visits the site over the coming months. “Talk” to all of you soon!

by Casandra Pagni

At 18, I was going to be a lawyer. I had the next four years of my life planned out well. I was to attend the University of Michigan, double major in political science and economics, take the LSAT, attend law school, pass the bar and go from there. I even got into arguments with my older brothers when they told me to be open-minded as I left for school. But life took a few turns — some of them sharp — between then and now.

I chose Michigan for its large campus, student diversity, and rigor in academic disciplines. Okay...I confess. At 18, I chose Michigan because of the Big Ten sports. I was ready to see national championships first hand. But as my sports expectations came crashing down, the other things that Michigan offered began to shine. I joined a sorority. I played intramural sports. I went to concerts, saw the Dalai Lama and wrote for the campus newspaper. I followed the hockey team to the Frozen Four. Oh yeah, and I studied, too! I took and enjoyed classes with incredibly passionate professors.

I can't pinpoint the exact moment I knew I was going to become a teacher, but the person I became at Michigan is a more relaxed and open-minded version of the 18-year old aspiring lawyer I once was. I am now the ecstatic recipient of a degree in English and a high school teaching certificate. I am also committed to writing whenever and wherever I can and to making real changes in the way writing is taught today.

As a recent college graduate smack-dab in the middle of a job search, I plan to combine my passion for writing with my absolute love for the college years to bring you weekly posts with tried and true advice, honest perspective and a little bit of humor along the way. As a Scholarships.com virtual intern, I'll be looking back while looking ahead.

by Darci Miller

If you’re of the age to need the services offered by Scholarships.com, you’re also most likely of the age where summer is no longer the carefree, lazy paradise it once was. Back then, it was filled with summer camp, ice cream, beach days and late nights. But now? Now it’s all about gaining work experience.

If you’ve yet to hit this point, enjoy this summer. The real world of job-hunting is coming up fast. Hours spent working on your resume and cover letter, days spent emailing companies with internship listings, weeks spent waiting (and waiting...and waiting), potentially all for naught. And then there’s all the time spent pounding the pavement for a minimum wage job, only to get turned away from all of those as well. It’s not fun. Trust me, I’ve been there.

If you’re in this situation (and if you’re anything like me), you’re tearing your hair out at the prospect of doing nothing for three months. But look at the bright side: A recent study conducted by Australian National University found that, income notwithstanding, having a bad job is worse than having no job for your mental health. So you’ll be happier doing nothing than you would be at that lame job anyway!

But that still leaves you with approximately 90 empty days to fill, right? It really is important to get experience, so don’t let the summer go to waste. Try to volunteer somewhere to keep busy and keep your spirits up – and it’ll be something great to add to your resume if you do find something related to your major!

You can also take this time to do something you don’t have time for while attending school. Read that book you’ve been eyeing, rekindle an old hobby, start a blog. But no matter your plans, be sure to make this summer a good one!

Darci Miller is a New Yorker studying journalism and sport administration at the University of Miami. When she’s not writing for the school newspaper, you can find her at the gym, either working or working out. She loves all ‘80s pop culture (the cheesier the better!), and glues herself to her TV when the Olympics are on. She dreams big, and believes the sky’s the limit!

by Kayla Herrera

So you met during orientation the first week of college and you two really hit it off. Fall semester flies by and the snow comes in heavy waves. Spring semester comes in like a lion and, as the leaves show themselves on the trees after a long winter's nap, you realize you are happier than ever. Now summer is here, you are staying at school to take classes and he/she is going home. What now?

This summer is the first real summer my boyfriend and I would've spent apart in different places so I've developed some tips for others in the same situation on how to deal:

• Texting is okay – an “I love you!” on your phone when you are least expecting it is always nice – but don't overdo it with long conversations via texting. If it's important, make a phone call.
• Give those thumbs a rest and call each other...but not every night. It will get boring and if a call is missed, someone will get mad, a fight will ensue and no one will be very happy at all.
• Mix it up a little and use Skype – it’s nice to see a face every once in a while! My boyfriend and I set up Skype dates and we watch TV together like we used to.
• For gaming couples, add each other as friends on Steam (an online game platform), set up times to play games together and chat while doing so.

You may miss your significant other but stay busy! Intern, volunteer, hang out with friends, spend time with your parents, study hard, whatever...it’ll make for a more productive summer and you won't be constantly checking your phone. Plus, fall semester will be here before you know it!

In addition to being a Scholarships.com virtual intern, Michigan Tech student Kayla Herrera is a media coordinator for the Michigan Tech Youth Programs, a writer for The Daily News in Iron Mountain, Mich., and a writer for Examiner.com. She love a tantalizing, action-packed video game and can't get enough of horror movies (Stephen King's books always have her in their grip, though she prefers the old over the new). Writing is what she has always done, and that is what she is here to do.