Amy’s Semester Overseas in London, England

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A examine overseas program could be a life-changing expertise, and much more so whenever you add a global internship into the combo! Simply ask Amy, a school scholar from Fairfield College and an AIFS Overseas Alumni Ambassador who spent a fall semester doing a Research + Internship program in England’s capital metropolis of London.

Now that she’s formally a part of our alumni group, Amy can replicate on her examine and intern overseas expertise. Learn on to study extra.

College students who select the Research + Internship program possibility get the very best of each worlds: taking enriching and experiential programs overseas whereas additionally taking part in a part-time worldwide internship and gaining invaluable pre-professional expertise. Amy, who’s extremely obsessed with trend, was serious about taking coursework in that space of examine at our International Training Middle alongside a Vogue internship. London was the right match!

Enriching Lecturers

Whereas she took a couple of completely different lessons throughout her fall semester, one specific course stood out: Vogue Advertising and marketing with Professor “Nas” Nataran.

“My classmates and I weren’t solely capable of study class materials past the classroom, however Professor Nas made the classroom really feel like an setting we might really feel comfy in whereas navigating a rustic that was international to us.

I feel there’s such magnificence in studying in an setting the place you are feeling inspired. I can affirm that Professor Nas made all 4 of us not solely really feel assured, however she helped us develop individually, and never simply academically. From an educational standpoint, we had been capable of study all about trend advertising and marketing from an interactive perspective. From Harrod’s to Liberty, Professor Nas all the time took the additional step for us to see all the style surrounding us in London. As well as, she all the time made us really feel like we might attain out to her and get the assistance we wanted whereas being so distant from house.

Not solely was I capable of broaden my information of trend advertising and marketing, however I used to be capable of create robust connections that I’ve maintained since being again within the U.S.”

In a hands-on group mission that was related to her host group, Amy felt empowered to get inventive and put her coursework into apply.

“For our remaining mission, we had been assigned to analysis and plan a communication marketing campaign. Miranda and I needed to decide an American trend model that’s not at the moment within the U.Ok. and [nationally] commercialize the model. Miranda and I picked considered one of my favourite boutiques from my hometown, “Graffiti Boutique,” as we knew nowhere within the U.Ok. had any Graffiti branded clothes. Our audience can be girls between the ages of 17 and 26, middle-class, younger bold girls trying to preserve updated with trend tendencies. To compete with the U.Ok. market, with shops like Zara and City Outfitters, we might introduce a Graffiti males’s line, as within the US there’s solely a girls’s line. With the usage of social media and QR codes, Graffiti would turn out to be a really well-known, favored model throughout London.”

Discovering the Proper Internship Placement

Interning overseas is your likelihood to do one thing completely different, study exterior of the classroom, acquire work expertise, earn tutorial credit score, make lifelong friendships, and discover the world. AIFS Overseas internship applications are supplied in 15 thrilling worldwide cities and in over 40 profession fields general, with internship placements out there in Vogue, Vogue Enterprise, Vogue Advertising and marketing, Vogue Merchandising, and Vogue Design. You’ll construct your resume whereas having the expertise of a lifetime! When mixed with a conventional examine overseas expertise, it turns into a powerhouse world training expertise.

The internship element of Amy’s Research + Internship program expertise enhanced her tutorial studying, but additionally allowed her to “join with a international tradition [in a way] you’d by no means be capable of obtain when sitting in a classroom at your own home college.” Our devoted crew labored individually together with her, as we do all of our internship program individuals, to seek out the right match for her based mostly on her profession targets and pursuits.

“I’m so glad I made the choice to intern whereas I used to be overseas. Whereas learning with the AIFS program, the internship course of is made simpler than it’s possible you’ll suppose. With the usage of Clifton Strengths and your assigned strengths coach, you’re matched with an employer that most closely fits your required targets and profession area.

As a scholar with a Communications main and minors in Advertising and marketing, Public Relations, and Digital Journalism, my match with [a PR firm] was completely good. When talking with my profession coach, I expressed my robust need to work within the trend business whereas in London, and this internship gave me the style expertise I hoped for, along with PR expertise that’s transferable to any business.”

Sensible Skilled Expertise

Doing a global internship program — whether or not full-time or part-time — permits you distinctive alternatives to do hands-on initiatives and acquire sensible skilled expertise. In Amy’s case, touchdown an internship placement at a London PR agency meant she’d be capable of work straight in a showroom together with her favourite designers and, notably, attend London Vogue Week.

“[Attending London Fashion Week] was among the finest experiences I’ve had throughout an internship in school, and continues to be a key element on my resume when at the moment making use of for a full-time job.

The chance to intern for a corporation that performs a pivotal position in supporting and facilitating occasions like these is one thing I wouldn’t have the possibility to expertise if I had been nonetheless learning within the U.S. in the meanwhile. I’m crammed with gratitude for this exceptional expertise, and I’m excited for future alternatives and studying experiences.”

Amy discovered herself stepping backstage, being invited to look at fashions as they tried on numerous outfits and obtained skilled hair and make-up styling in preparation for his or her reveals. She was additionally assigned key duties similar to welcoming and guiding company to their respective areas.

Not solely was she capable of expertise conventional annual London Vogue Week, however she was concerned in a very inspiring element of the occasion: Ukrainian Vogue Week. Throughout this ingredient, designers from Ukraine had been capable of present their collections with help from the British Vogue Council and the USAID Aggressive Financial system Program.

“Differentiating itself from the everyday trend reveals, this specific occasion held a particular function—extending an unimaginable present of help to Ukraine Vogue throughout a interval of deep problem for the folks of Ukraine.

This present had a big impression on me, during which I got here to a realization that trend is a lot greater than how we gown and categorical ourselves as people. Vogue is a means of bringing all people collectively, regardless of the place everyone seems to be from, in instances of want.

Because the Ukrainian flag was worn by designers whereas they walked down the stage, the fantastic thing about this convergence was one thing I had by no means been capable of see earlier than. Between cheering and clapping, it felt so rewarding to be part of the success of one thing with such an admirable trigger.

Regardless of the various appearances and kinds of these in attendance, whether or not as spectators, individuals or behind the scenes, all people on the present shared the frequent function: to supply unwavering help to Ukraine throughout its most difficult instances.

Able to take the leap right into a Research + Internship program overseas like AIFS Alumni Ambassador Amy did? We’d love that will help you begin your journey!

Right here at AIFS Overseas, we all know a factor or two about serving to school college students and pre-professionals examine and intern overseas. Our applications are extremely inclusive, which takes a variety of the stress out of planning. From coordinating your housing to offering issues like cultural and social actions, excursions, complete insurance coverage, 24/7 emergency help, on-site workers, and extra, you’ll take consolation in figuring out you’ll have help all through your complete expertise overseas.