OK.  I think some of us are thinking of different things when we say
internship.  For me, when I say internship, I mean something where I work
40 + per week _on the internship_.  That leaves no time for a part time
job, if I want to sleep anytime within a 6 month period.  You can live off
of _Jolt Cola_ for so long and then you crash.

From the responses, I feel that when others are thinking of "internship"
they think of high school or college undergrad, working part-time at the
institution in order to fulfill a credit.  In that case, yeah, I can see
where the position would be unpaid.

But in my case, I've *had* all of the theory, classwork, and practicle
experience from working and taking classes in a Museum Science masters
program.  I don't view this as an "educational experience."  I see this
more as a residency program, designed to build my practical experience
background and help me to get a job once I graduate.

If I'm going to spend $1000 + to pack up and move halfway or all the way
across the country to work 40 + hours a week for an institution, I expect
to be treated like an adult employee, not some student that you have to
pick up after all the time.  That includes some form of compensation.
Maybe not money, but perhaps discount lodging, a free meal every now and
again, change to do my laundry, something that recognizes that I'm not here
to see if I'll like the job.  I'm here to get my foot in the door because
I'm already $40,000 in debt to student loan companies, I have to start
paying that off, and I wouldn't have spent 6 years fighting with finantial
aid if I didn't want to do this for a living.


Emily Van
Museum Science Student
Museum Science Program
Texas Tech University
*removing herself from her soap-box*