Authored by Amy Brewster

Learn about Zhiting Feng, undergraduate student from China, pursuing a double major in biochemistry and ethics & public policy.

Ana Arzate (BA French, international studies ’17) completed a global internship in Paris, France, as an undergraduate student at the University of Iowa. Arzate lives in Hiawatha, Iowa, where she works at Channel Fusion as a bilingual client relationship associate. Arzate recently shared thoughts about the value of her internship experience.

Getting accepted to the University of Iowa was the beginning of many “firsts” for Ana Arzate and her family. As a first-generation college student, attending college meant taking a new path no one in her family had taken before. As time progressed, she felt ready for another “first”—a summer internship in Paris, France, with IES Internships, made possible with a prestigious Benjamin A. Gilman scholarship. She lived with a host family and worked at Archive Valley, a multinational online company that digitally connects people with archive resources from around the world. Arzate experienced living in a major global city, learned to use the Paris Métro, and was immersed in Parisian culture.

Yufei Qu, international student from China, talks about her experiences at the University of Iowa.

Emily Gumal, international student from Malaysia, talks about her experiences at the University of Iowa.

Nearly 70 University of Iowa students completed summer internships in their fields of interest. Impressive to be sure, but even more notable is the fact they completed these internships abroad—allowing them to not only gain relevant, global experience, but also to strengthen their intercultural communication skills, build confidence and adaptability, and in many cases, become more proficient in a foreign language. These internships were coordinated through the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES). IES is the international internship provider for the UI and the partnership has seen tremendous success, growing over 40 percent from the first summer in 2016 to the summer of 2018.

Hundreds of University of Iowa students spent their summer completing internships in their chosen fields of interest. However, a smaller group of nearly 70 took their experiences to the next level by completing internships abroad—allowing them to gain relevant, global experience while strengthening their intercultural communication skills, building confidence and adaptability, and becoming more proficient in a second language. Internships abroad are coordinated through IES Internships, a unit of the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES Abroad). IES Abroad is the international internship provider for the UI; student participation in the partnership has grown more than 40 percent since summer in 2016. This past summer, 69 UI students interned in 11 cities around the world through IES Internships.

A marketing and public relations internship with a small start-up company in Paris translated to work experiences that extend beyond typical “intern” duties for Taylor Odekirk, a marketing and journalism student from Waterloo, Iowa. Odekirk worked at Archive Valley, an online platform that connects people with archive resources from around the world. “A highlight of my internship was researching for the launch of Archive Valley’s public relations campaign,” said Odekirk. She found journalists, news outlets, magazines, and blogs that reach Archive Valley’s target audience of documentary filmmakers and content creators. She also had the opportunity to work with a freelance PR professional who helped her create story pitches and a press release to be used in the campaign.

Anna Patty (B.A. journalism, Spanish ’03) isn’t afraid to dream big and take risks—characteristics that served her well not only at the University of Iowa, but also today as a business owner, as a community leader, and as a mother of four.

A demanding football schedule left Jake Gervase (BBA, finance and management ’18) doubtful he could incorporate a study abroad experience into his undergraduate career—that is, until he learned about global spring break opportunities. Gervase jumped at the opportunity to travel to Cuba through the International Entrepreneurship and Culture short-term study abroad course led by UI faculty members Dimy Doresca (UI Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center) and Jim Dreier (UI School of Music). Gervase plans to use his fifth year of eligibility to continue his UI football career during the 2018-2019 academic year. While doing so, he will be pursuing a graduate degree in sport and recreation management. We caught up with Gervase recently to learn more about his study abroad experience in Cuba.