Although internships can be invaluable when done well, getting academic credit doesn't necessarily make it legal (or educational). As ProPublica has reported, some schools are sending students into unpaid internships that may not meet the federal government's guidelines for when interns should be paid.
Are colleges doing everything they should to protect students from exploitation and abuse in unpaid positions? Whose responsibility is it to ensure interns receive the protection they deserve?
The Post has signed up to help ProPublica, a Pulitzer-prize winning newsroom in New York, explore that question. And we need your help.
If you have done an unpaid internship for credit, you can join the effort to expose potential abuse by reviewing your experience. Students have shared great experiences and no-so-great experiences, filled with busy work, out-of-pocket expenses and little support from their schools. What was your internship like? Click the link below and tell us.
http://projects.propublica.org/internships/schools/ohio-university-main-campus
Your review will go into a database on ProPublica that includes two streams of information: detailed data about schools' internship policies by major (as provided by the intern coordinator), and your reviews of for-credit internships.
Help The Post and ProPublica find out by leaving a review and sharing this project with your friends! Spread the word by tweeting or posting on Facebook with the hashtag #ProjectIntern.
The Post will be running several stories in the fall taking a look at unpaid internships and how they impact Ohio University students.
as299810@ohio.edu
@akarl_smith
