The University of Dreams is an agency that has been both mocked and rewarded by colleges across the country. Interview practice and resume review are services the company boasts, but in the end all its clients are guaranteed an internship position in the industry of their choice - for the right price.
This guarantee is what has many students and schools questioning the program's fairness. While some schools refer their students to the University of Dreams, believing it to be the most fruitful option, others have attacked it.
"People think it's just a bunch of rich kids who are buying internships," said Eric Lochtefield, founder of the University of Dreams. "But that's not true."
Lochtefield has struggled in recent years to capture a positive public image.
"I'd like people to see that we are more comparable to a study abroad program," Lochtefield said. "If you want to work in another country or even just another city that's far away from home, we provide the ability to do that."
The University of Dreams was started by Lochtefield eight years ago and today has contacts with 750 employers and 3,000 internship positions. The agency provides eight-week summer internship programs in cities around the world such as New York, Barcelona, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Chicago, Sydney and London.
The Web site brochure for University of Dreams highlights the activities that students will partake in throughout the eight weeks. Being provided with coaches, who prepare them to interview for their internships, is just one of the many perks that students can enjoy. They also sit-in on Wednesday night seminars, where motivational speakers and experts explain the different paths students can take.
The coaches are extremely active and even take the students to work on a dry run if they feel it is necessary. According to Lochtefield, they ride the subway with the student and show them their way around the new city.
"If you haven't been away from your hometown, and now you're trying to get a job in another city, it's daunting," Lochtefield said.
For many reasons, the University of Dreams does seem like a dream. A student having a guaranteed internship position cuts out the aggravating step of finding one for himself or herself. The internship does, however, come with a minimal fee of $6,000. On top of that, some students at UB believe it to be unnecessary.
Vincent Ceretto, a sophomore exercise science major, believes that he has a good enough chance of finding an internship without the help of an agency.
"My major is going to set me up to find an internship. I think I have just as good a chance of finding one as I would at Dreams," Ceretto said.
Sumiko Yamazaki, a senior communication major, also believes that she could do without the extra help. Yamazaki values a do-it-yourself approach when it comes to employment and internships.
"I want to do it myself," Yamazaki said. "If you rely on somebody else to find you a job or an internship now, you're never going to be independent."
Getting into the University of Dreams does require some self-sufficiency, Lochtefield explained. There is an application process; students should have had at least one internship experience, as well extra curricular activities, according to Lochtefield. Lochtefield advises that students work right along side the agency the entire time, if they want to find a position.
"We have consistently had good students in our program. Our students get picked over students from other schools, because they have a good reputation," Lochtefield said. "Out of all our employers, we've only had one that didn't return to us."
One of the reasons why students dislike the University of Dreams is because prestigious firms often use placement agencies to choose their interns. This process might minimize the chance of finding an internship for students who take the so-called "fair and square" route, Yamazaki said.
"Anything is fair though," Ceretto said. "It just depends on who is willing to do what to find an internship."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
