6A NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 2009
INTERNATIONAL
Students gain diverse work experience abroad Program gives students from all majors a unique chance to learn while interning in Europe
BY ANNA ARCHIBALD aarchibald@kansan.com
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.
before" she said. "But it was really interesting to see how office politics worked."
"...More and more employers are recognizing the importance of cross-cultural experience."
"I've never worked in an office
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.
TERRENCE TREADWELL EUSA program director
"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 crosscultural experience," Treadwell said.
Working abroad isn't just a benefit to a student's professional life, said Yonne 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.
Edited by Abby Olcese
For more information on the EUSA internship programs, visit 105 Lippincott Hall or the EUSA page on the Office of Study Abroad Web site.
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.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Jessica Burger (center), Overland Park senior, appeared onstage during "Walk On" at the U2 concert in Croke Park with other Amnesty International employees to recognize Myanmar's Auang Sung Suk Yai as the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience 2009.
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