Fall 2021

If you are fortunate enough to be able to study abroad at the University of Oklahoma-Arezzo campus, you are also given the option to have an internship that fits your unique interests and will get credit hours as well. This semester we had seven students partake in this “class”. At the end of the semester, each student must make a presentation over what they learned and their expectations and what they accomplished. Our internship opportunities range from working in museums, to non-profits, to technology companies. There really is something for everyone.

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For the final presentations, OUA encourages the attendance of the student’s internship supervisors so they can see how much they have progressed throughout the semester. I was present for the presentations, and I go to see how much these internships had affected the students. For example, one of our students, Kristian Babic, worked with Sintra-a digital consulting business. During Babic’s presentation, he talked about how the first time he went into the office he was super shy and did not really know what to say or how to act. By the time his internship ended, he would walk confidently into the office and greet everyone with a friendly face. Babic also talked about how he had to research outside of the internship so he could find out more information about the vernacular the company used.

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Another student, Madeleine Hartman, worked for Fondazione Monnalisa Onlus, a non-profit company that has an objective to, “embrace [their] social responsibility towards those disadvantaged by physical, mental, economic, social, or family conditions by means of education and training which simultaneously values the environment, the territory, and the culture.” The most heart-warming presentation was followed by comments from the CEO, Piero Iacomoni, who shared that Hartman was one of the best interns they have received from OUA and that she shows so much kindness and a passion for this line of work. He also shared that even though there was a language barrier, Hartman could understand what was being said to her and would also share her opinions on certain things the company was doing. She also got to travel to different cities around Tuscany that were partner cities.

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All the students showed great interest and really grew from the time spent at each hand selected internship. At the end of the semester, these were the main themes that showed up during each presentation:

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• An increase in communication skills

• A better understanding of oneself

• Learning how to be comfortable with the uncomfortable

• Adaptability increased

 

I highly suggest choosing to be a part of the OUA internship program if you get the chance to study abroad. It gives you a chance to submerse yourself in a different part of the culture and experience they working way of life in Italy.