by Cedarville Magazine Staff
Ask any Cedarville SBA professor about the importance of internships, and he or she will tell you that internships are one of the most important factors in finding a job quickly after graduation.
“Internships are emphasized continuously by our dean and our faculty,” noted Dan Sterkenburg, Associate Professor of International Business and head of the SBA’s global business major. “It’s the pipeline to a job. It’s a place for students to pick up practical skills and find out if they really like that industry they’re experimenting with.”
Buta steady stream of Cedarville students has chosen to go the extra thousand miles to pursue internships abroad.
“Every year, we have business students completing international internships with missions agencies like Wycliffe Bible Translators and Samaritan's Purse,” explained Sterkenburg. “My global business majors have also secured internships with Cedarville’s Study Abroad program through organizations like Cultural Experiences Abroad (CEA) or the Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE).”
Andrew Wiseman, Director of Cedarville’s Study Abroad program, sees multiple reasons for international internships.
“They provide students with the opportunity to learn about another culture, develop other cross-cultural competencies, and pick up more language skills,” Wiseman said. “They are also invaluable for international networking.”
One example is Kyle Barnett ’05, who interned in Spain and networked his way to a position with an import/export company in Miami, Florida, with home offices in Miami, Caracas, Venezuela, and Mexico City. “He is currently an Export Control Officer in China with the Bureau of Industry and Security that is part of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing,” Wiseman added.
While the thought of an international internship can sound daunting, Wiseman urges business — or any — students to pursue them. “Students are fearful of tackling an international internship for fear of not measuring up,” he said. “My advice would be to go for it. The skills you would pick up will prove to be invaluable, and God will open doors you never thought possible.”