Kendea Jones

As summer draws near, so does the realization for many at UT that their savings, which seemed plentiful last fall, are quickly drying up, meaning that summer work will soon be a grim reality. But where can students start? Standing behind a register isn’t a very glorious (or well-paying) occupation, but the vast majority of students looking for summer work aren’t quite prepared to step into a career, either. This clash means that for many, internships offer the best of both worlds, giving students a chance to earn a decent, steady income while also providing students with a critical foot in the door.

Considering all that, it should come as no surprise that when 70 promising employers gathered in Fletcher Lounge looking for students interested in internships, UT students eagerly welcomed the opportunity.

“I came here because I wanted an early start,” said freshman Brandy Gilkey. “Before you know it, you will be out of school.”

Career Service’s Hire UT Internship Fair included paid, as well as unpaid internship opportunities available to just about every major. Just a small sampling of the organizations represented includes the American Cancer Society, American Fundraiser Services, Art Headquarters, Awnclean Diversified Services, Ballast Point Ventures, Bay Area Legal Services, Busch Gardens, City of Clearwater, Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches and Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore Hotel.

Lakiesha Pinder, a junior, said that she was happy to participate.

“This was very helpful because they had a lot of companies