Enthusiastic visitors proclaiming that students can make at least $5,000 this summer through the Summer Management Program’s internships are appearing in classes throughout campus, requesting phone numbers and e-mail addresses from interested students.

Brian Golder, a general manager for the Summer Management Program says the summer internship program is an ideal experience for “”motivated entrepreneurs”” who are interested in heading their own businesses for a summer.

Students are trained and are later given responsibility for hiring painters, training new employees and eventually arranging their own jobs with clients. Golder summarized the programs as a “”painting internship.””

“”You are responsible for finding the painters, getting new employees and booking your own jobs with clients,”” Golder said. “”Painting is a rejuvenating industry — every few years it is always needed.””

Golder said that students must be extremely diligent and put in long hours to reap the benefits of the internship.

“”It’s good to have had the experience of working a 40-hour week,”” Golder said. “”You don’t pay anything to be involved in the program, but you must work hard and we guarantee each person a $5,000 net profit. Basically, no one loses money.””

Golder also said the company makes money by including its profits into the overhead costs.

“”We make a profit because our profits are factored into the overhead in each job — it’s part of the regular business costs,”” Golder said. “”We don’t make money if they [the students] don’t make money.””

The Summer Management Program is a for-profit organization with locations in 16 states and annually recruits from 100 college campuses throughout California. According to Golder, despite the large number of interested applicants numbering approximately 60,000, only about 250 students will participate in the internship.

“”We start with information meetings that include information about painting, and then we set up a pre-interview,”” Golder said. “”We also allow the student to ask questions about us and our company so they become satisfied that it is not a scam but a full-time job. We make sure that they’re motivated and we allow them to call people that have done the program in the past.

“”Ultimately, the applicants meet with the vice president of the company who will try to convince them not to do it,”” Golder said.

Golder cites school credit as an incentive for students to participate.

“”Many students talk to their individual college and try to see what classes [the internship] could apply to,”” Golder said.

According to Golder, the commitment for many students may begin in the spring quarter, as they may try to arrange one-half of the painting projects before the summer starts.

“”In the summer is when the work starts and we’re not here to hire painters, we’re here to teach you to run your own business,”” Golder says. “”At the end of summer you can wash your hands of it.””

Golder said he believes the Summer Management Program is a way for undergraduates to distinguish themselves from their classmates.