This interview transcript has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Introduction
Chayton Ross: My name is Cheyton Ross. I am a 3rd year student here at the University of Michigan. I go by he/him. I was recently involved in the Sage Corps Summer Internship program in Madrid, Spain, where I spent 2 months doing an internship in data analysis.
Joy Richardson, CGIS Study Abroad Advisor: That sounds really cool! So why did you choose to intern abroad on this specific program?
CR: So I actually have quite a few reasons, and they all kind of tie in together. First of all I genuinely think that this was something that I needed, not just for the experience, but also for personal and professional growth.
I mean, I've had a great experience at U of M so far, but I felt that there was something additional that I needed to do to really put myself out there, you know? And this was probably the best experience I could have had, because it ties in with one of my other reasons for going.
I've always wanted to travel. I've wanted to experience different cultures, and by traveling to Spain and living in a different country for a couple of months, I was able to really experience that feeling and I think it's really stuck with me. I'm very glad that I was able to make that experience happen and I think it's really attributed to my own personal growth. And I'm very much going to use the experience I've had to go forward with me into my career, into my courses, and everything else.
JR: That's really great to hear. It sounds like you had a very impactful experience.
CR: Absolutely.
JR: Can you describe what was your internship was like?
CR: Yeah. So our program involves our cohort working in in startups around the country, or the city that we're in for. In my case, Madrid, and we have multiple options of different roles that we want to take on. In my case, I'm a data science student here, so I wanted to do data science/data analysis.
Throughout the 2 months I was there was to use code and databases to create digital dashboards for our investors to really look and understand more about our product and about our company's growth, and we wanted to make sure we're as honest and as informative as possible. It was my job to ensure those dashboards were as neat and understanding as possible.That's really the majority of what I focused on over the time that I was there. There were also other little small tasks here and there, but my overall goal was to create those dashboards.
JR: Wow! So how many hours did you work every week at your internship?
CR: I spent anywhere between 25 to 30 hours a week. It really varies, depending on what you want to accomplish during your time there. I felt it was very important to get as much out of the experience as possible, and so I made sure that I completed all my tasks and that I was gaining as much out of it as possible.
JR: So were you working Monday through Friday, or only Monday through Thursday, how did that work for you?
CR: Yeah, for me, I worked Monday through Thursday. That was a schedule that I set because I wanted some more time to not just get the work experience, but also get the personal growth and the experience abroad.
I took that extra Friday to go explore, maybe try something new and travel to other countries, too. If you have the opportunity and it's something that you want to do you should do it, because you don't have that much time to explore these things while you're abroad.
JR: What were some good local activities that you did in your city?
CR: So for my program we had quite a few events already set up for us through Sage Corps. For example, we had cooking classes, food tasting events, flamenco performances, tours of the city, and visited tons of different restaurants, parks, and historical locations. It was all really special.
JR: Was this organized during your internship time, or was this outside of regular working hours?
CR: This is outside of regular working hours. They make sure that your work and personal experience are completely separate. They want to make sure that everyone can have the same experience when it comes to that, so they ensure that it doesn't interfere with your schedule so that everyone can enjoy the activities.
JR: How did the interview and the placement process work for you? How did you feel overall about the process?
CR: Personally, I I had a pretty good experience. It was quite simple for me to be honest, because upon completing the required paperwork on my end I had some communication with my advisors, and with people from Sage Corps who connected me with different employers from startups in Madrid and once we got in contact with them, they set up an interview for me. We were able to discover whether that specific startup was the right fit for me, and once those interviews were completed, then I could choose which one that I want to participate in.
JR: Okay, that sounds fairly straightforward, it seems. That's good to hear! How about your seminar, the academic component of the internship? What was that like?
CR: Hmm. While I was abroad I was also enrolled in an online course through Trinity College in Chicago. It's an understandable class, it really helps you to connect with the things that you're experiencing during your daily life abroad and kind of reflect on it as you're writing your assignments or discussion posts with others. It was fairly simple to complete. It didn't take very much time each week and it was really helpful, because it gave me an another opportunity to reflect on everything that I've been experiencing over the last couple of months.
JR: Do you feel like it was a beneficial experience overall?
CR: Absolutely.
JR: So what was your housing situation like, and how was the daily commute between where you lived at and your internship?
CR: Madrid is quite welcoming when it comes to student housing. I lived in a great spot, actually in a district called Malasaña. It's in the center of Madrid. It's fairly close to basically everything you need to get to. The housing was great, the staff was welcoming, the apartments were clean. We had all the amenities we needed to grocery stores, restaurants, everything around. And the commute wasn't bad for me. Madrid has a very, a very diverse metro system and so getting from one part of the city to another is quite simple once you understand how to use it. Because for a first time use, it can be confusing. It was probably a 20 minute commute for me to get from one end of the city [from my housing] to the other [where my internship was]. It wasn't bad. I was really fortunate that I understood how to use the Metro, because it was very helpful for getting around when I needed to.
JR: So what do you feel like was the most challenging aspect of your internship experience?
CR: There is actually quite a lot, because you're moving to a new country. You're living in a culture that doesn't speak your native language, potentially, and it can be really difficult for some people. I found that challenging, especially being my first time abroad. Additionally, learning new aspects of whatever you're trying to go into. In my case, data analysis, so trying to learn new information or new things about that field, it can be challenging at times. But it's something you just have to work through. It's the same with everything. It's always a learning experience. You just gotta push through it.
JR: So if you had to think about something that you could take away from this experience, or a story that you think about when you reflect on it. What would that be?
CR: I've thought about this a lot. I would definitely say that the biggest take away is if there's something that you want to do, do it--because you never know if you're going to get another chance. I would love to travel even more maybe a couple of years down the road, maybe next summer. Who knows? But you never know if you're going to get another opportunity. And since it's such a great experience, it's perfect for any student who wants to travel abroad and get work experience, because there's not many people that actually get that abroad work experience. It's not just your professional career. It's also your personal goals. Like I had the ability one weekend to travel to the Olympics! I mean, that's a once in a lifetime experience. So if it's something that you want to do, then just go ahead and do it, it's something you you will never regret.
JR: That's very inspiring, and that's quite impressive. You got to go see the Olympics.
CR: Yeah, it was fun. It was a great time.
Closing Remarks
JR: Is there anything else that you would like to say about this experience?
CR: I'm very grateful that I've been able to take part in this experience, because one thing I remember hearing from one of my advisors is that less than 1% of college students get work experience abroad. So it really makes you realize that you're one of very few people. Not only do you get an internship, because that's impressive in itself but being able to do it in a different country, where they don't even speak the same language as you--it's made me realize that there's always there's always a next step and by participating in a program like Sage Corps, it allows you to take that next step towards your future goals and towards your future career. And so I'm really grateful for the opportunity.
JR: You said this was your 1st time going abroad, right? That's even more impactful. The fact that your 1st time going abroad was an entire internship. That's something to be even more proud of. So before we go, are you comfortable with having students reach out to you about your experience?
CR: Yes, if anyone has any questions or concerns or things they'd like to ask me regarding being abroad, especially in Spain or Madrid, there's a lot of things I can share about it. It can be a great learning experience. But you also have a lot of things you need to understand about the country when you go there. And there's always there's always new things to share.
