Master’s students in the USC Dworak-Peck School of Social Work walked out of their class on Tuesday to protest unpaid internships and long hours.
With some students forced to find outside employment to supplement their graduate work, protesters hope to raise awareness about the changes that need to be made in the social work program.
Marisa Vasquez, a first-year graduate student in the master’s of social work program, said students are required to take about more than six credits of classes and intern for about 20 hours per week.
“Not only are we required to do full classes but we also have to do a hands-on internship experience,” Vasquez said. “And as you’re aware, it’s unpaid.”
Students said they are protesting because they can barely find time to complete school assignments and demanding internships — on top of outside work — just to survive. “There are times where I’ve caught myself almost falling asleep on the job, and it’s been really difficult turning in assignments on time because it’s one assignment after another,” said Brandy Mendoza, a first-year student in the program. “I’m [also] working with my mom doing Uber Eats just because I need to pay rent and bills and tuition.”
In an official statement obtained by Annenberg Media, USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work said that “the request to pay social work students for their practicum placements is a national issue. Our school’s leadership has an open dialog with students on this topic and will continue to work closely with them.”
Most graduate students are allowed only one sick day per internship, they said, and are told to “use it wisely.” That’s not enough time to even recover from the COVID-19 or even the flu, they said.
Hannah Logson, a second-year graduate student in the program, said she was terminated from her internship when she got the flu and could not go to work for three days.
“If you get sick with a flu, or cold, or COVID-19, you’re screwed,” she said. “You have to make up hours at that point, or some field placements will drop you because you’ve not met the time or you’ve not met the hours.”
Other graduate students said they are concerned about their mental health amidst the requirements of the program regarding internships and the limited sick days it offers.
Jeneva Lindsey, a second-year adult mental health and wellness student in the program, said her mental health has significantly declined because of the overwhelming amount of hours she is expected to put in every week. She said her program doesn’t leave her with time to find another job to supplement her low income, either
“It’s hard to be working that much and to not be able to have any income on top of it,” she said. “I was very broke, and it only got worse this year because my rent went up.”
Some students said they did not receive enough support from their supervisors to make accommodations or improve the quality of the work environment, even when they sought it out.
“I get it, I’ve struggled with my mental health,” Logson said. “I’ve not done a great job of managing it because I’ve been so overwhelmed. But I was actively trying to find support and look for support and help.”
Some students said they felt discriminated against because of their mental health issues and said they just want to be faced with understanding and honest communication to find better solutions for them.
“It’s just been kind of discrimination,” Logson said. “And when I try to be transparent about my experiences, it’s kind of almost been weaponized in a way towards me.”
Logson, who submitted a statement to her student review after being fired from her internship, said she did it not because she wants things to be changed for her but because USC needs to do a quality check before sending students into the placements. All she wants is to learn in a healthy work environment.
“I’ve come to terms and acceptance that I’m okay with staying the extra year and paying whatever money I need to pay if it’s going to get me a better experience at a better internship site,” she said. “But [my] statement was not for me to change any of my outcome. It was just so it’s documented that there’s situations like this happening and USC needs to look.”
Karra Bikson, an associate professor of social work, said the reasons for the walk out come down amount to a social justice issue.
“I was so impressed. They are so brilliant. My heart was bursting with pride,” Bikson said. “To me, the students are already committed to social justice when they come to the program. They are the solution.”
Dayshalee Rosario Cruz is a graduate student who said she has had a pleasant learning experience with her internships. But she said she joined the walk out in the name of those who have been negatively affected.
“Thankfully, my experience with my internship has been very positive. I haven’t had the uncomfortable and negative experiences other students have had and I understand that,” she said. “I am still going to walk out in solidarity for those that maybe don’t have the opportunity to walk out and their experience hasn’t been positive.”
“I can walk out for them,” Rosario Cruz added.