On July 19, The New York Times printed an article entitled "Colleges Make Way for Internships." It described a new trend among colleges, where they provide stipends or financial aid to students so they can accept rewarding, yet unpaid internships. Brandeis offers limited programs like this through some departments, but Brandeis should adopt this practice on the whole.Internships have become increasingly more important to break into the competitive job market. Students struggle with two major problems: Internships are hard to find and any organizations willing and able to pay interns don't always offer the best work experiences.

Last summer, my "sales internship" for a publication company consisted of a group of 20 college students telemarketing and doing little else. Even those of us actually interested in business learned little about management, marketing or sales. Some companies do offer paid internships-mostly involving research assistance and clerical duties-but interns gain little from such experiences. This summer I interned for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a large and important organization, but many of the interns spent the summer bored or doing busy work.

The most beneficial internships challenge students and offer them real-life experiences and future contacts. However, the organizations that offer such opportunities won't-or more likely can't-pay students for their time and effort. Social services and non-governmental organizations benefit from the insights of eager students, but students who are unable to work without pay are locked out from these internships.

The difficulty in finding internships is augmented by issues of flexibility. Stipends and financial aid credit allow students to take valuable internships away from home and still afford lodging and other expenses. All students, not just those who can pay a New York City rent for a summer, need internships. Stipends give even students on financial aid the chance to gain career experience and make contacts for the future.

Brandeis' Ethics Center and Women's Studies Departments provide competitive fellowships but only for specific types of summer internships. Social justice internships are extremely important, among the least likely to be paid, and often abroad. Still, students interested in art, business, media or government could also benefit from similar opportunities.

Universities that have school-wide internship programs include old prestigious ones with large endowments and scores of alumni to make donations. Brandeis has neither the history nor the large reserves to fund such a program now, but perhaps one could be established for the future.

By funding some internships, the Ethics Center has the right idea, but the program needs expansion. Following the leads of other universities, Brandeis should expand its capital campaign by working toward establishing an internship endowment. Brandeis has a few donors who contribute often, but an internship endowment program would attract more donors than a new building fund already named after someone else. Just like scholarships, internship stipend recipients could learn exactly who helped fund their internship experience, further fueling relationships between students and alumni.

The Hiatt Career Center could play a key role in dispensing funds and facilitating communication between alumni in different fields and students looking for internships. Finding an internship is often like the lottery. Sometimes one can win with one application, but more often, connections and recommendations play a large role. Internships with Brandeis alumni could be funded by the relevant organizations or by endowment; either option would ensure funds were used for an internship with Brandeis' stamp of approval.

The idea of networking has been ingrained into our generation for years; less emphasis is placed on how hard one works, but instead on whom one knows. What better way is there for Brandeis to prepare students for the future than by enabling all students, regardless of major, location or economic status, the chance to work at an internship that could change their lives?

The writer is a staff member of the Justice, but is abroad.