For many UF students, landing an internship is more than a resume booster — it’s a graduation requirement.
In many cases, students in majors like sport management and applied physiology and kinesiology are required to complete an internship before earning their degrees.
For some students, the requirement provides valuable, real-world experience. But many expressed concerns about the financial burden of completing internships while paying university tuition.
Kayla Graham, a 22-year-old UF sport management and tourism, hospitality and event management senior, is completing an internship at the Omni Mount Washington Resort and Spa in New Hampshire to fulfill her graduation requirement.
At first, Graham said she viewed the requirement as an opportunity to gain professional experience before graduating. However, she realized the requirement would lead to unforeseen financial strain as an out-of-state student.
“I thought it was a really good way to start your career … It's a good way to go into the last semester,” Graham said, “but then I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, do I have to pay for tuition?’”
Graham began searching for internship opportunities last Fall, nearly a year before her start date. She secured her position in October 2025, several months before starting work this May.
Because her program requires the internship to be completed during a student’s final semester, Graham said she had to delay her graduation to meet the requirement.
“I had to graduate in Summer instead of graduating in the Spring,” she said. “That was kind of annoying.”
Graham said applying early helped ease some of her stress, but many of her classmates struggled to find internships that aligned with requirements and timelines.
“A lot of my friends are very stressed out, and some of them couldn't find internships that start at the right time,” she said. “So they have to graduate a little later, and that just sucks for them.”
Despite the challenges, Graham said the internship has already benefited her professionally and led to potential employment opportunities after graduation.
Sarah Casey, a 22-year-old sport management graduate, finished her degree this Spring by interning with Gainesville High School’s athletic director.
Sport management students can opt for an alternative route instead of completing an internship, Casey said. This option requires students to take several additional pre-approved electives, which typically adds another semester of coursework.
Casey said that she had already taken most of the courses that would have met the alternative requirement, leading her to pursue an internship instead.
During her internship, Casey coordinated athletic schedules, handled referee contracts and assisted with day-to-day operations within the athletic department.
Casey said the experience allowed her to apply classroom concepts in a real-world environment, helping her develop professional skills traditional coursework couldn’t provide.
“The entire experience itself was very rewarding,” Casey said. “I gained a lot of confidence in public speaking and leading team meetings and things that you wouldn't necessarily get in a classroom setting.”
Although Casey believes internships provide valuable workforce preparation, she said financial barriers can make the requirement inaccessible for some students.
Her internship was unpaid, and she paid out-of-pocket for the required 12 credits tuition after her Bright Future funding ended.
“I think the requirement is a little extensive,” Casey said. “A majority of the internships that are available are unpaid, and for some people that's just not feasible.”
She said some students might not have the proper financial resources to afford basic living and transportation costs while doing an internship — especially when it’s unpaid.
Students who already have professional connections often have an easier time securing internship positions, she added, creating disparities in access for some students.
“A lot of people who already had on-campus jobs or worked with certain departments were kind of shoo-ins for internships that they already had,” Casey said. “I would definitely say it's not necessarily equal — it is a lot about who you know.”
For Shaina Finkel, a 21-year-old tourism, hospitality and event management senior currently interning with Hello Sunshine in Los Angeles, the internship requirement serves an important purpose in professional development.
The internship requirement allows students to gain practical experience while they still have access to university resources and support systems, she said.
“There's a lot of benefits to doing an internship and college, because you still have that fallback,” Finkel said. “If it doesn't work out or doesn't go well, you still have time to figure it out.”
Still, Finkel echoed concerns about the university’s structure for the requirement.
Students in her program must complete internships during their final semester, paired with a required course that coincides with the experience, she said.
“I would love to see an exploration of the idea of not having to pay for a 12-credit-hour course while taking your internship when you're really not taking a class,” Finkel said.
Contact Hailey Kon at hkon@alligator.org.
Hailey Kon is a fourth-year public relations and psychology double major serving as this summer's student government reporter. This is her first semester on staff at The Alligator, though she previously worked as a contributing writer for The Alligator and The Gainesville Sun. When she's not on campus, she can be found in the Dutch Bros drive-thru or a Ticketmaster queue trying to buy concert tickets.
