GlobaLinks NewsWire

Gilman Scholars Receive $500 Bonus Awards from GlobaLinks Learning Abroad

Stacey — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:00:28 +0000

Any recipient of a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship who chooses to study abroad through GlobaLinks Learning Abroad is awarded a $500 bonus in recognition of the goals of the important international education scholarship program.

Here are the latest Gilman Scholars to receive a $500 bonus from GlobaLinks Learning Abroad:

Student, Overseas University, Academic program, Home University

Alex Caggiano, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), Spring 2012 Semester, Rowan University.
Aaron Kim, Korea University, Spring 2012 Semester, Georgia State University.
Nicholas LeClair, Kingston University, Spring 2012 Semester, University of Massachusetts – Lowell.
Johnny Nguyen, Korea University, Spring 2012 Semester, Colorado State University.
James Nooyen Jr., Korea University, Spring 2012 Semester, University of Wisconsin – Platteville.
Cody Olson, James Cook University – Townsville, February 2012 Semester, Colorado State University.
Dakota Piorkowski, University of Tasmania, February 2012 Semester, University of Akron.
Andrew Sanders, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU), Spring 2012 Year, Mississippi State University.
Rebecca Schulz, University of Otago, February 2012 Semester, Wisconsin Lutheran College.
Anna Tiger, Korea University, Spring 2012 Semester, California State University – Fullerton.
Emily Wechter, Mahidol University, January 2012 (1 Term) – Spring, Illinois Wesleyan University.
Mai Yang, Korea University, Spring 2012 Semester, College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s.

The Gilman Scholarship Program provides awards for U.S. undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to participate in study abroad programs worldwide. Established in 2000 by the International Academic Opportunity Act, the program aims to diversify the kinds of students who study abroad and the countries and regions where they go by supporting undergraduates who might otherwise not participate due to financial constraints.

For more information, visit GlobaLinks Learning Abroad’s Scholarships page.

EuroScholars Announces Spring 2012 Awards Recipients

Stacey — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:34:38 +0000

EuroScholars, a unique study abroad program in which advanced students from the United States and Canada conduct research at high caliber European institutions while taking language and culture classes, has announced students who are receiving its spring 2012 scholarships.

The scholarship recipients are:

Anne Patterson, Iowa State University, Leiden University, Biology, Institutional Award.

Catherine Lewis, Clark University, Université Genève, Psychology, Institutional Award.

Makoto Miller-Tsutsui, University of Minnesota, Leiden University, Psychology, Institutional Award.

Caroline Johnson, Clark University, Università degli Studi di Milano, Biology, EuroScholars Award.

Nathan Wright, University of Minnesota, K.U. Leuven University, Psychology, EuroScholars Award.

David Saenz, University of Florida, Université Genève, Biology, Institutional Award.

In other EuroScholars news, the EuroScholars 2012 meeting will be at 9 a.m. on May 31 during the NAFSA 2012 Conference & Expo in Houston, Texas.

Otago Daily Times reports on University of Minnesota students on environmental short course

Stacey — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:30:21 +0000

Armed and ready with their lopping shears, a group of students from the University of Minnesota helps remove invasive wilding pines in New Zealand during an environmental issues short course through Globalinks Learning Abroad. Photo courtesy of Queenstown Resort College.

The Otago Daily Times this week is highlighting the volunteering efforts of 20 University of Minnesota students and an advisor participating in a three-week “Environmental Issues in New Zealand” course through GlobaLinks Learning Abroad.

The students, who started in late December in Auckland and ended in Queenstown in mid January, helped remove the invasive wilding pines, a nuisance weed in New Zealand. The students also attended various lectures from the department of conservation and participated in many activities such as the following:

1. Tiri Matangi Island with guided interpretative nature walk
2. Gloworm caves in Waitomo
3. Hikes near Rotorua in the parks
4. Arthur’s Pass walks with the department of conservation
5. Franz Josef Glaciers
6. Milford Sound Tour
7. Queenstown Resort College lectures and volunteer project

A group of students from the University of Minnesota during their three-week environmental issues short course in New Zealand. Photo courtesy of Queenstown Resort College.

For more details on the students’ volunteer efforts, read the full article here.

Finding The Perfect Internship Abroad

Stacey — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 02:29:01 +0000

By Stacey Hartmann

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad

It is certainly possible to arrange an international internship in most any field in most any region of the world, but if you are working on your own without a facilitating coordinator or program, be prepared to do a lot of legwork and get started well in advance.

Glenn Bronson and Ryan Walsh scuba dive off the Great Barrier Reef during their 10-week internship and making of "The Australia Project" five-part documentary.

Some academic programs incorporate internship opportunities or integrate them into the curriculum. Other programs place more initiative on the student. Either way, deciding an internship is on your academic bucket list is the first step.

In fact, maybe several internships are on that list during your college years.

If you are seeking out an overseas internship independently, it’s important to start planning at least nine months ahead so the process can go as smoothly as possible. It’s also important to tap into any and all resources, including your academic department, professors, study abroad office, and any business and alumni contacts that can provide leads on possible placements.

If you decide to work with an internship program, be sure to weigh more than just costs. You should also look closely at:

Depth, variety and quality of internship offerings.
Variety of international locations.
Ability to customize internship dates to best fit your schedule and field of academic study.
Track record of successful placements.
Testimonial from past participants.
Additional support services, such as:

Visa and travel arrangements.
Assistance with academic credit transfer.
Housing.
Financial aid assistance.
Cultural introduction program.

Tailoring your internship for the perfect fit

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad is one of the leading international education organizations arranging internships abroad in all fields of study for U.S. and Canadian students.

The company regularly places interns with businesses and entities in Australia, New Zealand and Shanghai.

Students who want to intern abroad through GlobaLinks Learning Abroad can choose between two different internship programs:

- Professional Development for Academic Credit (PDAC) internships, which last 10 weeks and include pre-set dates and built-in academic credits from Chapman University.

(or)

- Custom Date Internships, which offer varying dates and are customized to meet a student’s individual needs in almost any academic major.

Students also have access to a variety of support services from program application to return home:

Pre-departure assistance.
Airport pickup.
Bridging Cultures Program or on-site orientation.
Housing.
24-hour in-country support from resident directors.
Language education (for Shanghai internships) to assist students with cultural integration.
Internship opportunities conducted in English.
Academic credit through Chapman University or credit approval assistance through home university.

To connect students to these internships, GlobaLinks Learning Abroad works mostly with small businesses and nonprofits to find internship opportunities, says Barbara West, manager of internship programs.

Students have worked for CanTeen in Sydney, Australia, for example, putting together fundraising events to providing services to teens with cancer, for Toyota New Zealand in engineering capacities, and for the New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust to assist with research.

“We can do internships in virtually any industry or field,” West says. “The only area we can’t really do placements in is clinical health care.”

Defining an “international internship?” It can get complicated.

Stacey — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:51:10 +0000

By Stacey Hartmann

GlobaLinks NewsWire Editor

The term “internship” can be loosely defined as any short-term period of practical work experience during college.

Leah Johnston takes photographs during her internship aboard the Passions of Paradise catamaran.

But go beyond that surface explanation and internships can be quite varied in how they are structured. In fact, an internship can be called other terms, depending on the field of study. These include “co-op,” “field work,” “independent study,” or “practicum.”

Paid or unpaid? For academic credit or not?

Among top questions of prospective interns are:

- Is this internship paid or unpaid?

- Can I get academic credit?

Whether an internship is paid or unpaid depends on the hiring organization, the nature of the work duties, whether the internship is for academic credit, and the laws of the country where the internship is taking place.

For example, if an employer wants to classify an internship as unpaid in the United States, it must meet six U.S. Department of Labor criteria, which are designed to protect the intern from providing free labor without any of the benefits of experiential learning:

- The internship constitutes training that would be given in an educational environment.

- The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern.

- The intern doesn’t displace regular employees.

- The employer derives no immediate advantage from the work of the intern.

- Both employer and intern understand there is no compensation for the internship.

International internships are generally unpaid part-time or full-time work assignments in professional settings with students receiving academic credit.

Many internships can earn a student academic credit if the work experience meets certain guidelines set out by the university and academic department. For example, American University’s academic credit guidelines show an internship will earn academic credit if it is:

- At least 12 weeks long.

- Involves work centered on the student’s field of study

and

- Includes more than 85% of assignments substantially relating to the student’s major – a guard against giving credit for clerical work.

So, a minimum of 8 hours per week would earn 1-2 academic credits while a minimum of 20 hours would earn 4-6 credits.

Generally speaking, an international intern earning academic credit must fulfill responsibilities to not only the host company but also to superiors, colleagues and academic advisors.

In addition, an internship for academic credit will require certain assignments, whether summary reports, personal journals and other exercises so the student can reflect on the experiential learning.

Academic credit is actually one of the more complex factors of an overseas internship, according to a June 3, 2010, article “As Overseas Internships Grow, So Do Challenges for College Officials,” by Beth McMurtrie in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

“Sometimes students fall into the trap of lining up internships on their own, particularly in the summer, then discover that they cannot receive academic credit for them because the college or department has no system in place to recognize work abroad,” McMurtrie writes.

To guard against misunderstandings about academic credit, do your homework on the guidelines of the internship and work closely with your university and academic advisor to adhere to your institution’s requirements.

Why go those extra miles for an internship abroad?

Stacey — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 03:02:22 +0000

By Stacey Hartmann

GlobaLinks NewsWire Editor

With internships abroad, there can be additional benefits.

For example, internships are not as common in Australia and New Zealand, so students are viewed more as full-time employees and are not subject to much of the busy work associated with internships in the United States.

Internships in Australia, New Zealand and China also offer a rare opportunity for students to prepare for their future occupations while enjoying the unique experiences of life as international citizens.

An intern in Shanghai.

International internships also may benefit students who are restricted on when and how long they can participate in international study abroad programs due to sports, family obligations, and specific degree schedules. Internships, however, are not restricted to university dates, so they can be arranged at any time of the year and for numerous durations.

Finally, for students who have financial restrictions that prevent them from participating in a semester or year abroad at a foreign university, an internship – because it is often shorter in duration – is an affordable option for gaining international experience.

“The teaching internship in New Zealand gave me the experience I needed to boost my confidence in my teaching abilities, and I gained a new perspective on the art of teaching.” – Marlowe Brant, interned in 2010 at the Samuel Marsden Collegiate School in Wellington, New Zealand.

Why intern abroad? In a word: BENEFITS

Stacey — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:00:13 +0000

By Stacey Hartmann

GlobaLinks NewsWire Editor

The benefits of internships – whether domestic or international – are real and tangible.

Interns in GlobaLinks Learning Abroad's program in Shanghai tour the city during the Bridging Cultures program.

Graduates with internships or other work experience in their fields have a competitive edge against those non-internship graduates pounding the pavement for the first jobs of their careers, according to research from NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers).

NACE’s 2010 Student Research Brief, for example, shows internships in general result in more job offers and higher starting salaries.

In fact, candidates with internship experience were considerably more likely to receive a job offer than their counterparts who did not have any experiential education in their backgrounds.

More job offers: Approximately 42 percent of graduates with internships who applied for a job received an offer compared with only 30 percent for students who had no experience. (NACE research)

Graduates with internships also tended to receive a significantly higher starting salary offer.

Higher starting salaries: Applicants with internship who received an offer had a median starting salary of $41,580 attached to the offer compared with a median salary position of $34,601 for students without internships on their resumes. (NACE research)

Those who seek out an internship abroad, in particular, may catch an employer’s eye if they can demonstrate how their experience shows cross-cultural understanding, adaptability to new situations, and in some situations, foreign language competence.

A few of the benefits of participating in an international internship:

Gain exposure to real-world problems and issues not found in textbooks.
Cultivate adaptability and creativity in a dynamic world.
Increased marketability to employers
Ease transition from being a student to entering the workforce.
Increase self-confidence in the workplace while developing an expanded network of associates and professionals.
Facilitate a higher starting salary than non-interns. In a recent study, interns received, on average, $2,240 more than non-interns for starting salary.
Have résumé-building experiences while applying academic concepts and principles.

International Internships: A World of Career Possibilities

Stacey — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 23:39:58 +0000

By Stacey Hartmann

GlobaLinks NewsWire Editor

One Student’s Experience

Jen Williams during her 2006 internship at The Wetlands Centre in Australia.

When Jen Williams reflects on her 2006 internship abroad in Australia at a wetlands conservation center, the 26-year-old from Lancaster, Pa., is certain the experience played a pivotal role in her decision to earn a master’s degree in social work and begin a career in public child welfare.

“The personal growth that I experienced during my time abroad instilled confidence and self-esteem within me that I have carried over into all aspects of my life,” says Williams, reflecting on her 10-week internship through GlobaLinnks Learning Abroad (then AustraLearn). The internship included creating a marketing plan for a canoe trail through the ecologically diverse Hunter Wetlands in Australia.

“Completing an international internship helped me see the world and its social problems in new and diverse ways, which shaped my understanding of the global community,” she says. “Spending time in Australia and learning about the vast social programs in the country provided me with new perspectives and ideas for helping disadvantaged populations in the United States.”

Now, Williams has finished her master’s degree in social work and moved to Detroit, where she works in foster care helping foster children and their biological parents address the issues that separated them. Besides her internship in Australia and an Americorps position in a remote village in Alaska, Williams completed two field placements in public agencies working with children in foster care and a child protecting services unit.

“I still believe that the self confidence that I gained from studying abroad has helped me,” she says. “Living in a new city and trying to get my bearings while working at a new job is exactly what I dealt with during my internship abroad. I am using the same skills to adjust to Detroit that I used to adjust to Australia – keep an open mind, explore the city and don’t be afraid to try something new.”

Williams during her Americorps assignment in a remote village in Alaska.

During her wetlands center internship, “I gained a new appreciation for conservation while personally witnessing the therapeutic effects of nature,” she says. “Eventually, I hope to obtain my license in social work so that I can provide nature-based therapy to children who have experienced significant trauma.”

With so much work experience, she felt well prepared to find a great job in a major metropolitan area.

In short, she says: “My experience and internships abroad led me to where I am today.”

International internships: A birds-eye view

Internships are an increasingly viable way for students to test career interests against job realities, and ultimately, gain real-world job experience to not only build a resume, but also launch a fulfilling career.

Internships, in turn, serve business and industry by providing a pipeline of the best and brightest young talent for assessment and training for full-time jobs, and ultimately, help organizations build the best possible skilled workforces.

As the world becomes “smaller” due to improvement in global communications and transportation, businesses are becoming more internationally invested and their workforces more diverse. This means the need for graduates with international work experience is likely to grow.

Internships abroad give students career experience in a foreign country so they are more marketable for jobs in the global economy. They also cultivate well-rounded citizens with solid foundations of career-specific skills.

Only 1-2% of college students have any international experience, but those numbers are expected to rise, especially as more students recognize how interning abroad helps their resumes stand out from the crowd.

In fact, the number of students participating in practical work experiences as part of their study abroad rose 37%, according to the (2008/2009) Open Doors report from the Institute of International Education. Specifically, 18,715 students received academic credit at U.S. colleges and universities for internships or work abroad.

“College graduates need an international perspective to be competitive in today’s job market,” wrote Cindy Chalou, director of the Office of Study Abroad at Michigan State University, and Charles Gliozzo, director emeritus of the Office of Study Abroad at Michigan State University, in a Feb. 24, 2011 article in the Chronicle of Higher Education. “Many will have to negotiate foreign cultures whether they work in the United States or abroad. As part of this continuing change, international college internships should now be viewed as steppingstones to career success.”

Excerpt (“Why International Internships Are Key to University Global Engagement, Feb. 24, 2011, Chronicle of Higher Education.)

“Several trends have fueled the growth in international internships over the past decade. For one thing, more students and graduates are pursuing opportunities in Asia, given the weak economy in the United States. …

“In addition, international internships are increasingly becoming integrated with college service-learning programs. Student interns now work abroad in hospitals, orphanages, clinics, and schools. One Michigan State University student interned with Mumbai Magic Bus, a charity in India that mentors impoverished youth. Her experience assisted her in later working with a similar American nonprofit.”

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Provides $500 Bonus Awards to Program Participants Receiving Gilman Scholarships

Stacey — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 19:53:31 +0000

Bonus dollars open doors to more possibilities for Gilman scholarship recipients studying abroad via GlobaLinks Learning Abroad programs.

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad, a provider of international education programs across the globe, is awarding $500 bonus scholarships to participants in its programs who receive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships.

Javahnda Kea, a Gilman Scholar studying abroad through GlobaLinks Learning Abroad at Korea University, standing in front of one of the national palaces in Seoul.

“GlobaLinks Learning Abroad is underscoring the goals of this important international program by awarding Gilman scholars participating in our programs a $500 bonus to support their study abroad plans,” said Cynthia Banks, founder and executive director of GlobaLinks Learning Abroad. “The Gilman Scholars program provides U.S. students of limited financial means with scholarships so they can make the important academic, professional, personal, cultural and social discoveries that come through international education.”

“Receiving the bonus award allowed me to readjust my expenses budget and provided me the opportunity to visit the second largest city in South Korea (Busan), in addition to paying for airfare to South Korea’s world famous Jeju Island for five days,” said Javahnda Kea, a senior marketing and international business major at Georgia State University who is studying abroad at Korea University.

Kea describes her time abroad as “the experience of a lifetime” and has immersed herself in the Korean culture through involvement on campus and learning the Korean language. “I also now have a better understanding of Asian culture in general,” she says, “and am even more set on my goal of working in Korea once I obtain my degree.”

Specifically, the Gilman Scholarship Program aims to support a diverse range of students who have been traditionally under-represented in study abroad, including but not limited to:

Students with high financial need.
Students studying in non-traditional countries, especially those outside of Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
Students with diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Students from a diverse range of institutions including four-year, public, private, community colleges, historically black colleges and universities, tribal colleges, Hispanic serving institutions and other minority serving institutions.
Students with disabilities.

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad annually offers Gilman bonus awards, as well as many other scholarships and funding resources to enhance the affordability of semester, year and summer-abroad programs in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the South Pacific. It also offers financial aid counseling and budgeting advice for all of its programs to students, parents, advisors and study abroad offices.

For more details about scholarship and study abroad funding resources, go to GlobaLinks Learning Abroad’s Scholarships page.

DiCaprio and Great Gatsby Generate Excitement at International College of Management, Sydney

admin — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:42:11 +0000

The International College of Management, Sydney (ICMS), a GlobaLinks Learning Abroad partner university, was all abuzz recently as Leonardo DiCaprio and other Hollywood A-listers took over the historic castle that is the epicenter of the Manly Beach campus.

Filming of the Great Gatsby on the ICMS campus.

DiCaprio, with co-stars Tobey McGuire, Islan Fisher and Joel Edgerton, are in Australia filming The Great Gatsby (to be in 3D). Filmmakers have transformed the historical and iconic castle building at ICMS that houses the classrooms, administrative offices, restaurant and girls dormitories to look like a 1920s-era mansion in Long Island.

For news coverage of Leo’s latest movie, check out:

· Looking Out for Leonardo DiCaprio

· Set photos of DiCaprio from the Huffington Post

· Photo of the campus transformed

A bit more ICMS/Hollywood trivia: The campus is also where Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban were in 2006 and a TV episode of Master Chef (Aussie version) was filmed.

MasterChef Australia Airs Episode Featuring International College of Management, Sydney