In an effort to promote an international exchange of students and a positive impact on society, the UW Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales helps students find internships in other countries.
The UW branch is part of the international AIESEC, which operates at 800 universities and in 89 countries and territories, making it the largest student organization in the world.
“We help students find internships in other countries, and we bring in people to work in Madison,” local committee president Ali Gilman said.
The group hosted a global networking event April 26, which Gilman said was “very successful.” Students, local businesses and faculty were there to network and hear speakers, including dean of International Studies Gilles Bousquet, Gilman said.
“The dean talked about the importance of graduates being globally competent: to be able to compete in the global economy,” Gilman said. “It is important to have students and graduates who are aware the world is interdependent and know about other cultures in the world.”
Gilman said once AIESEC helps students find work, it prepares them for the culture they are heading into so they are aware of the traditions. He added that this helps students avoid culture shock.
Joe Kremer, who also spoke during the event, has been involved with AIESEC since he was the director of marketing as a student in 1990. Kremer said he has used interns from Brazil and Bulgaria for his company PowerDesign LLP.
“Both were great,” Kremer said. “They filled a great need.”
At the time his company was starting up, Kremer said he did not have the resources to bring in graduate students, so he used interns to fill specific needs in software development. Kremer said this program is advantageous to businesses like his own that are just starting out.
“[The company] can expand to the international market, and the interns can be used for a short-term project base,” Kremer said.
Kremer, who once interned for a year in Germany, said international internships can be more advantageous to students than ones in their hometowns.
“You get to learn a language, culture and you come back in a better position than your peers. How can you lose?” Kremer said.
Trent Krupp, who used AIESEC to intern with Coca-Cola last summer in Egypt, said he worked in the public-relations department and helped create awareness for AIDS by throwing a benefit concert featuring musicians from the Middle East. He said it helped spread the word on AIDS because people don’t know about it and nobody talks about it.
“It was an amazing experience. I learned a lot about Egyptian culture,” Krupp said.
Gilman said Madison will host two interns this summer from Tunisia and Morocco who will work at the YMCA. AnchorBank, Chico and LandsEnd are other companies AIESEC works with, Gilman said.
AIESEC is also working to get its name out by improving ties with the university and helping students find internships in other countries.
“We want to impact people by sending them abroad and bringing people in,” Gilman said.
