NYU Students Share Their Global Internship Experiences

Lizzy Smith, a Global Liberal Studies graduate, studied away for a full academic year at NYU Berlin, where she interned with Humanity in Action (HIA). HIA is an international nonprofit focused on teaching young leaders about and connecting them to human and minority rights issues. Lizzy worked under the program director to develop and recruit for the HIA Berlin Fellowship.

“My internship was one of my most memorable experiences in Berlin,” she says. “I learned so much in my three months there, including how to use German in the workplace, collaborate with a highly motivated team, coordinate with international offices abroad, and interview young activists.”

Applied Psychology major Angie Liu studied at NYU Prague as a junior and completed two internships. First, she worked as a marketing data analyst with a food market company. Then, she joined a Czech high school as an English teacher. She led English classes for beginner students and assisted with lesson planning for more advanced students. What’s more, she facilitated cultural exchange by introducing students to various aspects of English-speaking cultures.

“It was interesting seeing people my younger sister’s age who were growing up in a completely different world,” says Angie. “I liked sharing our perceptions about each other’s countries and exploring the cultural differences we’d never considered before.”

Sean Kelly, a recording artist and Music Business graduate, has always been interested in the arts. He knew NYU Los Angeles was the right place to augment his academic work with professional experience, and he was thrilled when Atlantic Records hired him as a sales and streaming intern.

Sean worked with various Atlantic Records departments to ensure projects were ready for release and tracked streaming performance across channels. “Sitting in on meetings gave me the behind-the-scenes scoop on how different departments function,” he says. “Communication and flexibility are huge skills to have in the music industry, and they’re ones I developed on the job.”

The internship reinforced Sean’s love for the music industry, but it also taught him about new positions and departments he didn’t know existed. “I definitely have new aspirations because of my deeper understanding of how labels operate,” he says. “I left Los Angeles with new career prospects and goals, as well as completely new passions and interests.”

Global Liberal Studies graduate Risa Kanai loves world languages. While studying away at NYU Paris, she wanted to find a global internship that would help strengthen her French language skills. When Jugetsudo Paris, a Japanese tea boutique, offered her a position, she knew she had found the right opportunity.

“My internship at Jugetsudo Paris gave me fluency in business French,” says Risa. “It was the most immersive experience I’ve ever had. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me develop the skills to navigate a multicultural environment.”

Moorea Swango, a junior double-majoring in Global Liberal Studies and Public Policy, spent last summer in Tulsa interning with the Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice.

“This was my first ever internship, so NYU Tulsa’s intern-centered approach made me feel all the more comfortable and valued,” says Moorea. “I felt supported by the NYU Tulsa advisers and grew close to the small cohort of NYU students. It was nice to work on an intimate, personal scale, but still feel as though you are making a big impact in the community!”