When Caroline Briselli decided to spend her summer in Barbados, it wasn't because of the beautiful beaches. Instead, she had just received an offer from the U.S. Embassy’s political-economic section to intern in the country.
For 10 weeks, Briselli, a junior majoring in history with minors in business in the liberal arts and Middle Eastern studies at Penn State, updated reports for six different countries and responded to requests from headquarters in Washington, D.C. "I am very fortunate to have found a program that allowed me to make an impact," said the Hershey, Pennsylvania native.
During the 2014-15 academic year, 50 College of the Liberal Arts students worked in 26 countries outside of the United States. Students took part in internships with foreign and U.S. governments, nonprofits and large corporations.
Other host companies included: Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Jerusalem, a global human resource and leadership development consulting firm in Germany, The Jerusalem Post in Israel, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in India, a synthetic ice rink manufacturer and supplier in Spain, the European Parliament, Exxon Mobile India, Transparency International, and ING Financial Partners in Moscow.
Briselli’s quest for an internship started last fall when she visited the Career Enrichment Network in the College of the Liberal Arts to have her cover letter and résumé reviewed.
"I got great suggestions that made my application much stronger, and I really valued their advice on the application process and on choosing which internship programs to pursue," Briselli said about the Career Enrichment Network and its staff.
Briselli also received advice from her alumni mentor. Throughout the entire application process, her mentor was willing to provide assistance. Briselli attended the career fair to speak with several government agencies before applying online.
"I chose Barbados because I knew it would take me out of my comfort zone and to a unique, beautiful nation that is often overlooked as a study abroad location," Briselli said. She is a Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Honors Scholar, and has completed three internships with Penn State and in Harrisburg.
"As a history major, it's been fascinating to see how the past really impacts modern-day diplomatic relations and social issues. Seeing diplomacy in action will add a new perspective to my classes as I learn about historic interactions between nations. My background as a liberal arts student definitely helped me this summer because my position required strong communication and writing skills, as well as an ability to adapt quickly," Briselli said.
Just 4,202 miles away, another liberal arts student was interning in London. Jennifer Thompson is a senior majoring in English with a minor in psychology. Thompson organized her international internship through the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES), which provided her and other interns with culture classes and networking events two days each week.
"I chose London because I wanted to be in a big city, and having classes on workplace culture, living abroad, and the differences between the United Kingdom and the United States made my transition easier," Thompson said.
Her experience working for a publishing company in London helped Thompson clarify her career goals. "I originally knew I wanted to go into publishing, but I knew nothing about it. I know exactly what I want to do now because of this program." The next step is to apply to graduate schools this fall, and Thompson knows the knowledge and experience she gained in London will give her a tremendous advantage.
Just like Briselli, Thompson received guidance from the Career Enrichment Network in the form of résumé reviews and funding for her travel abroad. Liberal Arts students can apply for study or work abroad funds each semester with the Career Enrichment Network office through its online Symplicity program.
The Career Enrichment Network is an alumni-supported resource for Liberal Arts students who are seeking opportunities to engage in career-related, international, and professional development activities. For more information, visit http://www.la.psu.edu/current-students/cen.