Thursday, August 13, 2009
Jessica Burger, Overland Park senior (center, third row from the back) poses with a group of Amnesty International employees. Burger interned with Amnesty International this summer through EUSA, a group that provides internship opportunities in Europe for students in the United States. EUSA allows students from any academic discipline to apply for internships.
Brett Chadwick, Bonner Springs sophomore and chemical engineering major, is one of the 14 students from the University of Kansas who decided to spend his summer in Dublin. Instead of studying abroad, however, these students chose to intern abroad.
Chadwick flew to Dublin in June to begin his eight-week unpaid internship at Health Service Executive. There he was responsible for setting up an online database for a Web site that held information for nursing homes in Ireland.
“I just wanted to travel and get a feel for what another country’s workplace is like,” Chadwick said. “I wouldn’t mind working for a few years outside of the country.”
Two years ago, the University began working with the non-profit European Study Abroad as a way to find internships for American students in Europe.
Right now, the program includes student internship opportunities in London and Dublin. Since summer 2007, the University has been sending students to both programs. In the last two years the number of students participating has grown from 15 in 2007 to 24 in 2009.
Beth Rogers, Overland Park senior and psychology major, accompanied Chadwick to Dublin this summer. She just finished her internship at Care Local in Dublin, where she worked with an organization called Plate Pals. Three times a week Rogers would go to a local nursing home to sit with a resident to make sure they ate a nutritious meal.
“I’ve never worked in an office before,” she said. “But it was really interesting to see how office politics worked.”
The Office of Study Abroad is also trying to put together two more overseas internship locations through EUSA for either the summer of 2010 or 2011. The possible locations so far are Madrid and Geneva, said Robert Lopez, outreach coordinator for the OSA.
“Internships abroad offer benefits beyond just professional development, as it gives students the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in another culture,” Lopez said.
Students are also thinking about the benefits that they will receive from working abroad, said Terrence Treadwell, EUSA program director in London.
“What I think students are doing is looking at how competitive the global employment market is — now more than ever,” he said. “They are seeking experiences and opportunities that will allow them to develop both socially and professionally, as well as providing them with a first step on to the professional ladder.”
Rogers said she thought employers in Ireland were more eager to hire interns this summer, too, as the economy in Ireland is also on a downhill slide.
“I’m sure the companies were thrilled to have cheap labor,” she said.
Treadwell said the current global economic situation was, of course, affecting the education market, though the number of students who entered higher education continued to climb.
“In the global society of today, more and more employers are recognizing the importance of cross-cultural experience,” Treadwell said.
Working abroad isn’t just a benefit to a student’s professional life, said Yvonne Knoll, program administrator in Dublin. Students also benefit from the cultural differences.
“One of the things that students learn from the cultural difference is that there isn’t just one right way to do something, but many different ways to go about doing something, all equally justified,” Knoll said.
Chadwick, on the other hand, did experience one cultural difference he said he didn’t appreciate much.
“They took coffee breaks almost every hour and don’t get any work done,” he said. “While I was there I did meet some pretty high-up executives that employ a lot of people in Ireland, though, which was cool.”
Through EUSA, students with majors in psychology, like Rogers, and chemical engineering, like Chadwick, are able to get professional experience despite the economic downturn.
Students from any academic discipline can participate.
Lopez said that in the past few years, KU students had been placed in internships of all types, including organizations such as the London Labour Party, Citigroup and the Royal Court Theatre in London to the Jubilee Debt Campaign and Amnesty International in Dublin.
For more information on the EUSA internship programs, visit 105 Lippincott Hall or the EUSA page on the Office of Study Abroad Web site.
Summer internships now available
The KU Office of Study Abroad offers internships in various fields.
International Education Week lets students think globally
The University’s openness toward international students and studying abroad makes it receptive ...
Regan: this reporter misinterprets Irish charm
Before she begins to study abroad, Kayla Regan learns how some Irish ...
Study abroad sets students up for success
Deadline to apply for summer, fall and 2009-2010 academic year programs is ...
Data shows study abroad myth is untrue
Students who study abroad are more likely to graduate in four years ...
Engineering students learn lessons abroad
Fifteen students applied engineering principles during a 10-day trip to Brazil.
Programs certifying more students
More students are involved in University programs dealing with service, research and ...
Student film hits international scene
Sandra Ristovska created a film about how globalization and modernization have affected ...
Study abroad is possible despite economy
Financial aid and personal budgeting can make travel affordable.
Editorial: Exchange rate just one reason to ...
With the relative cost of studying abroad, decreasing, now is the time ...
Global Partners program seeks members
The program matches American and International students for social events.
Unpaid internship experience too risky?
Students question whether unpaid internships are worth it.
Organization provides internships abroad
Ashlee Crowl has traveled all over Europe, and thanks to a student-run ...
Students look for international internships, World Cup ...
The international youth leadership organization AIESEC held an internship fair Wednesday, representing ...
Opportunity calls
How to get the most out of your internship.
Hudson: Study abroad should offer more summer ...
Money, homesickness and time are a few reasons why some students prefer ...
Students learn to study abroad on a ...
As the dollar’s exchange rate worsens, people learn to live frugally in ...
KU 11th in study abroad participation
During the 2006-2007 school year, more than a quarter of KU undergraduates ...
Senior promotes studying abroad in Germany
After his own meaningful study abroad experience in the country, Andreas Graf ...
Job placement rate worries professionals
Career experts see hope in the future for job opportunities despite recent ...
New housing option in McCollum to provide ...
Global House offers new way for Global Awareness Program certification.
New program lets chemistry students go abroad
Chemistry students get the opportunity to study abroad with the EU Atlantis ...
Students earn D.C. jobs through internships
Fifteen KU students interned with politicians last spring, in some cases earning ...
Lawrence sister cities advance and celebrate relations
Ambassadors from Lawrence’s sister cities visited KU to promote internships in Japan ...
KU students adjust to life abroad
Several departments at the University offer resources for students far from home.
AIESEC raises awareness of AIDS in Africa
AIESEC will sponsor “Explore Africa,” for the AIDS Haven at 7 p.m. ...
Why internships matter for students
A deflating economy and a shrinking number of jobs keep market tough ...
Student studies abroad in small village
KU student Chelsea Cooley learns to appreciate the environment while studying in ...
Miles from Ordinary
From Albania to Zimbabwe, KU students come from all over the world
Regan: LGBT want rights in Ireland: given ...
Columnist abroad works at Gay Community News, sees how new bill affects ...
Pre-law fair brings 70 schools to campus
The annual event provides students the opportunity to survey their post-grad options.
Miyakawa: More than 'study' abroad
Students miss opportunities by avoiding interaction with locals.
Editorial: Studying abroad ‘requirement’ unjust
Studying abroad is fine for some, but it’s not practical to be ...
New leadership rethinks Model UN procedures
The KU Model United Nations team has made changes in hopes of ...
Homesickness. Literally.
From diarrhea in India to stomach flu in Russia, international travel carries ...
From handball to chemistry: An Irish tale
Irish exchange student Marina Kilduff juggles studies, handball and a busy University ...
New handbook to help international women
International Women Connect is an organization on campus that helps international students ...
Incoming international students get involved
Cultural clubs help to introduce students to college life, other students around ...
Grants reward student volunteers
Careers for the Common Good will pay 200 University students who serve ...
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
KUnited presidential candidate Libby Johnson and vice presidential ...
1 comment
Comments
Internships let students work abroad
There are multiple problems with this program being offered by the Office of Study Abroad. First, this allows people to "buy" internships. It is not merit based. This creates a problem, because when the cost of the internship costs a minimum $5000, as it does in Dublin, it will be favored by the people who can afford it. This creates inequalities between students who can afford to buy work experience, and not have to earn it through good merits. Second, there are low cost alternatives to international internships, for example AIESEC, where fees reach a maximum of $500 and the program entrances are merit based. There is the difference $500 vs. $5,000. One is merit based, and one is automatically guaranteed to the richest of students.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID