The University of Virginia's "New Ivy" status is a testament to its rigorous academics, fostering a deeply ambitious student body that extends beyond the academic year. This culture of ambition is evident in the summer months, where students seek out internships, summer jobs, and research opportunities to cultivate career skills. However, this pursuit of productivity and achievement can also lead to pressure to have the "perfect" summer, as defined by the students interviewed by The Cavalier Daily.
Aarush Penmetsa, a rising second-year College student, spent his summer taking Discrete Mathematics and Theory 1 remotely through a local community college. This class is a prerequisite for a course he hopes to take during the year, CS 3100, "Data Structures and Algorithms 2", which will teach him advanced algorithm design and help him prepare for technical job interviews. Penmetsa's perspective mirrors the realities of today's job market, where a degree alone is no longer enough to secure a job, and internships, research, and other forms of professional experience are more necessary.
Julena Patel, a rising third-year Engineering student, stayed in Charlottesville this summer to pursue research at the Paudel Lab, a systems biology lab that studies how cancer cells behave and respond to treatments through computer model analysis. She said she hopes to gain hands-on experience to build her biomedical engineering skills. Simultaneously, she attended information sessions and case prep workshops hosted by consulting firms to apply early for summer 2027 internships. Patel explained that she chose to spend her summer this way because summer allows her to pursue opportunities purely focused on professional advancement.
Lauren O'Brien, a rising fourth-year Commerce student, interned for an information services company in New York City. She explained that because of the unpredictable nature of receiving a competitive internship, students should not be so hard on themselves when planning their last few college summers. O'Brien said that she does miss her former summer job of being a camp counselor, as it provided a sense of community and a more relaxed work environment.
However, not all students can afford to pursue internships or other forms of professional experience. Many heavily sought-after internships amongst students at the University, such as Capitol Hill, are not guaranteed to pay or have stipends below minimum wage. With over 20 percent of students receiving Pell Grants, a federal subsidy awarded to qualifying for college on the basis of family income, many students can be financially locked out of internships because the opportunities may be economically unfeasible.
In addition to financial factors, growing connections to peers' career opportunities with platforms like LinkedIn can drive students to compare their own year-round productivity among classmates. Penmetsa reminded students that they do not need to feed into competition that does not serve them. Instead, they should be conscious of their own goals and pursue opportunities that actually interest them.
Valentina Fratarcangeli, a rising third-year College student, is doing exactly that - striking a balance between work, family, and friends. This summer, she worked at a local country club pool while also completing clinical shadowing hours on the side. Fratarcangeli acknowledged that she has mixed feelings about enjoying her break, as she feels guilty for just enjoying time of slowness.
Ultimately, the decision of how to spend the summer depends on what is best for each individual. Patel encouraged students to remember that their success is not defined by the selectivity of their summer plans. She said, "Especially at a competitive institution like U.Va., I feel like it's kind of easy to think like 'everyone has an experience and I don't, so I'm falling behind, so I'm falling behind.' I promise you, not everyone has something crazy selective that they're doing over the summer [and] everyone has their own [strengths] to offer."
