I actually participated in the San Francisco Digital Innovation program last semester. My time there was incredible, and after a month of working in San Francisco, I couldn’t imagine going back to regular classes in the Spring. I had heard about the LDI program while I was in San Francisco, and made the decision to apply.

 3. How did you come to the decision of doing an internship over simply just studying abroad?

Getting an internship meant that I could escape the classroom setting, and that I could get some more real experience before I graduate.

4. What have you gotten out of your experience? What has been your favorite part?

The French Lunch has been one of my favorite things about working at Explose. If you don’t know, It’s tradition in the French culture for all employees to sit down and eat lunch together during the work week. I felt like it helped me break the ice with my colleagues much faster.

Aside from work, my favorite parts of the program were the weekends I spent in London, Metz, and Brussels with my girlfriend Kati and our great friend Ava. 

5. What did you learn in your internship? 
I think the biggest thing was learning how to adapt in a setting where communication isn’t always clear. I had to ask a lot of clarifying questions that often felt embarrassingly redundant, but proved to be necessary. On top of that, I kept accidentally using English idioms that my French-speaking colleagues couldn’t understand. 

Speaking of idioms—I also learned my new favorite French idiom: Mêle-toi de tes oignons (mind your onions/mind your business.)

6. What is a fun fact that most people don't know about you? 

I play drums for a band back in Westerville! We’re hoping to get some gigs once this all blows over.

I applied to three internships and ended up getting MJ Consulting. As a marketing major, I don't have as much experience with consulting, so I thought that this would be a great opportunity to gain insights into a new industry. Marcin has been a successful management consultant across Europe, and I wanted to learn from someone who is so dedicated to his work.

For LUX WMN/City Savvy, I got this through one of my friends who is in the LDI program rather than applying. I was meeting up with her and her boss was there. Amanda offered me a position on the spot and I couldn't resist because it was the perfect internship for me. After meeting with Amanda, I could tell how ambitious she is with her future projects. This position has allowed me to dip my toes into so many different opportunities whether it is creating a website or trying to make a podcast.
Both companies are entrepreneurial and have given me the opportunity to work with their social media platforms in addition to giving me other tasks.

 3. Why did you want to intern while abroad?

When coming to study abroad, I didn't know that an independent study was an option until I talked to someone else who was doing one. I think that this is a great opportunity for students who are not in the LDI program to get real life experience with a company and practice their skills that they have developed in the classroom. LDI is a fantastic program to offer, but since that is not my major I was unable to do a full-time internship. I want to move to Europe after I graduate to work in the business industry and these internships confirmed my desire to still move. I love staying busy and this semester both internships allowed me to do so. It is a lot of work, but I think it is all worth it.

4. What are you most excited for in your internship?

Both internships have allowed me to grow my network and build relationships with Amanda and Marcin. I am interested in seeing the follower growth on all four business accounts. I loved going into the office each week with Amanda and wish that I still could go in. I am most excited to continue building those relationships, both personally and professionally.

5. Why did you choose to study abroad with MUDEC and what are you looking forward to now that you are back in the U.S.?
I knew that I always wanted to study abroad, I just didn’t know where and when. The MUDEC program fit into my schedule perfectly. I didn’t want to worry about transferring credits and knew that MUDEC was a branch campus of Miami that was well organized. I also knew a few people who completed the MUDEC program and absolutely loved it. I love exploring and thought that this program would allow me to focus on school and still be able to travel with ease. Since being home, I have been able to cook differently almost every night! I also can spend more time with my family.

6. What is a fun fact that most people don't know about you? 

My favorite font is Shree Devanagari 714 and I am a certified scuba diver.

It’s really disappointing that the debate isn’t going to happen. We (Briana, Santiago, and I) had been talking about how cool it would be and hoped to be the “dream team” since the beginning of the semester! Now the format has been switched entirely, and we sadly won’t have the opportunity to represent and win it for Miami and the U.S. That being said, it was still such an honor to be picked for the experience, and I don’t regret sticking to it. Instead of doing a full debate, Dean Leterre and I agreed I could write an argumentative essay and record a video of myself debating either the negative or affirmative side; the topic is going to remain the same as it originally was. It’ll be great practice for research writing! I definitely miss the fun of being with my friends and competing together, though. It’s a bummer (as everything in this situation is), but I’m still hoping to get the best out of it!

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