Kent State students have a new option for internships. Students are now able to do a seven-week summer internship in London.

Ken Cushner, Kent State’s executive director of international affairs, student interest about international internship opportunities has been growing.

The university is working with European Study Abroad (EUSA) to place students in these internships. Internships offered include the arts, business, journalism, politics, healthcare and marketing.

“This program allows students to find an appropriate international internship, regardless of the academic program they are enrolled in at Kent State,” Cushner said. “However, students must be properly enrolled in their academic program at Kent State to be eligible to have an internship experience.”

First, a student must submit an application for an internship. EUSA selects students for internships from these applications. All students selected are guaranteed a placement in an internship in London, said Samantha Cooper, a representative from EUSA.

Cooper said upon selection for an internship, the student meets with a representative from the London office of EUSA for an interview to be appropriately placed in an internship.

“During the placement interview, our representatives will want to know what career goals you have in mind,” Cooper said. “Some students have very set ideas about their future, while others are trying to explore different career options.”

Students may request an internship with a specific company; however it may not always be possible for the student to be placed in an internship in that particular company.

“(EUSA) has different relationships with different companies in London,” Cooper said. “That company might already be taking an intern from another program, or perhaps the student isn’t qualified for the position that is open in that company.”

Once a student has been placed in an internship, he or she will receive an e-mail as notification of the placement. Cooper said the time it takes to place students in an internship varies from case to case.

The student will receive information about the company, a description of the job he or she will do while in London and testimonials from previous students who have completed an internship with that company.

Once the students arrive in London, the faculty of EUSA works to inform them about British culture and business etiquette.

Each student also takes part in a confirmation interview with the company that he or she will work for during the internship. This is a formal interview that students need to take seriously, Cooper said.

“Students need to keep in mind that this is a new experience for them,” she said. “If a student likes the work he or she is doing, but not the colleagues he or she works with, that is not a good reason to change internship placements.”

She said the student should feel free to see the representatives from EUSA with any questions or concerns he or she may have.

“We want students to complain to us if they feel the need to,” Cooper said. “They need to tell us if there is a problem with their internship because that is the only way we will be able to fix it.”

Students who take advantage of this type of international opportunity often have a better chance of working abroad during their career, Cushner said.

For more information, students can contact Ken Cushner in the Office of International Affairs in 128 Bowman Hall.

Contact honors and international affairs reporter Trevor Ivan at [email protected].