Humanities Internship Spotlight
Gracelyn Ullery | Alexa Forsyth | Eunbee Cho
| Euree Choi | Zach Pinter
Humanities students gain valuable, career-ready skills through their coursework and co-curricular programs. Internships offer an essential opportunity to apply these skills in real-world settings, explore potential career paths, and gain professional experience. For many students, completing an internship is a key step in successfully transitioning from college to the workplace.
This fall, I worked as a Residential Advisor at EF International Language in Tarrytown, NY. I was drawn to this internship because I’ve always loved learning about other cultures and connecting with people, no matter their backgrounds. Each day brought something unexpected. I could be helping someone get used to being far from home in a new environment or helping run an activity so the students can connect. It’s been awesome to see how quickly a sense of community forms when everyone is in a new environment and willing to learn from each other.
What stood out most is how important communication and empathy are in everyday life. Working with students worldwide taught me to listen more carefully, think on my feet, and stay calm when things are unplanned. There were definitely moments when I had to get creative to solve problems or balance being approachable and responsible. Everyone has different backgrounds and circumstances, so you must adapt. Those experiences have helped me grow a lot as a leader and as a person.
This internship taught me that studying history isn’t just about the past. It’s about how people, stories, and cultures connect over time and places. The students showed me that those connections are made daily in a casual and academic environment. Being part of the EF community reminded me why I love learning about the world and inspired me to keep finding ways to bring people together.
Through this internship I learned and observed a lot of things in the immigration legal world that allowed me to learn valuable insight into the immigration process and the process of gaining legal status. Through working at the immigration firm and meeting with clients, I gained hands-on experience. I met different kinds of people through this internship that taught me about the world of immigration and refugee non-profits, and how to best help both groups live the lives they feel are best for them and their families.
I was drawn to this internship through a family friend suggesting that it might be a good place to start gaining experience. The knowledge I’ve gained about the political world around me is invaluable to me as a consumer of news and information, but also as a student studying marginalized groups and their legal statuses as well as their movements in countries. Not only does this internship give me tools to evaluate the things I mentioned above, it also helps set me up for the future and my future career as I plan to take the immigration career path.
During my internship with IFEZ, I worked as a videographer for the Global Contents Internship team that creates content aimed at helping and giving information to foreigners living in Korea, particularly those in Songdo. Our videos often introduced local events and facilities in Incheon or featured foreign guests who share their experiences. This internship aligns with my interest in media and digital content creation, and it gave me the opportunity to work in a professional production setting while contributing to a meaningful goal, making Incheon more welcoming for international residents.
As the videographer, I am responsible for managing all the filming equipment, including cameras, microphones, and tripods. I work closely with the producer and other team members to plan the best shots for each scene and ensure that filming runs smoothly. One of my most memorable projects was an episode promoting the Global Friendly Gym in Songdo, where we created a short, entertaining skit featuring one of our team members and a foreign guest. The gym’s mirrored walls made filming especially challenging, so I had to calculate angles to prevent reflections of the crew and camera from appearing in the footage. This experience taught me how to adapt creatively to difficult shooting environments.
Through this internship, I continued to improve my technical filming and teamwork skills while learning how to communicate effectively in a multicultural team environment. Working with people from different backgrounds and perspectives helps me understand the importance of flexibility and collaboration in media production. Overall, my time at IFEZ is both educational and inspiring. It strengthened my passion for creating meaningful digital content that connects diverse communities.
This past fall, I completed an online internship with Dr. Vision as a Business Operations Intern. I gained hands-on experience in the daily operations of a growing medical device company while working remotely. My responsibilities included preparing reports and presentations, supporting budgeting and expense tracking, and assisting with internal communication and coordination between teams. I also helped organize virtual meetings, schedules, and company events. This allowed me to observe how different departments collaborate effectively in a remote environment. This experience aligned with my professional interests in business operations, providing me with a clearer understanding of how operational efficiency supports company growth.
One of the most meaningful aspects of my internship was contributing to the preparation of internal documentation and presentations used by multiple teams. Working online required clear written communication and careful organization to complete all tasks efficiently. I faced challenges, such as coordinating with colleagues with different schedules and managing multiple tasks remotely. These experiences taught me valuable time management, digital communication, and self-discipline skills. I was able to overcome these challenges and contribute effectively to ongoing projects by actively seeking guidance from my supervisor and maintaining regular virtual check-ins.
Overall, this online internship helped me develop essential professional skills, including remote teamwork, communication, and organizational planning. I also gained valuable insights into the marketing and digital presence of medical devices that will benefit my future career. I advise other students exploring similar opportunities to be proactive, communicate clearly, and embrace the flexibility and challenges of remote work. This experience significantly enhanced my understanding of business operations and provided a strong foundation for my professional growth.
I first found out about K-UTE Radio through the University during my freshman year, and I began applying at the end of my sophomore year but unfortunately wasn't selected for the role. It wasn't until this previous summer that my friend reached out and told me there was an opportunity as a writer. I was more than thrilled to finally be a part of this team, and it's been great ever since my first day.
I was initially nervous about starting my role, but I soon found out how amazing and supportive the team is. Communicating through Slack has been a game changer for me with keeping up with news and contacting other team members. This was the first time I've worked with student media, so it took a little time to get the hang of things, but it didn't take long. I couldn't have asked for a better way to serve an internship.
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Any views, experiences, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this student internship highlight do not necessarily represent those of the College of Humanities.