Business Administration and East Asian Languages and Literatures: Chinese
Where did you intern this summer?
This summer I interned at a large light manufacturing company outside Shanghai China. The name of the company is Yaming Lighting, and I worked in the International Sales and Marketing department.
How did you find this internship?
I found the internship through a program listed on the career services website. The program name is Abroad China. I was accepted to the Summer Study/Intern program for 8 weeks during the summer. It included assistance in finding an internship in my desired field of study, as well as complementary language classes. My week consisted of Chinese language classes on Mondays and Fridays, and interning at my company Tuesday through Thursday.
I found the internship through a program listed on the career services website. The program name is Abroad China. I was accepted to the Summer Study/Intern program for 8 weeks during the summer. It included assistance in finding an internship in my desired field of study, as well as complementary language classes. My week consisted of Chinese language classes on Mondays and Fridays, and interning at my company Tuesday through Thursday.
How would your typical day go?
My typical day consisted of waking up in the morning and commuting to work. My work day consisted usually of working on one large project per week. Although most of my coworkers spoke almost fluent English, I tried my best to speak with them in Chinese. After work, I would usually come home and relax before going out for dinner and drinks with the other people in my program. All the other members were also American college students working in different fields.
What was your most interesting project?
The company I worked with wanted to design a new logo for their developing branches. They gave me a general idea of what they wanted and let me run with it. I spent an entire week fooling around with graphics on the computer and running ideas by my supervisor. As a business student particularly interested in marketing, I especially enjoyed trying my hand at the design aspect of the field.
What advice do you have for others seeking internships?
Finding an internship can be fairly difficult, especially now. My advice would be if you can’t land your dream job for the summer, try something different. Take the opportunity to experience something you otherwise may not have had the chance to. If you speak another language, or are studying another language, search for internships abroad. The main goal is to gain not only work experience, but life experience as well.
What were the other highlights of your summer experience?
Overall the summer abroad was a great experience. Apart from the great friends I made over the summer, and the experience I gained from working for a large manufacturing company, there were other things that made the trip unforgettable. Some highlights include the weekend trips to other cities including Qingdao and Hangzhou, heckling with Chinese women over the price of fake Gucci bags and Rolex watches, and standing at the window of the highest bar in the world watching as Shanghai rapidly expands.
