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INT NAFSA poster session sm2 - Underrepresented
- 1. Breaking the Barrier: International Internships 1: SHORT-TERM • Intern during breaks • Less expensive • Scholarships available • Reduces fear of leaving support networks • Immersive 2: CUSTOMIZABLE • Set group dates or create custom dates and length • Tailored to professional goals • Individualized tasks/ projects • Signature programs for departments and universities • Optional academic credit 3: FLEXIBLE REQUIREMENTS • Degree relevant • Freshman to post/recent graduates • Hands-on, high quality • No foreign language required Real and Perceived Barriers CURRICULUM • Certifications requirements • Relation to profession • Postponing graduation FINANCES • Expensive • Sacrificing employment • Funding SOCIAL AND PERSONAL • Fear of leaving • Change in relationship/ social status • Obligations to family FACULTY SUPPORT/ DEGREE INTEGRATION • Limited resources • Credit transfer • Disconnected staff LANGUAGE • No background • Limited abilities Addressing the Needs of Underrepresented Majors through Experiential Learning Programs In addition to student perceptions, rigid requirements in certain academic fields make semester or year abroad programs unrealistic. Short-term international internships allow students to earn academic credit and participate in an education abroad program while gaining hands-on professional experience. EDUCATION Escuela Kinder SPAIN , SU M M ER 2015 “While there is no denying that classes offer valuable tools and information to prepare students to enter the workforce, nothing I have experienced thus far in a classroom quite compares to the knowledge I have gainedfromthisexperienceabroad.Livingand learning about another culture while working in a job that is relevant to my area of study has given me such perspective on the role I will play in the future. The concrete, hands on practice I received helped to cement the theories I have been learning about in the classroom into my brain. My ability to search for a solution within myself has given me the confidence to overcome many other difficult situations. Furthermore, I believe that the internship has helped give me a more global perspective of life.” HEALTH PROFESSIONS Fundación Nuestros Hijos CHILE, SU M M ER 2015 “Having worked with a team in a culturally different environment, I have learned that providing a sense of normalcy for the patients and being available to listen are both extremely powerful tools in the field of healthcare. This internship provided me with an immense amount of work-related experience,includingopportunitiestointeract withthepatientsandevendirectinvolvement with occupational therapy. I was incredibly humbled by this opportunity because it was the first hands-on experience with occupational therapy I have had. I witnessed my supervisor’s creativeness with using his knowledge of the young patients to get them to productively accomplish tasks and cope with bad days. In a low-income environment especially, his creative approach seemed especially resourceful.” LAW/LEGAL Dacheng Law Offices CHINA , SPRING 201 6 “With this international experience in China, my self-confidence has grown tremendously and I think this is very important especially in my line of career. My exposure to the Chinese culture and potential ethical issues gave me a more open-mindedness to approach a problem and finding a solution. I understand that an internship experience is temporary but I decided to integrate these skills into my lifelong academic learning and professional development. It would be appropriate to say that my 6 weeks internship in China has enhanced my overall employability to my future employees.” TOP 6 UNDER- REPRESENTED MAJORS1 1.3% Agriculture 1.4% Legal Studies and Law Enforcement 1.8% Education 1.8% Humanities 2.1% Communications and Journalism 3.4% Health Professions Student Testimonials 1 *Open Doors Report on International Education Exchange, 2015 studiesabroad.com/internships