International Internship Coordinators Meet with Chicago Staff
Last month, the IES Internships team in Chicago hosted our Internship Coordinators from six cities – Barcelona, Cape Town, Dublin, London, Paris, and New York. During the four-day workshop, U.S. and international staff came together to share their ideas, successes, and best practices. At their respective locations, the Internship Coordinators are responsible for cultivating and maintaining employer relationships, matching students with internships based on their interests, and working with the interns and managing the program once they’re onsite.
Here are some of the highlights from this year’s Internship Coordinator Workshop shared by the IES Internships staff:
- Ana Tarife, Internship Coordinator from IES Abroad Barcelona, led a discussion on how to creatively identify the best possible internships abroad based on students’ expressed career interests and goals.
- Andrew Erwin, Program Director – East Coast U.S., presented on the nuances of hosting an internship program in New York City within the framework of an international organization like IES Abroad.
- Everyone meeting in person! Don’t forget the Internship Coordinators don’t work in Chicago, so while communication between the stateside team and international staff is constant, getting to interact in person isn’t as frequent. It’s always exciting to have international staff visit our IES Abroad Chicago Headquarters.
- Chris Corcoran, Internship Coordinator from IES Abroad Dublin, presented on program growth. As our fastest growing internship location, Chris shared how he managed the placement process with the ever-increasing interest in the Dublin Summer – Internship Program.
- Beth Lehlbach, Internship Coordinator from IES Abroad London, presented on London’s Student Orientation. IES Abroad London receives a large number of IES Internships participants each summer, so Beth has developed original ways for managing a big group while still keeping them engaged.
- Experiencing Chicago’s culture! The Internship Coordinators had the chance to indulge in Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, attend an improv comedy show, and watch the World Series Champion Chicago Cubs play ball at a traditional American sports bar.
Outside of Chicago, some Internship Coordinators paid visits to universities in other parts of the United States and sampled local cuisine and culture there. Like Chris, who was able to attend the Texas State Fair and try some of their famous fried-food offerings.
Executive Director of Internship Programming Keith Dipple shared: “It was great to have some of the Internship Coordinators in Chicago for training and a workshop, as we all learned a great deal from each other. In addition, from the obvious benefits that come with such an event, the ICs discussed mutually shared problems and issues, and brainstormed in order to find creative solutions. Lunch with Dr. Mary Dwyer was a highlight as the President and CEO discussed the benefit of internships to IES Abroad.”
The Chicago-based IES Internships and IES Abroad staff had a wonderful time hosting their colleagues from out of town and overseas, and look forward to future Internship Coordinator Workshops!
