Break into the Music Business: ASCAP Internships

The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is the largest international membership organization of lyricists, songwriters, producers, composers and publishers. The organization is comprised of, and solely controlled by, those who create the music.

ASCAP protects the rights of its members by licensing and distributing royalties for the non-dramatic public performances of their copyrighted works. ASCAP's licensees encompass all who want to perform copyrighted music publicly. ASCAP makes giving and obtaining permission to perform music simple for both creators and users of music.

Internships are available in

• Membership Department
• Human Resources
• Office of Public Affairs/Legislative Affairs
• Membership-Symphonic & Concert
• ASCAP Foundation

Responsibilities vary by department. The Membership Department Internship is a non-paid internship for college credit, so all applicants must be enrolled in an accredited college or university. To apply for the Membership Department Internship, contact Cindy Braun at (323) 883-1000 ext. 269.

The other internships can be either paid or for college credit. For all other internships, email resume and specify the department of interest in the subject line.

National Governors Association Internship

The National Governors' Association, a bipartisan organization of the nation's governors that promotes visionary state leadership, shares best practices and speaks with a unified voice on national policy on issues that range from education and health to technology, welfare reform, and the environment, is seeking a full-time summer intern for 35 hours/week beginning late May/early July. This position is located in Washington, DC.

Internship duties include providing research support, writing reports, compiling information for governors’ advisors, and assisting with meeting planning. The intern should be a current graduate student with education and public policy experience.

Apply for Internship

Join Oprah's Team: Harpo Internship

Oprah's company, Harpo, is hiring Interns for its Research and Publicity departments, and in its Radio and Web divisions. The qualifications are listed below:

Publicity Intern
The qualifications are strong journalism background, highly developed organizational skills, creativity, resourcefulness, and a positive attitude. Responsibilities include viewing an Oprah Winfrey Show; Special projects; Servicing incoming calls; Processing incoming/outgoing requests; Producing clip books; Updating show, Publicity files, and database; Organizing, delivering, and filing news and press clips; Scanning magazines for mentions; Faxing and photocopying; and general office assistance.

Web (Oprah.com) Intern
The Content Migrator will be part of a team responsible for transferring past and current Oprah.com content from our existing web pages into our newly-developed site templates, so that end users can enjoy this content within the new design. The ideal candidate will be extremely detail oriented, and be required to ensure accuracy of the content he/she migrates. The Content Migrator must be articulate, flexible, and be prepared to meet assigned deadlines. Training and general guidance will be given. The Content Migrator will need to meet strict project deadlines and be expected to work on his/her own initiative, while reporting status of work on a daily basis to the supervisor. Responsibilities - Collaborate with project managers and supervisors to review scope of work, identify goals and objectives, and participate in training. - Migrate website content from web pages into input templates. - Preview/check all work, and address entry errors. - Document anomalies, inconsistencies, and other issues according to established documentation guidelines, and discuss with team when needed. - Provide status of work on daily basis for reporting purposes. Qualifications - 1+ years experience/study of HTML, including knowledge of linking syntax, stylesheets, HTML tables, and image tags. - Strong attention to detail. - Ability to meet deadlines. - Demonstrated experience/understanding of best practices in information architecture and website navigation. - Strong verbal and written communication skills. - Ability to effectively collaborate with technical and non-technical staff in high-pressure situations. - Recommended areas of study are Web Content, Web Usability, or Web Project Management. All candidates must demonstrate a willingness to learn, and the ability to communicate issues and questions quickly and effectively.

Research Intern
The qualifications are strong typing skills, proficient computer skills, internet experience, must be detailed oriented, good interpersonal skills, versatility to work alone or as part of a team, must be proactive and at times a self starter. Responsibilities include opening and processing mail, entering magazines into database, responding to viewers calls, updating various department databases, assisting managers and researchers with tracking trends and reading through team emails, other assigned responsibilities.

Radio (Oprah & Friends Radio Show) Intern
The qualifications are knowledge of digital editing programs like Cool Edit, Pro Tools, Dalet, or Adobe Audition; Strong organizational and communication skills; Preferrably familiarity with Harpo programming (The Oprah Winfrey Show) and/or XM Satellite Radio; Prior internship in media industry or college radio/TV experience preferred as well. Responsibilities include assisting Chicago-based producers and New York-based production manager in all functions; Digital editing; Writing segment pitches and promos; Assisting with show operations; Assisting in locating/booking guests and doing research for show segments per producers' request; Dubbing/mailing CD's and show materials; and other duties as assigned.

To apply, send the following:
1. Two (2) letters of recommendation.
2. Complete internship application.
3. Cover letter with the resume.

Submit to:
Human Resources
Attn: Internship Coordinator
110 N. Carpenter
Chicago, IL 60607

Back in the Closet: Gay Students Struggle at Some Black Colleges

The Associated Press reported that some openly gay Black students have report feeling isolated and unwelcome at some historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Students reported attempting to form gay student organizations and being denied charters for suspicious reasons, and having college officials down-play the presence and prominence of gay students on campus.

The Human Rights Campaign, an advocacy group that organizes national "coming out" days, looked into the issues in 2002. The group was alerted of the lack of inclusion and the dearth of gay student organizations at HBCUs when the organization discovered that the only schools that did not return the packets were HBCUs.

In contrast, the Human Rights Campaign found that gay students attending colleges with a White majority found a more receptive faculty, and a variety of gay and gay-straight alliance groups on campus.

The issue seems to stem from the fact that most HBCUs are located in the South and subject to traditional Southern values. And, many HBCUs are grounded in strict Baptist, Protestant, and Church of God in Christ religious beliefs, and in many cases, are still closely connected to religious organizations. African-American religious leaders and organizations are among the most conservative, preaching that homosexuality is against God and openly imploring their congregants to vote against gay rights issues.

The news is not all bad though; Spelman University (GA) and Howard University (D.C.) have gay student groups, and Morehouse has expressed a desire to provide supportive services to gay students.

Read the full article

Genentech Internship/Co-op Opportunity

Genentech, the San Francisco Bay Area biotechnology company voted #1 on Fortune's list of Best Companies to Work For (2006), offers several internship and co-op education opportunities. Getting a foot in the door at this top company means riding company-provided bikes and shuttle buses around Genentech's campus, having the concierge throw a birthday party for your significant other on a day's notice, attending Friday night keggers, or "ho-ho's", every week, and enjoying at-work concerts by big-name bands (Mary J. Blige, Elton John and Matchbox 20 performed last year).

Genentech is filled with big brains, but not big egos or big titles. The CEO, Art Levinson, prizes the casual, non-hierarchical culture where collaboration is king.

So what does it take to land an internship or co-op ed opportunity at Genentech?

Internships — The Genentech Internship Program is an intensive 10-12 week summer program, though some departments do offer year-round internships. Interns participate as members of project teams in research, development, manufacturing or business areas that complement their college curricula with relevant hands-on experience. Working side by side with some of the most talented people in biotechnology, the networking and mentoring provide an excellent environment for academic and career growth. Internships are paid a "competitive salary" and given a free health club membership.

Internship Eligibility - Students must have completed their sophomore year at an accredited college or university and must have plans to return to school in the following term. Most internship opportunities are for students who major in the life or physical sciences or chemical engineering.

Internship opportunities vary year to year, but as an intern, you might be a member of one of the following teams:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Antibody Technology
• Assay and Automation Technology
• Automation Engineering
• BioAnalytical Methods Development
• BioOrganic Chemistry
• Bioinformatics
• Biostatistics
• Cell Biology and Technology
• Cell Culture and Fermentation R&D
• Corporate Relations
• Endocrinology
• Environmental Health and Safety
• Fermentation
• Health Economics
• Human Resources
• Immunology
• Library and Information Services
• Manufacturing Sciences
• Medical Affairs
• Molecular Biology
• Molecular Oncology
• Pathology
• Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism
• Protein Engineering
• Quality Control
• Small Molecule Pharmacology
• Thrombolytics Research
• Toxicology

Apply to Internship Opportunities

Cooperative Education — The Genentech Co-op Program provides local students the opportunity to gain industry experience by working full-time during the summer and part-time during the school year. Depending on the school, some students may be eligible to receive academic credit for the experience. This program offers students practical experience, knowledge and contacts that can help them secure full-time positions at Genentech upon graduation. Co-op participants are paid and receive a free health club membership.

Co-op Eligibility - Students who have completed their sophomore year of college and are enrolled in the Cooperative Education Program at their university. Co-ops work for Genentech 40 hours per week for 6-8 months continuously (combining a semester with a summer). Co-ops receive course credit for their work at Genentech.

To be eligible for Co-op positions in Manufacturing or Quality you must be at least 18 years old, enrolled in college, have completed at least one full year of college, with one year of College Algebra, one semester of Biology, and one semester of College Chemistry. Co-ops work full-time during the summer and continue part-time during the school year.

Apply to Co-op Opportunities

College Scholarships for Skateboarders, Tall People & More

There is a scholarship opportunity for nearly everyone. A scholarship guide compiled by Channel One certainly proves this. The guide includes scholarships for people who are tall (5'10"-6'2"); $10,000 of vegetarians willing to promote vegetarianism in their communities; $1,000 for high school seniors who skateboard; $3,000 for students willing to study ESP; and $2,500 for anyone willing to make and wear a duct tape prom dress.

Check out Scholarships Anyone Can Win!

Criminal History May Impact College Future

The Common Application, an application used by over 300 colleges and universities, recently added questions about students criminal histories to the application. Students are asked to disclose any prior criminal convictions and disciplinary actions.

The apparent goal is identifying potentially dangerous people, those who have committed violent offenses or have behavioral problems, and keeping them out of dormitories or certain majors where they might create liability.

Students would not be required to disclose juvenile offenses which are sealed, and college admissions officers say they will not automatically disqualify students with a history of behavioral problems or criminal history.

Many groups oppose this trend because they believe students who have made mistakes in the past should be prevented from getting an education.

Just a note...The FAFSA already asks students if they have been convicted of a crime, as do many college applications.

Job Prospects Up, Starting Salaries Flat

A recent survey by Monster Worldwide revealed that 76% of employers plan to hire 2007 graduates, up from 72% last year. While employers reported that they intended to hire more college grads, 63% also indicated that they did not plan to increase entry-level wages because they believed they received more than 70 applications for a typical position.

Another interesting bits uncovered in the survey of 985 employers and 2,545 students:
89% of prospective grads expect to receive at least one job offer by graduation; 74% expect two or more offers
Candidates GPA is the least important hiring consideration (according to employers)
78% of prospective grads plan to complete at least one internship to gain work experience

And perhaps most interesting of all, there is a huge gap between employer and prospective grad perception of the needs of employees. Employers are focused on providing work/life balance opportunities because they believe this is most important to prospective new hires; prospective grads are most focused on "fulfilling work and growth opportunities".

Latest Book Updates Are In!

Everybody Else's Guide to Getting Into College, your favorite college prep guide, has been updated! Read the latest updates.