“A Fair Start for Every Student”: Building Opportunity and Belonging on the CUNY Spring Forward Website
By Subrota Shill
As higher education becomes increasingly competitive, many students especially first-generation and low-income college students struggle to access internships and real-world job experience. In this context, CUNY’s Spring Forward Internship Program website serves as more than just an information hub; it becomes a tool of empowerment. The website not only informs students about the opportunity to gain paid experience but also builds trust, emotional connection, and a sense of belonging through its message and design. Through strategic use of rhetorical appeals pathos, logos, and ethos as well as inclusive visual elements and clear formatting, the Spring Forward website positions itself as a lifeline for CUNY students who are eager to launch their careers but may not know where to start.
First, the website appeals strongly to pathos, or emotion, by recognizing the struggles many students face when trying to gain work experience. It speaks directly to students who may feel left behind or unsure of how to access professional opportunities. Phrases like “Have you had a hard time finding internships?” and “Are you ready to show off to employers everything you are learning at CUNY?” create a motivational tone. These statements validate students’ feelings of being overlooked while encouraging them to feel capable and proud of their academic journey. For students who lack personal or family connections in professional industries, this emotional connection can be the key to feeling confident enough to apply.
In addition to emotional appeal, the website uses logos appeals to logic and reason by clearly outlining the benefits and requirements of the program. For example, it states, “Interns make $20 per hour and work 15 hours per week,” giving students specific and practical information about what they can expect. The application criteria are also clearly listed with bullet points, which helps students logically determine whether they are eligible. This kind of transparency is essential for students who might be new to internships and unsure of what to expect. By breaking down the information in a simple and logical way, the website makes the opportunity feel approachable and attainable.
The website also builds ethos, or credibility, by positioning Spring Forward as an official CUNY program open to all undergraduate students, with priority given to those who have never had a paid internship. Statements such as “Spring Forward is open to ALL current CUNY undergraduate students” and “Applicants must meet all of the following criteria…” reinforce that the program is legitimate, fair, and trustworthy. By including the name and support of a large, respected public university system like CUNY, the website assures students that this is a real opportunity not a scam or a false promise. This is especially important for students who may feel skeptical or unsure of how to judge professional opportunities.
Beyond the rhetorical appeals, the visual design of the website also supports its purpose. It uses large fonts, bold headings, and bullet points to make the content easy to read and navigate. The bright colors and clean layout make the site feel welcoming and student-friendly, not overly technical or intimidating. The information is broken up into digestible sections, avoiding long paragraphs or academic jargon. All of this signals to students that the website was made with them in mind young, ambitious learners who may not yet be familiar with professional systems but are eager to grow.
The website’s mission and values are also clearly stated and reinforce its broader message of opportunity and fairness. The mission reads: “With a CUNY Spring Forward internship you are paid to pursue your future career and learn on the job.” This line encapsulates the program’s purpose: to give students their first real work experience while supporting them financially. The values focus on equity, access, and support for students from underrepresented communities, especially those in community colleges or early in their academic journeys. This direct support for underserved populations adds to the ethical appeal of the program and communicates that students’ futures matter.
Lastly, the context behind this website makes its message even more powerful. In today’s job market, experience is often valued as much as education. However, many students especially those balancing part-time jobs or family responsibilities struggle to access unpaid internships. By creating a program that specifically targets students with no prior internship experience and offering them a paid position, CUNY addresses a real barrier that prevents many students from advancing professionally. The website, therefore, becomes part of a larger solution to inequality in access to career opportunities.
In conclusion, the CUNY Spring Forward website is more than an online application portal it is a carefully crafted communication tool that uses pathos, logos, ethos, and student-centered design to reach and support its audience. It recognizes the fears and doubts of students who may feel left out of traditional internship pipelines and offers them a clear, supportive path forward. By making students feel seen, heard, and included, the website invites them to take the first step toward a future filled with opportunity. For students like me, that message is powerful and it’s exactly what we need to move forward.
References
Spring Forward – the City University of New York. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/ocip/students/spring-forward/