2008 Woodie Awards
International internships offer global business perspective
By: Brittany Whitlow
Issue date: 10/4/07 Section: News
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The internships, which are unpaid, last eight weeks and are open to U.S. citizens of any major who have taken business classes or have business experience.
While the program typically accepts students going into their junior or senior years, graduating seniors are admitted on a space-available basis, said IBIE Coordinator Stephanie Kessler, a WU alumna who studied international relations.
"It's different than study abroad because you're working full-time, and rather than going to your dorm, you're staying with a host family," Kessler said. "That really gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture and the language."
WU alumna Sarah Abercrombie, who studied international relations, interned in Japan in summer 2006 after having studied abroad there the previous year.
"It's one thing to be a student there, but working in Japan is a totally different experience. I wanted to see that side of it too," she said. "The home stay I wasn't too thrilled about, but it was part of the experience."
Abercrombie recalled the atmosphere of Daifuku, the manufacturing company where she interned.
"It's a really traditional Japanese business," she said. "I had a uniform vest, skirt and button-down shirt like all the other women. You get to meet the presidents and the vice presidents; (they) take you out to dinner; you meet their families. You meet so many great people that have made so much of themselves; it's really worth doing."
Students interested in the program must go through a job-like process: obtaining academic and employer recommendations, filling out an application and doing interviews with Kessler, IBIE Director Wilma Prifti, corporate representatives, program alumni and, if applicable, language professors.
"Not only does this prepare you for an internship, but also for your future interviews," Kessler said. "Companies benefit because they get a student that's already been pre-screened, will be wonderfully productive and is also going to be able to internationalize their work force."
The program also doubles as an exchange program, allowing international students from selected schools to do a similar internship process in the United States.
In addition, the program's $1,000 administrative fee is discounted to $800 for WU students. The cost covers room and board, except in the U.K., where "space is a commodity and the dollar is so weak with regard to the pound," Kessler said.
"We try to keep the cost very, very low for the students, because if we don't, we'd leave out a lot of students who would otherwise go," she said.
Applications for summer 2008 are due Jan. 18 and can be obtained through Kessler or at http://www.webster.edu/intl/ibie.
While the program typically accepts students going into their junior or senior years, graduating seniors are admitted on a space-available basis, said IBIE Coordinator Stephanie Kessler, a WU alumna who studied international relations.
"It's different than study abroad because you're working full-time, and rather than going to your dorm, you're staying with a host family," Kessler said. "That really gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture and the language."
WU alumna Sarah Abercrombie, who studied international relations, interned in Japan in summer 2006 after having studied abroad there the previous year.
"It's one thing to be a student there, but working in Japan is a totally different experience. I wanted to see that side of it too," she said. "The home stay I wasn't too thrilled about, but it was part of the experience."
Abercrombie recalled the atmosphere of Daifuku, the manufacturing company where she interned.
"It's a really traditional Japanese business," she said. "I had a uniform vest, skirt and button-down shirt like all the other women. You get to meet the presidents and the vice presidents; (they) take you out to dinner; you meet their families. You meet so many great people that have made so much of themselves; it's really worth doing."
Students interested in the program must go through a job-like process: obtaining academic and employer recommendations, filling out an application and doing interviews with Kessler, IBIE Director Wilma Prifti, corporate representatives, program alumni and, if applicable, language professors.
"Not only does this prepare you for an internship, but also for your future interviews," Kessler said. "Companies benefit because they get a student that's already been pre-screened, will be wonderfully productive and is also going to be able to internationalize their work force."
The program also doubles as an exchange program, allowing international students from selected schools to do a similar internship process in the United States.
In addition, the program's $1,000 administrative fee is discounted to $800 for WU students. The cost covers room and board, except in the U.K., where "space is a commodity and the dollar is so weak with regard to the pound," Kessler said.
"We try to keep the cost very, very low for the students, because if we don't, we'd leave out a lot of students who would otherwise go," she said.
Applications for summer 2008 are due Jan. 18 and can be obtained through Kessler or at http://www.webster.edu/intl/ibie.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Mary Burke
posted 10/04/07 @ 11:54 AM CST
As a Webster alumna and adjunct faculty member, I was thrilled to have an IBIE student from Mexico work with us at the Academy of Science this summer. (Continued…)
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