This month, the USC School of Cinematic Arts made the unfortunate decision to eliminate the Internship Coordinator position at SCA. This means that Joe Brukner, the main force behind the Internship office will no longer be at the school starting April 1st, as the position is being eliminated entirely. This rash and uncalled for decision is a huge blow to the SCA student body, who have been positively impacted by Joe’s work in the past year and who have not received any notification of this from the School itself.

For those who may not know, here’s just a fraction of what Joe does for the SCA community:

• He spends hours each day meeting with students, providing invaluable feedback and suggestions on resumes and cover letters.
• He communicates regularly with studios and agencies, ensuring that students have the most up-to-date information on opportunities.
• He updates and maintains the “Internship Opportunities” document (which he started) that is shared across SCA and updated DAILY with new opportunities for students.
• He plans and executes speaker events and tutorials, such as those featured in last month’s Career Week. 

Joe Brukner has dedicated countless hours into updating and improving the internship program at SCA, and his loss will have deep and lasting impacts on the student body. With Joe gone, there will only be student workers left to maintain the Internships document. This will leave our internship program stagnant until the position is re-filled, if at all. For a school that prides itself on innovation and advancement, this is a disappointing step backwards for such a crucial program. 

In an industry that is so reliant upon gaining experience through internships and similar opportunities, having someone like Joe who goes above and beyond for us means the world. We urge the SCA administration to reconsider their decision and renew Joe Brukner’s contract as soon as possible. 

Thank you for standing with us.

Petition created by Gabriella Diaz, Cami Smith-Dahl, & Heidi Atlas.