Student Crowdfunds Unpaid Internship with Harry Reid

Jessica Pardon, an incoming intern for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, can't afford to do the prestigious unpaid internship on her own. So, the college student is crowdfunding the $6,500 she believes it will take to pay for her four-month stint in D.C. And while demonstrating an affinity for fundraising is a good strategy for anyone looking to get into politics, it's not clear how her new bosses will respond to the spotlight it shines on the whole fact that Harry Reid doesn't pay his interns in the first place. 

Pardon, who is 20, is a sophomore at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her fundraising goal would cover food, transportation, and housing for her internship, she argues, estimating just under $1,400 a month in rent. Here's her pitch: 

I am the FIRST and ONLY member of my family to attend a university and hope to graduate with not only a degree, but great experiences such as this.I am a proud UNLV rebel and proud Nevadan who wants to have the chance to reach my potential. I was selected out of thousands of students across the country who applied for a chance to work with a Senator to be mentored and learn how to help shape policy. Having been recognized as a great Latina leader through my work, involvement in multiple political groups, and several classes to finish my degree in International Relations and Foreign Affairs is a great honor that I take seriously. 

The campaign could be good practice for her political aspirations: Pardon would like to become a lobbyist. 

Read the full story at TheAtlantic.com.