Globally-minded students seeking overseas internships have new opportunities in more countries. Students have a chance to work side-by-side with people of another culture while simultaneously earning free credit hours.
These new open-internships are being offered in Scotland, India and Ghana as part of a “global engagement initiative,” said Heidi Gregori-Gahan, international programs and services director.
Besides creating global awarness for students, Gahan said the programs will “help to put USI on the map.”
“We want to create more of a presence in these areas, and this is something that will get USI’s name out there,” Gahan said.
The programs available at the internships are flexible and can be geared towards a student’s field of study.
Whether it is marketing strategies in Scotland, English education in Ghana or volunteer opportunities in India, “there’s something for everybody,” Gahan said.
Thirty-five applications have been sent to interested students and more are expected to apply, making these internships fairly competitive, Gahan said. The deadline to apply is Feb. 3. Applicants should be resilient, adaptable and posses the leadership skills necessary for self-motivated, driven work.
“Of course, the student must serve as a good ambassador for USI and the United States,” Gahan said.
Gahan said one of the biggest challenges faced by students is the culture shock of traveling to a place vastly different from home.
But students will not be alone. A faculty mentor, selected by the student, will accompany them for the first two weeks of the program. Upon returning, it is hoped that the student present what they learned and share their story with others who wish to learn.
“This also allows the student a chance to process what they have experienced,” Gahan said.
Gahan said the new program is here to stay, and will “become a tradition at USI.”
Career Services and Placement Director Phil Parker said anytime a person undergoes a real-life learning experience, like these internships, employers see it as professional level experience.
“This is an opportunity to develop a strong sense of cultural awareness,” Parker said. “It also looks well on a resume.”
Parker’s office assists and encourages students by providing info about credit obtainment in the offered internships. He said the programs are university-funded and “university-committed.”
“Students should approach this with a professional level of maturity,” Parker said. “Those who take the most away from these kinds of experiences, were those who were prepared for them in the first place.”
Missy Parkison, community engagement manager at New Harmony, serves as a liaison between interns in Scotland and program directors at USI. She said students looking for a more well-defined program should consider Scotland.
“Interns going to Scotland will have a better idea of where they’re working, who they’re working with and what they can expect,” Parkison said.
Interns will travel to New Lanark, an area in southern Scotland about an hour from Glasgow. Students will stay in a youth hostel with other international students.
Once there, a student will receive $150 a week in spending money, allowing them to travel to Glasgow or Edinburgh and experience the culture. She said New Lanark’s full cultural heritage draws an abundance of tourists, creating opportunities for students seeking marketing, history and education programming opportunities.
“This summer we are launching a Public Search Room Program, which will create a better link between New Harmony and New Lanark with pictures, maps, drawings and documents,” she said.
Parkison said the New Harmony internship is a good program and her interns are indispensable, but the international internships are “submersive and intense” in comparison.
“Internships like this lets students take their acquired skills and put them to work,” Parkison said. “It can give a student a very clear idea of what they’ve done and what’s next.”
