I 
 

used to have a lot of 
pride for attending the 
University of Michigan, 

a 
university 
I 
considered 

ethical, 
forward-thinking 

and diligent about acting on 
the opinions of its students. 
Lately, however, I have been 
quite 
disappointed 
in 
my 

school. I recently 
learned 

the 
University 
invests 
in 

Roark Capital Group, a large 
private equity firm involved 
in a horrific and widespread 
animal welfare scandal that is 
anything but something to be 
proud of. 

Roark-owned Focus Brands, 

parent 
company 
of 
Moe’s 

Southwest Grill, Schlotzsky’s 
and McAlister’s Deli, recently 
publicly committed to ban 
some of the worst forms 
on animal abuse from its 
supply 
chains. 
But 
Roark 

is also the major investor 
in 
prominent 
restaurant 

companies such as Arby’s, 
Carl’s Jr. and Hardee’s, which 
have all failed to address the 
cruelty inflicted on chickens 
slaughtered for meat in their 
supply chains.

Thousands 
of 
people 

nationwide have called upon 
Roark to ensure the rest of the 
chicken-serving 
companies 

it invests in publicly adopt 
similar welfare policies and 
ban 
unthinkable 
cruelties. 

Consumers’ calls, however, 
have been met with complete 
silence. 
If 
Focus 
Brands 

can 
make 
this 
important 

commitment, so can the other 
chicken-serving 
companies 

Roark invests in.

Without 
meaningful 

animal welfare policies, these 
companies 
allow 
suppliers 

to breed chickens to grow so 
quickly that their legs become 
crippled 
under 
their 
own 

bodies. Chickens spend their 
entire lives crammed together 
in dark, crowded sheds, where 
they breathe air filled with 
the stench of ammonia and 
sit in litter soaked with their 
own waste. A lifetime in these 
conditions 
causes 
disease, 

organ 
failure, 
respiratory 

problems and painful sores 
on the chickens’ bodies and 

feet. When it comes time 
for 
slaughter, 
suppliers 

are allowed to shackle live 
animals 
upside 
down, 
slit 

their throats and scald them 
in hot water, often while they 
are still fully conscious.

As a lifelong animal lover and 

advocate, I know no chickens 
should ever be subjected to 
these abuses. I also know 
that chickens are sensitive 
and intelligent animals with 
unique personalities and the 
ability to communicate and 
even 
develop 
friendships 

with each other. Studies have 
shown chickens can complete 
complex mental tasks, learn 
from watching each other and 
pass down information from 
one generation to another. It 

makes me sick to think that 
countless wonderful creatures 
needlessly endure immense 
suffering every day.

Roark has both the power 

and 
ethical 
responsibility 

to encourage the companies 
it invests in to join the likes 
of Burger King, Starbucks, 
Panera Bread, Subway and 
dozens of others by banning 
some of the worst forms of 
animal abuse from their supply 
chains. It’s baffling that Roark 
continues to fail to do what 
is in its power to ensure the 
companies it profits from do 
not take part in heartbreaking 
animal abuse.

I believe the majority of 

University students and alumni 
would not want our institution 
affiliated 
with 
the 
animal 

cruelty that Roark condones. 
I can’t understand why the 
University would support such 
horrors by investing in Roark. 
The University has an ethical 
responsibility to its students 
and to animals to stop profiting 
from animal cruelty.

That’s why I am calling 

upon my fellow students to 
urge the University to take 
a 
stand 
against 
sickening 

animal abuse by divesting 
from Roark. We would never 
idly stand by if our beloved 
pets were facing such terrible 
abuse, so why not take a stand 
for chickens, whose cognitive 
abilities rival those of cats 
and 
dogs? 
Together, 
let’s 

encourage the University to be 
the school we know it can be 
— one we can say we’re proud 
to attend.

T

hroughout 
the 
past 

couple 
weeks, 
all 
I 

have heard about is 

summer internships. Whether 
it’s going to the internship 
fair, applying to internships 
or accepting a position, it’s a 
frequent conversation in my 
circle of friends, housemates 
and classmates.

I 
have 
never 
actually 

applied for a “big time” college 
internship. It’s not that I don’t 
want a cool internship far away 
from home, where I gain job 
experience and connections 
from a fancy company. The 
truth is, whenever I find 
myself on websites to apply for 
positions, I stop myself.

I have begun to recognize 

my inability to apply or start 
an application has become a 
self-fulfilling prophecy. I am 
afraid. I fear if I put myself 
out 
there 
after 
spending 

time and energy with these 
applications, I still won’t get a 
job. So not applying in the first 
place just makes it so much 
easier — I don’t have to deal 
with rejection if I don’t try.

There is great power in fear, 

especially in how it can change 
the way we think. Fear can 
be a driving force that allows 
us to work extremely hard to 
accomplish a difficult task, 
or it can stop us from even 
trying 
because 
they 
think 

they will fail either way. With 
this knowledge, we need to 
consciously work to make our 
inevitable fears a driving force 
in productivity, rather than 
hinder us.

I had never thought about 

this concept until the first 
time I was rejected from the 
University of Michigan. It 
was the summer going into 
my freshman year of college, 
and I had already planned on 
attending my second choice 
school. I was sad but knew I 
could always apply to transfer 
if things didn’t go in my favor.

When 
things 
were 
not 

panning 
out 
at 
my 
first 

university, I applied to transfer. 
I was again sent a rejection 
letter, with the option to be 
considered for the following 
semester. With fear fueling my 
decision, I applied once more 
and tried my best to enjoy 
another semester at my first 
university. On the third try, 
when I was finally accepted, I 
was relieved I had continued 
to persevere because it worked 
out for me in the end.

Now, I see this as an example 

of how the fear of being in a 
situation that was not great 
for me pushed me to work 
harder and persevere through 
rejection. So when I came to 
the University, I was ready to 
apply for a competitive major 
I thought was perfect for my 
goals. I was open to applying 
because I knew I was going to 
continue to work as hard as I 
did before. But when I received 
the news of another rejection, 
I was heartbroken.

When 
applying 
for 

internships, 
schools 
and 

academic programs, the way 
we prepare ourselves for 
acceptance 
and 
rejection 

is 
crucial. 
This 
mental 

preparation or change in 
thought allows us to not be 
fazed because we realize 
rejection is a normal part of 
putting ourselves out there. 

In the case of my major, I 

had not prepared myself for 

the rejection, even though 
I knew the program was 
competitive. 
But 
it 
also 

taught me that if I want 
something or work extremely 
hard, I can still be rejected. 
I am not going to get every 
job I apply for, just like not 
everyone I confess my love 
for is going to love me back.

The way we prepare and 

reflect on these experiences 
helps us grow and build on 
skills for our big goals and 
dreams. They can help us in 
our personal and professional 
life because rejection, fear and 
failure will continue to play a 
role in all areas of our lives. 
The continued experiences we 
have with rejection allow us to 
push forward.

And this means we need to 

do it on our terms and on our 
own time. So this summer, I’m 
not going to have that big-time 
college internship. But when I 
am ready to try again, I know 
I’ll actively work on the way I 
think about my fear of failure. 
I will have to prepare myself 
knowing that it is okay to apply 
to internships and really want 
something because ultimately 
the worst thing they can say 
is no. The truth is most of the 
time, I can always apply next 
year. 

So don’t hold back! Audition 

for the role you always wanted, 
apply 
for 
big-time 
college 

internships and tell the person 
you like that you are interested 
in them. Because you are only 
the one who holds the power 
in the way you think, and you 
can prepare and reflect on 
things to see these experiences 
as steps of growth. As Hilary 
Duff says in my favorite teen 
romantic comedy, A Cinderella 
Story, “Never let the fear of 
striking out keep you from 
playing the game.”

Opinion
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
4A — Wednesday, November 8, 2017

REBECCA LERNER

Managing Editor

420 Maynard St. 

Ann Arbor, MI 48109

 tothedaily@michigandaily.com

Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890.

EMMA KINERY

Editor in Chief

ANNA POLUMBO-LEVY 

and REBECCA TARNOPOL 

Editorial Page Editors

Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily’s Editorial Board. 

All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

Challenge your fear of failure

ELLERY ROSENZWEIG | COLUMN

An inhumane investment

SAMANTHA PLOUFF | OP-ED

Carolyn Ayaub
Megan Burns

Samantha Goldstein

Caitlin Heenan
Jeremy Kaplan

Sarah Khan

Anurima Kumar

Max Lubell

Lucas Maiman

Alexis Megdanoff
Madeline Nowicki
Anna Polumbo-Levy 

Jason Rowland

Anu Roy-Chaudhury

Ali Safawi

Sarah Salman
Kevin Sweitzer

Rebecca Tarnopol

Stephanie Trierweiler

Ashley Zhang

Samantha Plouff is an LSA and Art 

& Design sophomore.

NATALIE BROWN | NATALIE CAN BE REACHED AT NGBROWN@UMICH.EDU

One-click internships

BILLY STAMPFL | COLUMN

T

here’s 
officially 
a 

Common 
App 
for 

internships. Though it 

hasn’t yet gained widespread 
popularity, students across the 
country, tasked until now with 
tediously applying to internships 
one by one, will soon rejoice.

But should they? I’m not so sure.
On 
one 
hand, 
applying 

for 
internships 
is 
time-

consuming 
and 
difficult. 
It 

requires researching different 
internships, writing cover letters 
and refining résumés. A lot of 
companies ask for a statement of 
purpose. Some want a personal 
statement. You need letters of 
recommendation, 
an 
official 

transcript or even proof of 
enrollment at your college. And 
this is once you’ve decided where 
you want to apply — finding out 
what you want to do and where 
you want to work might be the 
toughest and most important 
step of all.

So why not celebrate another 

“There’s an app for that” 
moment that we have grown 
so accustomed to in the digital 
age? Why not take advantage 
of new websites that save time 
and effort?

I was motivated to write this 

column because of a story on 
NPR that details two Georgia 
Tech 
students 
and 
their 

prized innovation, InternBlitz. 
InternBlitz is an online platform 
that allows prospective interns to 
type their standard information 
only 
once, 
then 
apply 
for 

internships. At first only available 
to Georgia Tech students, the 
website is now open to all. The 
site is making it far less tedious to 
apply for internships.

I tried my hand with the 

site and, though its database 
of companies and internships 
is still small, I can see its 
usefulness 
and 
simplicity. 

You simply add a résumé with 
your basic information (name, 
phone number, email, etc.) and 
start picking internships for 
your cart. Once you’re done 
shopping, you review your cart, 
click “Apply” and you’re pretty 
much finished.

Granted, it’s a great idea. 

I’ll never argue that we should 
reject technological innovation 
that 
makes 
things 
simpler 

and probably more efficient. 
But I wonder if a website like 
InternBlitz will be costly in the 
long run.

To prove my point, it might be 

useful to compare InternBlitz to 
Amazon. On Amazon, you shop 
for clothes, books and accessories. 
For the most part, the things 
people buy on Amazon are not 
essential (though this is probably 
going to change).

On 
InternBlitz, 
you 
shop 

for internships. It’s safe to 
assume that, in a perfect world, 
consumers (or applicants) should 
spend more time picking the 
perfect internship than they 
do choosing the perfect adult 
party game. (The “What Do 
You Meme” adult party game 
was listed as the No. 1 bestseller 
in Amazon’s Toys and Games 
category for November.)

I support Amazon and the 

ways in which it has made 
consumerism more efficient. But 
sometimes time and effort are 
indispensable. They’re necessary. 
Yet we have started dedicating 
all of our energy to minimizing 
the amount of time and effort 
required to do things that have 
always taken time and effort.

There should not be a Common 

App for internships because 
students need to go through the 
painstaking task of applying. It’s 
a process that allows students to 
explore different career paths and 
make connections with people in 
different fields. It’s beneficial for 
companies to know who is willing 
to work hard writing cover 
letters and personal statements 
— students who really want the 
job do these things, while those 
who aren’t as passionate choose 
not to go through the hassle. 
All the extra effort that comes 
with applying to internships is 
a powerful signal to employers 
that the applicant is dedicated to 
getting an opportunity.

I’m currently applying for 

internships in Washington, D.C., 
for next semester. I want to work 
and do research at a think tank, 
where there are always far more 
applicants than open positions. 
Most of the think tanks also 
require bundles of materials, and 
it takes a lot of time to find the 
right organizations and sort out 
cover letters and résumés.

But there are two benefits to 

this struggle. For one, I’ve learned 
a lot about the different think 
tanks in Washington and what 
each of them does. This will make 
my final decision more informed 
and more likely to benefit me in 
the long term.

Second, I like to think that 

not everyone is willing to go 
through the struggle. I would like 
to imagine some of my potential 
competitors are not willing to put 
in the time that applying requires. 
But if a platform like InternBlitz 
is available to everyone, that 
assurance disappears, and it 
doesn’t matter if a student has 
the work ethic needed to write 
countless 
cover 
letters 
and 

personal statements.

For these reasons, I don’t 

support InternBlitz. Researching 
and applying to internships is 
meant to be time-consuming. The 
process weeds out the weak and 
distinguishes those who truly 
want to take advantage of an 
internship experience.

Again, I’m not advocating 

neo-Luddism. I like technology, 
and though I think we could 
use it more effectively, digital 
innovation is undoubtedly aiding 
economic growth and making 
hard tasks easier. But why can’t 
some hard things just remain 
hard? When conceiving new 
websites and startups, we need to 
consider the costs of the ease for 
which we’re striving.

InternBlitz and other websites 

are already in use and will most 
likely become more and more 
popular. Students will be happy 
to avoid the painstaking process 
of applying for internships. But 
we should consider what we’re 
losing in the long run. Time 
spent 
researching 
internships 

and writing cover letters is well 
spent. It would be a shame if 
thousands of students chose the 
wrong internship because they 
didn’t have to really look into any, 
or if students who were willing to 
do the work didn’t get at least a 
little recognition from employers. 
In 
this 
case, 
technological 

innovation doesn’t seem to be 
helping us.

Billy Stampfl can be reached at 

bstampfl@umich.edu.

Ellery Rosenzweig can be reached at 

erosenz@umich.edu. 

The continued 

experiences 
we have with 

rejection allow us 
to push forward.

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The University 
has an ethical 
responsibility to 
its students and to 

animals. 

