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24 March 2008
International Professionals Benefit from Foreign Internships
Three international students in Washington share their experiences
The speakers are a narrator; Virginia Gergoff, the Washington Center’s managing director of international and advanced leadership programs; and international interns Olivier Moreau, DaWoon Chun and Gustavo (no last name given).
(begin transcript)
Narrator: “Today on America.gov, we look at education through internships, and why globalization is changing how young professionals prepare for graduation. We’re joined by three foreign students living and working in Washington. Stay with us as they share their experience and advice for the next generation of international professionals.
“Washington is one of the centers of international activity. Here you can find embassies, aid organizations, investment banks, and everything in between. In the past, capital cities were where international activity affected everyday life the most. But technology has changed that. Everywhere in America and around the world – anywhere that communications technologies have reached – is feeling the reality of globalization.
“For students and young professionals, globalization presents a range of challenges. But globalization also brings opportunities for both American and foreign students. In the future, it is likely that language, cultural, and technology skills, combined with career flexibility and a strong willingness to work and learn, will go a long way in the global economy.
“International internships are becoming very popular with students and young professionals. The number of U.S. students going to foreign countries increases every year, with many choosing non-English-speaking countries. Foreign students coming to the United States have also reached record numbers. In addition to studies, students are finding that an internship with a business or organization is a nice way to stand out in a crowded workplace and gain real-world job experience.
“The U.S. State Department’s Fulbright Program has conducted foreign exchange programs for years. It’s a key part of diplomacy and creating the understanding to ease transition to a globalized world. As business, politics, and societies become more globalized, more and more private organizations help foreign students find internships in the United States. The Washington Center is one of these.”
Virginia Gergoff: “What we do is everything related to bringing an international student to the U.S.”
Narrator: “Virginia Gergoff is the Washington Center’s managing director of international and advanced leadership programs.”
Gergoff: “Everything from signing the cooperation agreements with the universities and the governments, recruiting students overseas. We manage their J1 visas, we make sure that they have a good experience, and then when they leave, that they leave satisfied and basically happy.”
Narrator: “The Internet, telecommunications, and expansive travel networks have opened up a wide range of possibilities for international internships. Finding information on those possibilities is as simple as getting in front of a computer.”
Olivier Moreau: “I was driving down to Florida and then on my way back – well, let’s stop in Washington, D.C., and see the capital of the United States, and I thought the city was good-looking, so I’m Googling programs for internships in Washington, D.C., the next day.”
Narrator: “Public and private organizations pursue partnerships with each other to promote higher education. Depending on the level of students, the programs are different. Some more advanced programs assist students in constructing their own program of study, while others have structured programs leading to academic credit counting toward graduation.”
Gergoff: “We have agreements with about 2,000 organizations in Washington, D.C., that take our interns – that goes from the White House to local nonprofits. International students can come to the Washington Center even if they are not receiving academic credits. We basically find the internship for them and we provide the academic component, which is program assignments, they take a class, we bring speakers, we take them to different organizations. We have 12 programs based on areas of interest. So the mass communication program will place students in CNN, the Washington Post, Voice of America. Depending on the students’ interests, we will find internships for those students. It can be in the private sector or the public sector.”
Narrator: “Even though many programs provide guidance and require some form of reporting from the students, in the end, the quality of the experience depends on the students themselves. Participants should have a good idea of what professional field they wish to pursue, usually related to their studies.”
Gustavo: “In Washington, it’s better to be in the public sector. But that’s for me; that’s what I was looking for. Now, I’m in the OAS and it was a great experience. I got to know the public sector, how an international organization works.”
Narrator: “Traveling overseas to a new country, where you must live with a different language and culture, can be difficult – and also very rewarding. Foreign exchange programs and internships offer participants the chance to learn the skills so important for success in a globalized economy. Cities like Washington offer the perfect place for students to expand their horizons.”
Moreau: “If you want to go to conferences or networking events, you can go. There’s tons of them on any kind of subject – it’s not only about America, but all these think tanks here in D.C. study all the subjects for like the whole world.
DaWoon Chun: “D.C. was really unique city, I think. I’ve been to several cities in the United States, but they were all different. I was involved in many events like conferences. Unless you really walk out and look for them, they’re not going to come to you.”
Narrator: “Next, we hear more from our three young professionals as they talk more about their activities as foreign interns in the United States.”
Chun: “My name is DaWoon Chun, and I’m from Seoul, Korea. I’m studying physics in the Sogon University, and now I’m working in the Environmental Protection Agency in the Office of International Affairs.”
Narrator: “DaWoon’s internship focuses on a very important and growing field – international cooperation on environmental issues.”
Chun: “Those affairs are always international, I believe, because lots of projects involve collaboration of technology or agreements, policies and everything, so I was actually involved in working with the foreign governments, and China is one of the biggest projects now going on within EPA.”
Narrator: “Public sector internships with U.S. government agencies are popular with international students. In Washington, the federal government is by far the largest employer. And environmental issues present a particular challenge to policymakers. Pollution has no limits and spreads beyond borders. Foreign exchanges help create understanding of the cultural and social elements of these problems, which complements the search for technology-based solutions.”
Moreau: “My name is Olivier Moreau, and I’m from Quebec City, Canada. I studied a law degree at Laval University in Quebec City and went to grad school doing an MBA at Laval University as well.”
Narrator: “Olivier has a background in law and business. Just like government, the business, finance, and legal professions are all affected by globalization.”
Olivier: “I had like private organizations like Merrill Lynch, I also had the NAFTA and some lobby firms, and I decided to take the NAFTA to work for like 15 weeks.”
Narrator: “The North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, is an example of globalization at work. In the future, it is likely that working within the contexts of international and regional trade agreements will be an important skill. Like NAFTA, there are many organizations that are not only adapting to globalization, but are, in fact, a result of it.”
Gustavo: “My name is Gustavo, I’m from Mexico. I’m studying industrial engineering.”
Narrator: “Gustavo spent his internship with an international organization, the Organization of American States, or OAS. Like the United Nations, the OAS exists primarily to promote cooperation among countries in a certain region. Students such as Gustavo, Olivier, and DaWoon find that despite the idea of working at large, globally focused organizations in a foreign country, they find many things are very familiar.”
Gustavo: “In the OAS, that was amazing because that was the first day I was in an international organization, but at the same time I felt at home because people speak Spanish there, everyone speaks Spanish, and people are really kind. They gave me a welcome, a warm welcome.”
Narrator: “And yet, there are also many differences.”
Chun: “The office atmosphere was really good, and I find it really different from my country because I was treated the same as the other co-workers and I thought I would be more of an assistant to the other workers, but that was not how it works here.”
Narrator: “Next, we talk more about the skills needed for a globalizing economy…
“So what can students expect when they begin an international internship? And what skills can help you make the most of the experience? Gustavo, Olivier, and DaWoon help us answer these questions. Many experts believe that skills such as cooperation, problem solving, and even “how to learn” are the keys to success in a globalized economy. For young professionals, this means learning to deal with uncertainty.”
Chun: “No one has any idea what’s going to happen on the first day.”
Narrator: “All three of our foreign students agree – expect the unexpected. But there are ways that foreign interns can ensure they make the most of their experience. What kind of questions did the interns receive? In these professional environments, and especially in America, it is often expected that students describe their abilities and how they plan to contribute.”
Gustavo: “They ask you the toughest questions, like, Why are you here? Why would you think this is a great job for you? How are you going to help us? You have to be truthful, but you have to be humble at the same time.”
Moreau: “They asked me the same kind of questions, like, What are you really, really good at and what are you not so good at? Which is kind of interesting, because if they give you some stuff that you dislike, you won’t be as efficient, so there is a couple interns at the commission. so we try to share stuff.”
Narrator: “What can interns do, and how should one approach these challenges when working as a foreign intern? DaWoon and Gustavo think that honesty is the best policy. In America, it is normally considered positive if interns are proactive and actively participate in projects. Making mistakes is not necessarily a negative thing – but making the effort and demonstrating interest is a key to success.”
Chun: “I really want to encourage everyone to go up and ask for what you want, and you should ask for what you’re going to do for the whole term to make it fulfill your expectations.”
Gustavo: “Be really honest. Don’t be afraid to ask what you’re going to do in that placement, because you need to know if the task you’re going to do, a specific task, is going to fulfill your needs, professionally and personally.”
Narrator: “To confront global challenges, educational systems are undergoing change. Education is no longer confined to the classroom. It is now a global endeavor with demands for new skills accelerating the pace of change. Solutions to global problems start with individuals.”
Gergoff: “I have always been interested in education programs and how you can contribute to developing human capital.”
Narrator: “Virginia Gergoff is one of those people contributing to the expansion of global education. The importance of the international experience and development of skills for the global economy is crucial. For many, programs such as international internships have a large influence on personal and professional decisions.”
Gergoff: “So it really opens their mind and also gives them the confidence that they will be able to do whatever they want in life, which is also very important. Some of these students, when they arrive in Washington, they are very shy, they are not necessarily the most forward, asking questions and telling about their expertise and their profiles, and when they leave, they basically feel they can do anything and achieve anything in life.”
Narrator: “The Fulbright Program is the premier international educational program sponsored by the United States government. It is designed to increase mutual understanding between Americans and people of other countries. The program has provided more than 279,000 participants with the opportunity to study, teach, research, and exchange ideas on shared international concerns.
“The Fulbright Program is part of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, fostering mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries worldwide. Learn more at exchanges.state.gov.
“The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars is an educational nonprofit organization serving hundreds of colleges and universities in the United States and other countries. On the Web at twc.edu.
“This podcast is produced by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs. Links to other Internet sites or opinions expressed should not be considered an endorsement of other content and views.”
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(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
