IES Internships, a unit of IES Abroad, is proud to recognize Sondra Goldschmidt (Penn State University) as the IES Internships Ambassador of the Semester Award for Fall 2015.
A Finance and Italian major, Sondra participated in our Rome Summer Internship Program in 2014. She interned at Le Artigiane, a showroom featuring local designers' arts and crafts, where she helped with inventory management and website translation.
When asked about her experience as an intern abroad, Sondra shared, “In 59 days, I discovered more about myself than any of the other 1,086 college days, in a place over 4,000 miles from home…In Rome, I learned to adapt. I arrived in Italy in a bubble, my guard up, and my old habits present. Over my 59 days abroad, I watched that bubble shrink until it disappeared. I adapted to a different culture and lifestyle. I learned to eat dinner at eight in the evening, enjoy the quality and taste of wine, and appreciate time with family and friends more than I already did…59 days changed my life, and it is my hope that it will change someone else’s as well. ”
IES Internships Ambassadors are nominated by our Center staff as students who made the most out of their international internship experience. They volunteer to offer support and insight to future internship students through volunteer projects on campus and online. The IES Internships Ambassador of the Semester Award is bestowed upon one outstanding Ambassador each semester for his/her hard work on campus and through online platforms.
Sondra's commitment to sharing her international internship experience with her campus—and beyond—has been inspiring. Over the past two years, Sondra has volunteered at countless study abroad and career fairs, given presentations to school personnel and fellow students, and she has even come to Chicago to talk about her internship abroad experience with Career Services Personnel and advisors from around the country. She also serves a Smeal Global Representative for the Penn State’s Smeal College of Business.
IES Internships Program Advisor Melie Fuller ssaid, “Sondra exemplifies what it means to be an IES Internships Ambassador. Her outstanding workplace performance, combined with her outreach on campus have helped pave the way for other Penn State students to intern abroad. Sondra continues to inspire other students to take advantage of the opportunities available to them through study abroad and international internships.”
Sondra plans to expand her global knowledge after graduation by participating in the Financial Leadership Development Program with Johnson & Johnson. She will travel to up to nine countries over the next year as part of the Internal Audit group.
Congratulations, Sondra!
Learn more about IES Internships, and the many career benefits of a summer internship abroad.
