With Pepperdine’s highly acclaimed study abroad programs and large percentage of students who study overseas, often for the entirety of sophomore year, International Programs’ summer internship programs are sometimes overlooked as another valuable study abroad opportunity.
The window in which to apply to these summer internship programs in London, Lausanne, Buenos Aires and Shanghai is quickly closing. The deadline is next Monday at 11:59 p.m. Only 20 spots remain for the four programs, combined. Applications are accepted after this deadline on a rolling basis, but in order to secure the best internships, it is best to apply as early as possible, said Jeff Hamilton, the director of admissions and student affairs for the Pepperdine IP office.
One of the main benefits of the IP internship programs is flexibility. For all students accepted into the program, Internship Director Jeff Banks works closely with the local program staff to hand-pick an internship in the students’ field of interest and suitable to their level of experience.
“As opposed to other internship programs that require you to track down your own internship opportunity, we find it for you, and once you are accepted into the program, we guarantee that you will be placed into a position within your noted field of interest,” Hamilton said.
Students in past internships have been successfully placed in fields related to business, finance, marketing, social justice, political science and natural science. Students in the latter have had research published in some of the foremost peer-reviewed journals, according to Hamilton. He touts flexibility as a key advantage to an IP internship.
“Students are able to bring any idea or field of interest to our IP director, and we will find a way to secure a fit,” he said.
Hamilton also made clear that the internships secured for students are not just “coffee-fetching” internships, but “positions that demand your skills and experience and expose you to global opportunities and worldwide, real-world challenges.”
Pepperdine sophomore Angela Kappus took advantage of an IP internship this past summer in London. While abroad, she worked 40 hours per week as a learning support assistant for the Parayhouse. At the Parayhouse, Kappus worked with students with a variety of speech and language difficulties.
She found her internship in London to be both challenging and rewarding.
“I took this internship so I could decide if I had the ability to work with kids in the future,” Kappus said. “My goal is to become an art therapist, and I feel like disabled children really could benefit from it. I strongly believe that I want to continue working with children in the future. This internship helped me to see that.”
Hamilton finds internships like the one Kappus participated in to be valuable as the world becomes more and more interconnected.
“Our world is becoming increasingly globalized, and the borders that divide cultures, companies and even friendships are dissolving, Hamilton said. “Employers are more and more looking for employees that have exposure to and a proven ability to operate in a globalized environment.”
Students in the past have worked with Coca-Cola, Nestle, General Electric, Starbucks, Mattell, Doctors Without Borders, Lloyd’s of London, the UK House of Commons, Imperial College, UNESCO, Worldwide Olympic Committee, Habitat for Humanity and many others, according to Hamilton.
For last-minute information about the summer international programs, IP ambassadors will be holding info tables in the CCB this week. Students can also find information by calling ext. 4230 on campus, visiting the IP office (located between the Caf and the bookstore) or by sending questions to International.programs@pepperdine.edu. Lausanne program director Mary Mayenfisch visited Malibu this week, allowing students to make an appointment through the IP Office to meet with her.
Hamilton highly encourages students to become involved in IP’s summer internship programs.
“For many students, this may be the first opportunity they have to study abroad and become part of the IP family, to get to see what everyone has already been talking about and to understand what makes IP at Pepperdine the No. 1 program in the nation.”
