Share information about internships and volunteer opportunities with the International Studies Program.  Opportunities in foreign countries are of particular interest to rising International Studies seniors who complete an overseas practicum the summer before their senior year.  Information about positions in the U.S. is helpful to younger majors.  Please post the information on the International Studies LinkedIn Group (instructions on joining) and notify the Program Office, which will include the information in our weekly newsletter to majors.

Please consider contributing to the International Studies Program to help establish a scholarship fund for practicums that are unpaid.

The practicums are critical to helping International Studies majors embark on their career paths, as the spotlights below demonstrate.

Amrita Saini

Amrita Saini ’27

I am a rising senior double majoring in Political Science and International Studies on the Pre-Law track and also a part of the combined bachelor’s and master’s program in Military Ethics. I plan to graduate by May of 2027.

For my study abroad experience, I traveled to Valencia, Spain for a month.  There I participated in the Lex
Program designed to give students exposure to different court and legal systems outside of the United States. Since my International Studies major concentration is in international law, my main goal was to learn and observe the distinction of what the legal profession looks like in different countries. We also got insight into different areas of practice through visiting different firms such as the corporate law-oriented Anderson Law Firm and an immigration boutique law firm where we got to observe and analyze cases. We also got to see what the common law system looks like,  one used by the European Union. I learned so much not only about the legal field, but also about Spanish culture and about myself.  I’m so grateful that I got this experience getting everything that I wanted out of it both personally and professionally!

My study abroad experience was supported financially through receiving the Rocks Experiential Learning Fellowship. The application process was very smooth. My advisor, Dr. Alpízar, encouraged me to apply and wrote a letter of recommendation. The program itself was very expensive and so this fellowship was very helpful in offsetting some of the costs I faced.

My study abroad experience helped develop my linguistic skills through the people in Spain willing to teach me and share their culture. That really increased my comfort with trying to speak Spanish, as a French minor, and by the end I was ordering and communicating in Spanish from time to time. It was a very welcoming environment.

The most meaningful takeaways from my internship experience, the first and most important, was never to write something off and never to close my horizons to a goal that I am envisioning. That was important since I am generally very goal-oriented and love my 5, 10, 15-year plans!  After going to Valencia, experiencing those different legal systems and seeing what peoples’ day-to-day life looks like including things like public transport and grocery store experiences, I was able to envision what it could be like to potentially have a life there. It opened my mind to the different possibilities of what I could pursue, and I don’t know if that would have happened if I stayed in the U.S. doing another legal internship at a firm.  It has been a mindset shift that I have integrated into my everyday life.

Ezra Kaye 

Ezra has demonstrated a strong commitment to international engagement through multiple experiences abroad in Nice, France and Uppsala, Sweden.

Ezra first studied abroad in Nice, France for a semester through IES’ sustainability program, where he focused on “the environmental science behind integrated coastal zone management and urban sustainability practices.” He noted that this work felt especially relevant because “the coastal zone of Southern France is eroding extremely quickly,” which led to discussions about coastal revitalization and nourishment. Although he explained that the program was “not directly related to my career,” he described it as “a wonderful and very practical experience where I got to do fieldwork outside of the classroom.” He also highlighted the cultural value of living abroad, sharing that “being abroad and speaking in another language for four months was a great cultural experience.”

He later spent a month in Uppsala, Sweden, where he completed an internship at the Life and Peace Institute as a general intern. During this time, he said he was “very involved in board meetings, taking notes, and drafting program proposals for the integration of dialogue methods in existing initiatives within the Church of Sweden.”  Much of this work focused on immigration, and he explained that the dialogue initiatives explored “what it means to be a recent refugee or asylum-seeker in Sweden.” Reflecting on the experience overall, he shared that he “absolutely enjoyed my month in Sweden” and described it as “probably one of the cleanest and greenest places I’ve ever stayed.”

Eliana Ondrejko, ’19 (left), with Ana Laura, Director of International Sales for the brand

Eliana Ondrejko, Argeta

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Position Description: I spent three weeks in the marketing and sales departments of Argeta, which produces pâté. I created a market research report, interviewed employees, and conducted store checks.

Importance to major and career: This internship solidified my interest in marketing and prepared me for future work in international business.

Best Part of the Experience:  The best part of the experience was the practical exposure to marketing on a domestic and international scale.

Liana Kabins, ’18

Liana Kabins, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Position Description: I worked as a caseworker for the registration unit. On a daily basis, I conducted initial interviews for asylum seekers who came to the office.

Importance to major and career: Having the opportunity to intern with the United Nations was incredibly important since I aspire to work for the organization in the future.

Best part of the experience: I learned about the different backgrounds of refugees from all over the world and heard their stories.