College Interns: Receiving Gifts

Are you gifted? Meaning, do people give you gifts? Chances are, you accept them with pleasure.

Now, imagine you are "on the job" in an internship. A gift is offered. Is it OK to accept?

The easy situations:
Good-bye gift at end of term: OK
One of many given to all interns: OK
Token gift from your site mentor: OK

Not so easy: a gift of considerable value offered by another individual at the workplace. In most cases, there will not be a problem. But a gift worth hundreds of dollars deserves a discussion with your campus instructor! (You may still be told it's OK to accept the gift, but at least you will have checked with your ethics guide for the internship.)

The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2009 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. More about Dr. Bold can be learned at www.marybold.com