QUARTER-SYSTEM BLUES: WHEN SUMMER INTERNSHIPS START BEFORE YOUR SUMMER

Published on: Medium

With the end of the school year fast approaching, many students are hoping to land their perfect internship. However, for some University of Oregon students and other quarter-system students, some internships may be impossible to attain.

Based on a search for internships that can accommodate the schedule of a quarter-system student, the majority of summer internships have set start and end dates that typically coincide with semester-system school schedules. While this works out great for semester-system students, quarter-system students are at a disadvantage, as their summer breaks may not begin for a few weeks after the traditional internship cycle starts.

For many internships, students must be available to begin to work on the first day of the cycle. As summer internships are very competitive with thousands of applicants, many companies and organizations will simply not accommodate students with varying academic schedules, meaning quarter-system students are automatically disqualified if the cycle starts before the end of their academic year. 

Internships offer students an opportunity to gain professional experience in their desired field. They are a crucial component of a student’s education, providing real-world experience before they graduate. Unfortunately, without an internship experience, students may fall behind their peers. Many University of Oregon students have expressed frustration with this reality, as many of their dream internships are out of reach and there is not a lot they can do about it.

Rhemy Crawford, a senior at University of Oregon, expressed her disappointment with the situation. “My dream internship requires you to start on June 5, and since I don’t graduate until the 20, I can’t even apply,” she said, “The whole situation is so annoying, like even though I may have the best credentials and experience, the company will not even consider me due to something that is completely out of my control.”

Despite her frustration, Crawford continued her search for summer internships but found that many of the other internships start near the same day, which is 15 days before University of Oregon graduation. She said the constant letdowns have affected her for the worse. “Honestly, I have given up on securing a summer internship. Every time I find one that seems interesting, I see the start date of June 5, and I am instantly disheartened,” she said.

Crawford said that she plans to spend her summer working at her hometown job while searching for fall internships. She also said that many of her fellow peers plan to follow a similar path after graduation. Mira Eagan, a senior at University of Oregon, said she has faced a similar reality while searching for a summer internship. She said she now plans to return to her hometown this summer and work at her seasonal job while applying for fall internships.

However, not all students have given up on their search for a summer internship. Olivia Hunt, a junior at University of Oregon, said she does not have the luxury of waiting for fall internships to open. “I need a summer internship on my resume this year,” she said, “so, I am applying to literally any internship that starts after my last day.” 

She explained how some internships have multiple cycles, specifically designed for varying academic schedules. “The first cycle usually starts around June 5 (for semester-system students), the second around June 19, and the third around July 3 (for quarter-system students),” she said.

“I appreciate the companies that account for quarter-system students,” Hunt said, “it seems more feasible for companies to adjust rather than whole universities.” 

However, like Crawford, Hunt’s dream internship this summer starts before she is out of school. Luckily, the company offers the choice of remote work, so Hunt is still applying for it. But, life with a full-time job as a full-time student can be overwhelming. “If I get the job, my last two weeks of school are going to be extremely tough; tough enough that I am really debating if I would take the job or not.”

While remote internships may be a possible solution to this issue, Crawford said that her last two weeks leading up to graduation are already chock-full of studying for finals, saying goodbyes, and getting packed up to move out of Eugene. “An internship during those last few weeks is just not a possibility for me,” she said.

This issue has caught the eye of leadership at the University of Oregon and prompted it to take action. For instance, the university partners with companies and organizations that offer internships to ensure that its students have access to employment opportunities. These partnerships provide University of Oregon and other quarter-system students with exclusive access to internships that begin after the start of the quarter-system summer.

The Charles Snowden Program offered by the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication matches accepted applicants with journalism internships for the summer. Applicants have been placed at reputable media outlets such as The Oregonian, The Seattle Times and The Los Angeles Times, according to the Snowden website.

For students like Crawford, Eagan and Hunt, these efforts are crucial. “I’m glad the University of Oregon is taking steps to address this problem,” Crawford said. “I hope this leads more companies and universities to follow their lead, recognize quarter-system students, and offer more flexible internship timelines.”