It’s important to get an internship while you’re in college — just ask any professor or graduating senior. Internships are designed to allow students to gain needed experience before entering the real career world.

Many students however have faced the troubles of working unpaid and dealing with some difficult employers. Nevertheless, thanks to the recent passing of Oregon House Bill 2669, student interns who have gone without pay will no longer go with their rights unprotected.

H.B. 2669 is designed to protect students from discrimination by age, sex, religion, sexual orientation or marital status if they are working primarily for educational purposes. According to a phone interview with Brad Avakian, the State of Oregon’s commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries, restrictions against things like discrimination and sexual harassment have lasted a long time for employees but they have not existed for interns.

The main goal of the bill is not only to give interns protection, but also to reassure them: No matter where they go to get their foot in the door, they will be protected under the law. This bill also lets businesses know what rules they have to follow, and established expectations of both the intern and the employer are there before the internship even begins.

“Because of that bill, ” Avakian said, “if there is an intern now that feels like he or she is being discriminated against or harassed on the job, they can now call the Bureau of Labor and Industries, and we can investigate the case and protect them from that kind of behavior. I think it was a terrific effort by both the Bureau of Labor and Industries and the state legislature to stand up and give some protection and a voice to this group of people who have just not had it before.”

Two years ago, his intern brought this issue specifically to his attention: There was a very clear loophole in the protection system regarding them. Additionally, because interns had no protection in the past, the Bureau of Labor and Industries often had to turn away callers reporting being treated unfairly on the job. With the help of co-sponsors Reps. Lew Frederick and Greg Matthews, the bill passed the Oregon Senate and is now awaiting Gov. John Kitzhaber’s approval.

“Nobody should have to give up their rights to be treated decently and fairly in order to get the work experience they need to enter the workforce,” Frederick wrote in a press release. “This bill extends very basic protections to those who are in a workplace in order to learn about a job, company or industry.”

Many employers request various social media sites before hiring a new employee, but should universities and colleges have those same liberties?

The Oregon House of Representatives passed legislation on June 3 to protect the rights and privacy of college students. Senate Bill 344A (PDF) prevents colleges and universities from accessing private student and faculty social media pages. The House and Senate in Salem passed the bill with bipartisan support and is now ready for a signature from the governor.

“As social networking sites grow in popularity, we need to make sure that students are confident that their personal pages are protected,” Tigard representative Margaret Doherty said in a press release.“It’s unacceptable for colleges to access a student’s private information, just as it would be inappropriate for them to demand access to a diary or other personal notes.”

Doherty also worked to expand the privacy of social media sites for Oregon’s workers. Despite not being able to search specific social media sites, SB 344A still allows universities and colleges to investigate reports of illegal activity to reveal specific information about certain students.

“Many students are choosing to share more of their personal information online, but they still have the right to privacy,” House majority leader Val Hoyle said. “We need to make sure that students don’t lose their rights simply because they are growing up with the changing realities of new media.”

Stephen Person, University of Oregon alum and former publisher for the Oregon Voice, passed away Monday at a Portland hospital after an incident involving a drunk driver.

“Stephen could relate to anybody,” said Stephanie Strahan, a UO grad and a friend of Person’s. “Besides from so many people knowing him, everybody loved him. He knew everyone because he got along with everybody.”

Person was not only an organ donor who saved five lives with his passing but was also a very involved student while attending the UO. While in school, he was best known as the publisher for the Oregon Voice, a student-run magazine that specializes in essays, photography and stories its staff find culturally stimulating. He had a goal of being a writer and managed a staff of 30 writers, photographers, illustrators and artists. He then continued his journalism career and went from being an intern to collaborator at Portland Monthly Magazine.

“He is probably the friendliest person I have ever met, he always had a goal to talk to at least two people he didn’t know every day,” Strahan said. “Whenever you were out with him you couldn’t go 10 feet without stopping because he seemed to know everyone. He was so fun to be around, but you never really got where you needed to go.”

Along with his great and friendly attitude, Person also made a memorable movement when pitching the idea to start the Rent-a-Pooch fundraiser. The event was put on in correlation with Greenhill Humane Society — college students got a chance to rent a dog on campus to take a break from their busy academic and extracurricular schedules as well as supporting a notable cause.

Person was interested not only in journalism but many things, including rock concerts, for one. Because of his many interests, a variety of people attended his funeral service on Friday, May 31.

“I worked with him during a film festival. He was a huge help because he had contacts for everybody and he put on an incredibly artistic show,” Strahan said, reflecting on past memories with Person. “He had an inspiration that he used live rats which was totally against the rules. Which, that’s how Stephen was, he definitely didn’t mind bending the rules and everything he did turned out amazing.”

Person passed away after his vehicle was hit by Nathan William Wisbeck, 26. Person died two days after the accident due to related  injuries. Wisbeck blew through a stop sign the night of May 25 and collided with the 2002 Ford Windstar van holding Person and his friend, Sarah Grace Anderson, 28. About one mile farther, a truck crashed into the van’s passenger side where Person was sitting and caused the van to roll over, crashing into a nearby building. Anderson was driving the van and has suffered serious injuries but is expected to make a full recovery.

Wisbeck is now  faced with multiple counts of second-degree assault, felony, driving under the influence of intoxicants, hit-and-run and reckless driving. Police involved in the accident told KOIN news that Wisbeck could face further charges after his upcoming court date on June 5.

Founded by a group of nine University of Oregon students, the Moonlight Five charity race is proud to be taking place again this weekend.

Sparked by a mutual love of running and mobilizing college students, the Moonlight Five features a five mile course illuminated by luminarias to light the way for runners of all ages, individually or in competitive groups.

“It great to have this running event that celebrates athleticism and spirit of Eugene but to also contribute to something bigger,” said Josh Sweigert, this year’s running director and senior at the UO. “It was something where we learned as we went. We had that mutual love of giving back to the community and we thought that having a run would be a memorable event.”

The plans for the run started two years ago by Nick Ray, Ben Vermillion and Josh Sweigert, all students at the UO who are interested in the medical field and organizing something bigger than their academics. Before the process, a grandmother of one of the nine participating students died due to a stroke, and it was then that they decided to dedicate their event proceeds to stroke support, therapy and rehabilitation.

“I was blown away by the enthusiasm of the staff and runners last year,” Dylan Schumacher said about last year’s run.” I think the event is a community experience, and we want everybody to be able to come together for a single night to have fun and raise money for a great cause.”

After, the group joined Sacred Heart Riverbend Hospital along with sponsors Neurospine Institute, Good Samaritan Society, Dutch Bros. Coffee and eight other local businesses to support stroke victims.

After raising almost $7,800 last year for the Advanced Primary Stroke Center, this year the group projected to have 100 more registered for the run making attendance almost 900 runners, as well as expanding their audience and taking the run to Ray’s hometown in Nashville.

“It’s extremely gratifying and seeing it happen with another person in charge,” Nick Ray said, founder of the race and graduate of the University. “We started it with the intention of doing it again, and we could not be more excited about it.”

Students, faculty and surrounding community gathered on the Memorial Quad Lawn for Rent-a-Pooch, a returning event designed to allow people to play with dogs on campus.

The event was introduced last fall and was brought back this spring because of popular demand. The event raises awareness for pet adoption for the Humane Society and gives students a chance to cure their homesickness and give them a pick-me-up before finals.

“Students get to come out and play with the dogs for a little bit, and the dogs get to come out of the shelter for a little bit and get a lot of human interactions. So it’s a win-win for both organizations,” Tammy Nguyen said, a senior at the UO and member of the UO Public Relations Student Society of America.

Hosted by UO PRSSA and Greenhill Humane Society, eight canines were rented out in 15, 30 and 60-minute increments for a quick stress relief during the busy end-of-the-year rush. All proceeds were donated to one of the two shelters under the Greenhill Humane Society, a local animal shelter that saves the lives of more than 4,000 animals each year. The Humane Society brought these rescue and volunteer dogs to the UO campus to socialize with students.

“Its goal is kinda multi-tiered, it is made to gain exposure for the shelter and let us talk to college kids about being responsible and loving pet owners. First and foremost though, it is really about love,” Sasha Elliott, communication and events manager, said. “It’s about the animals getting out of the shelter and getting to interact with kids who most often come from families with pets. It’s about just sharing love and have a play date here in the quad.”

It was clear from the time he started playing that Dylan Freechild, an undergraduate student at UO, was the perfect candidate to win the Heisman Trophy of Ultimate: the Callahan Award. He earned the honor during the Division I championship tournament as a member of Ego, the University’s Ultimate club team.

“It represents something bigger than me, really putting into perspective the things I can achieve if I work hard,” Freechild said. “Playing Ultimate is another thing you can set your mind to and your efforts to which I think is really important in college.”

Freechild started playing the game at a young age with some of his dad’s friends. Starting a tradition, he would visit them every summer, waking up early and going out to play with his older brothers.

He then continued to pursue his love of the sport and joined the Roosevelt Middle School team in eighth grade and continued to play all throughout high school.

“I think that he was the match-up that was the nightmare for every other team but he also was the guy that everyone wanted to hang out with because he was both incredibly humorous as well as a really good friend,” said Luke Johnson friend and former coach to Freechild.

“If you play Ultimate at the University you are all friends, as opposed to basketball where there are so many people that they are so many people they are not,” said Freechild. “It’s like a close knit community. It’s kinda like being in a fraternity or in the dorms. You automatically have people you are going to be friends with for four years if not longer.”

Named after the founder of the University of Oregon’s Ultimate team, and early advocate for the sport, Henry Callahan, the award is one of the most prestigious for Ultimate players. Before his passing in 1982, Callahan was known as hard-working, charismatic, and spirited on and off the field.

Dakota Bouher has dreamt of becoming a dancer ever since she was five years old. But it wasn’t until she was 16 that she started to make that dream a reality.
Now a sophomore dance major at the University of Oregon, Bouher is hoping to continue her dream as a dancer and perform with a professional company.

“I love the feeling I have when I’m dancing,” Bouher said. “I feel strong and ultimately, I feel alive. To dance is to experience the body in a whole new way. To me, it is one of the most human experiences possible.”

Unlike most other UO students, Bouher isn’t just caught studying textbooks and taking notes during lecture. A huge part of her education happens while she practices in the dance studio.

Along with history and fundamental classes, the aspiring dancer spends almost four hours every day in the dance department studios practicing her main focus, modern dance with an emphasis in ballet technique. She also participates in improvisational classes and classes that examine dance in different ways.

The UO isn’t exactly known as a dance school, but as Bouher explained, being successful in the program depends on the dedication you have to make the effort to improve and passion for dance.

“She works very hard and that is key,”said Melanie Meenan, GTF and Dakota’s Ballet teacher. “As we always say – talent only goes so far. She is always improving. She really makes the most of every class and has great spirit and work ethic.”

After deciding to make the switch from being an art major to a dance major, Bouher is now working hard every day to pursue her dream of joining a professional company and working in community arts to start a company for, but not exclusive to, underprivileged and minority families.

“I want kids to be able to experience dance as art in their own body. Small towns and communities are of utmost importance to me because I was raised in a small town along the Oregon coast,” Bouher said. “Growing up, I was involved in community theater, and into high school I joined the speech team and also started dancing. Having those programs available to me helped shape me and helped me discover my passions.”

Along with dancing daily, knowing the theater is a huge part of the dance experience, Bouher said. Because of that she has been involved in production classes and was also one of two stage managers for a dance show called “Bruit” by dance assistant professor Shannon Mockli. By learning to work the stage, Bouher hoped to broaden her skill set and add more to her great experience here at the UO.

“I’m appreciative every day for what the faculty members offer us in the department. It’s a community. Being in the dance department is different than being in any other major,” Bouher said. “When you dance, you share a part of yourself that you don’t share in any other way. Dance is extremely personal and that’s why our department is special. We call each other our ‘dance family.’ We really are a family.”

If you’re drunk, the age old myth says to eat some bread and drink some water.

For Ashley Pennington, the most surprising thing about talking to campus groups: They believe it.

“Your body is going to metabolize one standard drink in approximately one hour,” the University of Oregon junior and peer health educator said. “By the time food has been consumed and ingested, it’s highly likely that the alcohol has already entered your bloodstream.”

The UO’s AlcoholEdu program and national college data show that 36 percent of students at the UO who drink reported blacking out. Further, 33 percent of those who drink have missed class, performed poorly on an assignment or got behind in school due to drinking. If you blackout, you might not remember the night before — but you could also damage your grade point average.

“Students just need to keep in mind why they are here what they are aiming for and to have their eye on the prize. It is about being successful in school and alcohol can often be a detrimental part on the success of students,” said Jennifer Summers, director of substance abuse prevention.

Alcohol affects different bodies in different ways — based on weight, age, gender, how much or for how long the alcohol has been consumed and what you have eaten and drank prior to consuming alcohol. Regardless it takes about one drink per hour to leave the body.

Most students at the UO are between the ages of 18 to 25. This is prime developmental time for the brain and drinking alcohol could very well delay this process.

A shot, some wine or a beer can also double as a depressant. Sounds simple, you drink too much and then wake up in the morning a little fuzzy. What is really going on is the high levels of alcohol are preventing your nervous system from working properly. Meaning that  the more you drink the less you will be able to pay attention in class and understand and remember new and tough concepts.

“We are all at this age now where we are solely responsible for the choices that we make, and drinking behaviors should require the same amount of thought as writing an essay,” Pennington said.

Despite more commonly known negative effects such as hepatitis or alcohol poisoning, drinking large amounts of alcohol can also affect the body’s thiamine or Vitamin B1. Vitamin B1 is needed for basic learning and memory access and alcohol can make those simple tasks more difficult.

Students pay a lot of money to sit in class for up to five days a week, learning and memorizing what can be extremely complex and difficult concepts. Then, drinking during the remaining two or more days puts the brain through even more stress putting you in a position to wash all your tuition money down the drain.

“It’s a matter of having fun but being safe and being smart and being responsible,” Summers said.

Suicide is the third-leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 24, and during the past 12 months, 10.3 percent of college students have seriously considered suicide, according to the University Health Center at the University of Georgia. Despite these high numbers, suicide remains preventable with the right assistance. 

Oftentimes, students know that things such as suicide and mental disorders are happening all around them, but they don’t know how to help. Suicide Awareness Week, hosted at the University of Oregon from May 20-24 gives students the opportunity to learn more about what suicide looks like on a college campus and how it can be prevented.

“This event is made so we can get out and directly interact with students and give them information, answer questions and provide a place so the campus can know where to get information about suicide prevention,” Donna Miller, Suicide Prevention Team coordinator, said.

Events will begin on Monday with a flag display in the quad between the Lillis Business Complex and the Knight Library. Each one of the 1,200 white flags on the lawn will represent the lives of college students who have committed suicide.

Along with this representation of the losses, on Monday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the University Counseling and Testing Center, the Suicide Prevention Team, UO Active Minds, White Bird Medical Clinic, Lane County Crisis and National Alliance on Mental Illness will have tables set up at the EMU right above the amphitheater.

“It was extremely important for UO Active Minds to collaborate with the UCTC in hosting Suicide Awareness Week because it is closely related to our mission,” Marita Barger said, who is a current member of Active Minds. “Many college students suffer from stress, anxiety and depression due to a heavy course load and being away from their families. It is common for these students to contemplate suicide. They should know of the resources available at UO that are there to help them get through difficult and trying times.”

Following the important messages spread on Monday, speaker Kevin Hines will speak to students on Tuesday about his experience of having survived a suicide attempt from the Golden Gate Bridge and living with bipolar disorder.

In addition, the Global Scholars Hall will present the film “The Truth about Suicide: Real stories of Depression in College” on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. 

To close the event, UO Active Minds will host Stomp Out the Stigma for the second year in a row in the EMU amphitheater, an event that will inform individuals on how to talk to someone contemplating suicide.

Marita Barger was stressed, sleep deprived and feeling overworked when she was admitted to the hospital. Although this sounds like something most any other student goes through, she was also dealing with something much more severe. Barger, an undergraduate at the University of Oregon, was suffering depression, a common mental illness among college students.

Barger had suffered from depression since the age of 13. At the end of her freshman year, she was faced with typical college troubles, such as arguments with her boyfriend and difficult coursework. The difference was that she was also suffering from a common but serious mental illness that typically causes constant sadness or anxiety and feeling of hopelessness and worthlessness.

In 2011, the American College Health Association administered a nationwide survey and found that about 30 percent of college students reported feeling “so depressed that it was difficult to function” at some time in the past year.

Normal negative emotions usually come and pass quickly. Depression causes these deeply rooted and negative feelings to be drawn out, lasting for a long time and consuming many aspects of life. These long-lasting effects often interfere with everyday activities and can severely affect an individual’s well-being.

After struggling and feeling overwhelmed, Barger soon broke down and attempted suicide by overdosing on medication.

“I started to feel sick and began to regret what I had done so I called my friend. He immediately came to my dorm, and in time an ambulance showed up and took me to the hospital,” Barger said. “I stayed in the hospital for about a week until I was discharged.”

Upon her return, Barger hoped for a warm and supportive welcome from her sorority. Even though she was living in the dorms at the time of her suicide attempt, she had planned on living in the house the following year. Instead of a warm welcome, Barger was asked to live outside of the house because the majority of the women felt uncomfortable about the suicide attempt.

“At that moment I realized that these were not people I wanted to associate myself with,” Barger said. “My family, close friends and counseling got me through. Some days are harder than others, but I have a support system which prevents me from attempting to commit suicide in the future.”

Now she’s got the illness beat.

A good support system is one of the key elements to helping a depressed student stop feeling hopeless and exhausted. For those who are depressed, there are people everywhere, including at the University Counseling and Testing Center to help no matter what level of depression or other mental disorder a student may suffer from. And for those interested in being involved and helping others, there are several classes as well as annual suicide prevention trainings.

For those seeking help, seeing a professional can oftentimes be scary, but exploring treatment sooner rather than later can be extremely beneficial. Also, exercise and engaging in activities that interest you are proven to increase the positive aspects of a student’s lifestyle and help symptoms of depression.