For Advisors
ISA Internship programs offer your students more opportunities to gain global internship experience in any field of study through one of 3 different program options during the summer or semester:
Students can participate as individual applicants in any of these programs, or we can create cohort programs for groups of your students to fit the needs of any institution.
Quick Links to more about ISA Internships
- Academic Credit and our School of Record
- The Pillars of the ISA Internship Framework
- Cohort Programs for your institution
The Pillars of the ISA Internship Framework
ISA's internship programs have been intentionally designed with an ultimate goal of delivering future ready, internationally adept graduates into the workforce of tomorrow. An internship is meant to build upon the knowledge students gain in their university courses. Therefore, we have refined our program as students and higher education have evolved. In addition to providing quality internship placements, co-curricular dimensions of the program address both professional and personal skill development with clear learning outcomes. Furthermore, with both in-person and remote models, low cost options, and opportunities in the U.S., the ISA internship program is built for maximum accessibility for all students.
Quality Placements
As part of the application process, each student has a personalized advising session with an ISA Program Manager who helps them hone in on their goals for the internship and articulate them well in the cover letter. This ensures that our on-site teams have the right details to find a placement that fits each student. We have more than 15-year's experience placing students in internships and matching students with quality placements that give them the skill development they seek.
Academic Component with Clear Learning Outcomes
Every ISA internship participant has the option to undertake the program for academic credit through ISA's school of record, University of South Florida.
Career Readiness
ISA's optional Career Readiness Course has been designed based on NACE's 8 core competencies and will continue to be refined as the competencies are updated for 2021 and beyond. Additionally, as a founding and ongoing member of SkillSurvey's Career Readiness Project, all participants will be assessed on their career readiness competencies before and after their internship (both self and supervisor assessments and analysis) and be able to compare to their peers from more than 100 universities.
Accessibility
We value accessibility and are very pleased that our internship programs have proven to open doors to international experiences for a wider-than-normal demographic. Our Global Remote Internships have significant participation from underrepresented students. Additionally, with 8-week programs priced as low as $5,950 and academic credit for only $375, participants can gain experience in their field and academic credit without as significant of a financial impact.
Cultural Experience
No matter the format or location of their internship, students are guaranteed a cultural experience. Beyond the natural cultural experiences that come from working with an organization in another country, in-person internships include excursions and cultural activities. Global Remote Internships include a range of resources and suggestions for students to learn more about their host company's country as well as regular coffee catch ups with program managers who help them to unpack the experience and learn from the cultural differences they experience.
Internship Cohort Models
Putting together an international internship cohort program from scratch may seem complicated, but ISA makes it easy for you and your students. We have worked with a variety of universities over the years to develop internship programs that work with their specific needs. Together, we can design the perfect cohort program for you. We are happy to set up a call to discuss your interests in program type, specific dates, location availability, and the variety of placements we can offer your students.
Faculty-led + internship model
An excellent way for students to gain real-world experience and earn more academic credit is to combine a short-term, faculty-led study abroad program with an internship. Our partners at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville have been doing this for several years by having their Communications students participate in a 4-week faculty-led program in Sydney, Australia or Valencia, Spain followed by an 8-week internship.
Major-specific model
We have had great success with cohort programs that focus on one particular major or one particular school. For example, the University of California, Davis sends Psychology, and Environmental Studies students to New Zealand to participate in a 6-week internship. The students are placed in either Auckland or Wellington to allow for more bonding among the cohort, and the dates of the program align with UC Davis’ quarter system schedule.
Multi-disciplinary model
If you want to open up your cohort program to a variety of majors, it may be a good idea to focus on one location instead of one area of study. For example, one university we work with sends students from a variety of majors on an 8-week internship in Auckland, New Zealand. While the students may be studying anything from accounting to international affairs, they are housed together and are able to bond as a cohort despite the differing career fields.
Embedded Model
Our Global Remote Internships and Career Semester programs offer remote options which can be customized to fit cohorts of students who are taking a specific class at your institution. The Career Semester programs can be modified to fit different requirements and time frames (as little as 3 weeks). Embedding one of these programs into a course gives students the opportunity to gain international experience within the parameters of an existing required or elective course. A short abroad component could also be added over a school break so that students could meet their host companies in person, further enhancing the experience.
Contact Xena Pulliam for more information about these and other customization options xena.pulliam@worldstrides.com.
