Public Requests for Student Designers and Artists

Student Internships and Employment: Mining a Valuable Resource    

The UTEP Department of Art frequently receives inquiries from local employers regarding the availability of student interns. While we strongly encourage internship opportunities in our community, many of these inquiries do not meet University or U.S. Department of Labor guidelines for unpaid, college credit internships. However, we do support paid internships and other employment opportunities, including charitable work for the community.

We also are often notified of "design contests", usually for logos. In the past, organizations such as the American Institute of Graphic Artists (AIGA), the Graphic Artist’s Guild (GAG), and the American Association of Advertising Agencies, among others, have all taken a stand against speculative work, or "spec work"—work done prior to engagement with a client in anticipation of being paid. The UTEP Department of Art shares the position of the AIGA, which has expressed very compelling reasons why this practice is detrimental for both designer and client. Any lasting, effective, identity design requires a thoughtful consideration, including research and a thorough knowledge of an organization’s culture, goals, and practices. Clients deserve a logo that is carefully thought-out, backed by a relevant, clear, creative concept and careful, precise, execution. Designers deserve to be paid for delivering such a logo.

To learn more about this, please see their website:
http://www.aiga.org/position-spec-work/

To better understand the Department of Art's policy toward non-paid internship requests for student designers please read the following, "Designers, Please Pay Your Interns".

The Department maintains an active job bulletin procedure. Please email your job listing to artdept@utep.edu and we will be happy to publicize legitimate internship and employment opportunities to our students. You may also post your job listing yourself to our Department of Art Facebook page.

Our graphic design students represent a valuable resource for local businesses and institutions. These are skilled, talented individuals, schooled in the latest software applications and techniques of effective design. Most are bilingual. Our students are conscientious and hard working—and they are ready to put their skills to work for you.

If you would like to learn more, please email your inquiries to the Department of Art artdept@utep.edu or any of our Graphic Design faculty. If you would like to learn more about our for-credit internship policy Click Here.