Internships

Griffin St. Onge

Majors in French & Political Science, Minor in Translation Studies, Class of 2019

I interned for a member of the Canadian Parliament through the Ottawa Internship Program. My MP represents a district of Montreal, so I got to use my French skills through talking to Francophone staffers, going to meetings of the Quebec Liberal caucus, canvassing voters in the district, making political calls for the Liberal Party, and translating the office's publications from French to English.

I wanted to intern in Canada because I saw it as the perfect way to use my degree; I have a double major in French and Political Science and a minor in Translation Studies. I completed meaningful political work, learned so much about another country's political system, used my French skills in a professional setting, and learned about how translation is used to govern multilingual societies. It was a completely unique experience, and I still can't believe the level of access I had to the workings of the Canadian government, especially as an American.

My internship allowed me to make meaningful connections with my MP, and everyone in my office. We spent a lot of time talking about the differences between our countries, and how relations between the United States and Canada are changing. It was fascinating to see how another country handles its political issues. Right after my internship in Canada, I interned for my Congressman on Capitol Hill. My internship in Canada gave me such an interesting perspective on how American policymakers look at issues, and they were also very interested in my experiences in Canada!

The internship was such a great way to use French, and I got to improve my French in ways I can't in a classroom. Being able to incorporate French into this internship allowed me to learn so much about Quebec's culture, and Francophone societies outside of France more largely. Overall, it was an incredible culmination of my college education that I'll never forget. It has helped me commit to incorporating French into my career, as well as given me a much more well-rounded point of view on political issues.

Christopher Streng

Major in Business Administration, Minor in Spanish, Class of 2021

Over the summer, I had the incredible opportunity to go abroad to Vigo, Spain from May through July working as a Finance intern at a large automotive supplier, merging both of my career interests. While there, I completed all business activities entirely in Spanish. I found this internship independently through a family friend in Vigo, but thanks to the Spanish internship course, Spanish 428, I was able to receive credit towards my Spanish minor from this experience.

In addition to greatly improving my Spanish speaking, reading, and writing skills, I learned a lot while on the job about business, especially about how international it really is and gained great experience. Outside of work, I met many kids around my age through the family I know in Vigo, and we spent a lot of time together watching soccer games, going to the beach, out partying, going to concerts, or just hanging out around the city. I still stay connected with all my friends there and am planning to visit again this summer. On a personal level, living alone overseas really gave me a chance to be independent and responsible for myself, which gave me a lot of confidence looking forward to once I graduate.

This experience has also greatly influenced my career aspirations, as I now hope to either work for an international company focusing operations in Spanish-speaking countries or by working in Spain or Latin America in order to best leverage my business and Spanish knowledge. I truly love the difference in culture and lifestyle that I experienced in Vigo this summer and hope to return for either work or to live there.

My best advice for other students interning or studying abroad is to take a chance. I know that it can be scary going to another country alone or trying new things, but it truly is a unique opportunity to be able to immerse yourself in a foreign country and culture that provides unparalleled opportunities to improve your language skills, cultural understanding, and perspective. Make sure not to simply find other Americans or people to speak with in English, but to try your best to make connections with natives and speak as much as possible in their language, Spanish in my case, for that is the only way to truly improve and to get the best true understanding of the culture and people.

Ryan Myers

Major in Business Administration, Minors in French and Political Science, Class of 2020

This past summer I had the incredible opportunity to do an internship abroad in Ottawa, working for a French speaking member of Parliament from Quebec. As an intern, I was able to practice my French, learn more about politics and government in other countries, research international issues and explore Canada’s capital. In the office, I worked 5 days a week, around eight hours a day for about a month and a half. In the office I helped organize the Member of Parliaments schedule, wrote to constituents, researched different policies, helped his staff with speeches and writing opinion pieces.

At first, I was nervous about being able to successfully do everything in French, but everyone was very nice and was okay if I made small mistakes in French. They helped me learn more about the language and taught me some of the differences between French in Europe and French in Canada. I was able to improve my written and spoken French, while learning more about government.

The program, organized through the University of Michigan Dearborn, also had many other exciting experiences planned while we were in Canada. There was a weekend trip to Montreal, many visits to museums, and government buildings. I was also able to interview the Ambassador from Belgium, for an assignment associated with the program. There were many other embassies that we visited and different events that we attended for Members of Parliament.

I was able to research many interesting and current topics, that impacted the United States and Canada. I was working the day that the United States announced the tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. I had to research the impact these would have on my MP’s riding and the economy. I then was able to attend a meeting in the Office of the Leader of the Opposition and went to a press conference where the MP I worked with made remarks. After that, the group from U of M went to the United States Embassy and learned about the tariffs and what was going on from the American government perspective. This, and many other research topics helped me see the many different sides of an issue, and the impact that they have on a wide range of people.

Overall, this experience inspired me to learn more about the law and public service. After my internship, I felt validated in my goal of going to law school, and I sought out an internship in Washington D.C. for the coming summer, so that I can learn more about public service, government, and the law.