Should students do it pro bono?
A number of graduate schools (e.g., engineering, design, business, etc.) are starting to engage their students in pro bono projects as part of their curriculum. This is a wonderful way to build the pro bono ethic in professionals early in their careers, and the students clearly gain a lot from the real world experience.
My fear is that these students may be getting a lot more out of the experience than their nonprofit clients. It has always been one of my core beliefs that nonprofit pro bono clients should be treated as paying clients and not as guinea pigs or second-class customers. When students do projects for nonprofits are they able to add real value or are they just wasting the time of a resource-strapped nonprofit?
What has your experience been providing or receiving pro bono services from graduate students? Send me an email at PBJ@taprootfoundation.org.
