COLUMN: The sad state of internships

From Michael Mugmon's, "The Way It Is," Fall '98 From Michael Mugmon's, "The Way It Is," Fall '98When I think of the summer, I think of basking in the sun at the beach. I think of sipping lemonade at an outdoor cafe. I think of sitting in the left-field bleachers at a baseball game. And I think of internships. Why do college students put themselves through this vocational torture? A precious few genuinely want to earn quality experience. But no doubt many college students yearn for a sterling resume that they can present with pride to potential long-term employers. Regardless of an ambitious intern's intentions, employers might ask an eager neophyte to perform a variety of tasks, ranging from the menial to the cerebral to the utterly lewd. Employers who value professionalism charge fortunate interns with jobs that challenge them to learn and succeed. At a newspaper, for instance, a reporting intern should write, edit and research -- tasks that relate to the work environment. Pouring a cup of coffee or running a package to the local Federal Express outlet comes with the territory, of course. Radio shock-jock Howard Stern, for example, demands that his communications interns learn to microwave his baked potato and chicken lunch to succulent perfection -- among other more degrading and insignificant duties. Nonetheless, such tasks often accompany even the best internships, and a quality summer experience can offset any embarrassment or disgust one may feel in performing them. Unfortunately for college students, some internships are a hazing process for the real world. Employers might exploit interns by assigning only menial tasks. Similarly unlucky interns may find themselves without anything to do, their employers having left them wallowing alone in lilliputian cubicles. Even more improper, a boss -- already in an unequal power relationship with an intern -- might take advantage of an intern's desire to secure a sparkling letter of recommendation. And the focus now turns to a bevy of questions: Which tasks are suitable to perform? How close should an intern physically and emotionally get to an employer? How far should an intern go to please the boss? The issue culminates in determining what is appropriate and what is not. With her allegations of sexual and professional misconduct against President Bill Clinton, former White House intern Monica Lewinsky has thrust such questions about the nature of college internships into the public eye, regardless of whether or not she consented to a tryst. If the White House serves as a microcosm of the American workplace, then college students -- both female and male -- have a reason to be prudent in dealing with employers' requests. Sadly for these students, in many internship settings, exploitation has replaced a meritocracy. Rather than writing gushing recommendations or promoting interns based on solid work performance, some employers know what interns want and they know what certain interns will do to get it. How does an intern navigate the thin line between pleasing the boss and having an employer take advantage of the lopsided power relationship? Simply put, if an intern cannot count on an employer to act professionally, then the intern must be cognizant of proper limitations. The issue is not whether an intern will succumb to the sexual or emotional lust of an employer in exchange for a letter or promotion. Conversely, bosses and interns certainly should have the ability to form friendships. The issue is that bosses should not exploit their interns on any level. The answer? The major onus falls on the employer to act in a professional manner. And when an employer fails to approach a situation with restraint, part of the burden of responsibility shifts to the shoulders of the college intern -- unfair though it may be. Though it sounds like instruction manual phraseology, an intern should report improprieties to an employer's supervisor. In a professional environment, the intern should shun irresponsible sexual and emotional advances from employers who prey on the ambitious and inexperienced. In a sense, this advice forces an intern to assume the role of a wary potential victim. And that's a horrible shame. In a mature world, the person at the low end of an unbalanced power relationship should never have to deal with the prospect of improprieties and exploitation. But as President Clinton's alleged sexual escapades prove, interns work in a disgraceful realm in which no one can be too cautious. Not even the most competent of interns, who just want to do their jobs well and get rewarded professionally, can let their guards down.