Unpaid Labor
The age-old topic of unpaid labor, aka internships. At this point in my life, I have four under my belt. My first was at the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. It can be summarized as well-paying, but boring. Partly because I do not love agriculture enough to have a career in it, but also because they did not assign me nearly enough work. My second internship was the Congressman Womack’s Rogers Office. It was a fun experience but did not pay well. However, I absolutely loved answering the phones and helping constituents. My third internship, and first of the summer, was with Congressman Womack’s DC office. Deserved payment is not the phrase to describe this summer, as funds were few and far between. As Congress was debating Trillion $$$ packages, they paid interns very little. Some make nothing, and I made $4 an hour - not exactly a stable job. Senator Boozman’s office was my most recent internship, taking the second half of my summer, and they paid a little better. I have had some interesting internship experiences and some that could have been improved upon. But, I have made incredible connections, experiences, and friends because of these experiences. Going forward, I will hold a greater appreciation for those interning - and hold those who have interns to a higher standard. Interns are people too, and so many companies see them as cheap, replaceable labor. Due to my time this summer, I judge Members of Congress on how they treat their interns. I have gained much respect for some and lost everything for others.