This summer, three University of Iowa students—Veronica Ramirez, a global health major; Adi Schroeder, a marketing and management major; and Lucy Hernandez, a psychology major—each from Iowa, stepped far outside their comfort zones to complete internships abroad, gaining professional experience while immersing themselves in new cultures.

“I didn’t want to be stuck in this bubble in Iowa,” said Ramirez, who interned in South Africa. “I wanted to go somewhere that’s going to give me perspective, so I don’t take what I have for granted.”  

For Schroeder, who spent the summer in Australia, the draw was practical.

“I really liked doing an internship more than a study abroad, because I feel like I got some real-life experience,” said Schroeder. “I got to check two boxes with one: I got an internship and saw another culture.”

Hernandez, who interned in Japan, appreciated the short-term option.

“I didn’t want to be gone for too long,” said Hernandez. “The two months in the summer were a perfect opportunity, because I would come back and still be here for school.”

Once abroad, each student found themselves immersed in meaningful, hands-on work.

Ramirez shadowed occupational therapists at District Six Clinic in Cape Town, South Africa, sometimes traveling to rural hospitals.

“The occupational therapist taught me so much,” said Ramirez. “I got so many hours shadowing her, and I even got a letter of recommendation.”

But it wasn’t just this experience that stuck with Ramirez.

“Hearing stories from the patients was really impactful,” said Ramirez. “It made me reflect on myself and my own privilege and how I sometimes take the little things, like going to class, for granted.” 

In Australia, Schroeder managed social media for Bambuddha Group, a nonprofit.

“I helped schedule out content for the next year,” said Schroeder. “I also looked at competitors and did an analysis on where we were and what we need to be doing.”

Immersed in a new environment, Schroeder noticed cultural differences in the workplace.

“Culture-wise, they are way more laid-back than America,” shared Schroeder. “There’s a saying: Americans live to work, and Australians work to live.”

Hernandez worked as a recruiter assistant intern for Yaruki Switch Group in Japan.

“I was part of a group that hired English-speaking teachers,” said Hernandez. “My experience living and working in Japan, despite knowing very little beforehand, inspired me to create a guidebook as my internship project for new teachers who have never been there.”

Hernandez also noticed differences in the work culture that stood out to her.  

“It's very different than here,” shared Hernandez. “A normal commute time over there is one to two hours. My commute was only one hour, but I would still see people at 9 or 10 p.m. in their business suits going home.”

Although their internships were exciting, each student acknowledged that life abroad didn’t always match their expectations.

“I got super sick right when I got there,” said Schroeder. “I called my mom and said, ‘I don’t know if I can stay.’ But I loved it, and I’m so glad I stayed.”

“I didn’t know the language or the culture,” shared Hernandez. “I wanted to throw myself in an uncomfortable spot. I had to adapt fast.”

Despite the hurdles, all three students returned with a newfound confidence.

“I spent much of my time doing things alone while I was in Sydney,” shared Schroeder. “I learned more about

 myself, what I like to do, and what I want to do in my future.”  

“Even within the internship, I felt like I grew a lot more than my previous internships here,” shared Hernandez. “I felt more confident in my work.”  

“I had to do everything by myself, even commute to work by myself,” shared Ramirez. “It definitely gave me a lot more confidence to just reach out and do things that I wouldn’t have done before.”

Monica Ernberger, assistant director of study abroad, internships, shared that these kinds of experiences can even prompt students to rethink their future plans.

“When I spoke with Veronica and Adi, both talked to me about thoughts they had concerning uncertainty over their future plans and goals—not because their internship was negative—just the opposite—they loved what they did and were thinking about changing their long-term goals to better align with their internship experience,” shared Ernberger.

Back on campus, the three students now serve as study abroad peer mentors, encouraging other students to consider study abroad internships—especially those who might hesitate because of cost or fear of the unknown.

“Find all the scholarships you can,” shared Hernandez. “Don’t doubt yourself, because you are as capable as someone else to do it.”

“Talk to people,” shared Ramirez. “If you really want to make study abroad possible, take the initiative to ask questions and reach out—there are so many external scholarships that people just don’t know about. When you work on all the scholarship applications and connect with advisors, you can find the support you need.”

“It sounds cliché, but just do it,” shared Schroeder. “You’re only going to regret not going somewhere.” 

Learn more about global internships at Iowa

International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement.  IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.