Hi, my name is Casey Lidstad and I'm a student at Indiana University studying Accounting, Operations Management, and Informatics. I interned with the Dublin Neurological Institute (DNI), a small nonprofit organization that researches and treats neurological disorders. During my time I created training manuals, updated the DNI website, researched financial reporting standards, and contacted potential donors. I felt like my internship both played to my strengths and allowed me to explore new areas of business, and it pushed me to communicate more efficiently.

I also had the opportunity to take two courses at UCD: one on Ireland's business environment and one about sustainability in finance. Both courses added to my understanding of the Irish economy and inspired me to question cultural norms in the U.S.

Some of my favorite memories were made on the cultural trips. From the Cliffs of Moher to the Titanic Museum in Belfast, we had the chance to visit all the famous Irish landmarks. I especially loved our first trip to a farm where we got to make our own Irish bread, learn an Irish dance, and go bog jumping!

I think my favorite thing about this program was that the adjustment was so seamless. I was worried I might have a tough time in a different country, but everyone was incredibly welcoming and made it an easy transition. I have tons of experiences to share with both friends and employers, and I feel so lucky to have spent my summer in such a beautiful country!

Hi, my name is Maxwell Bross, and I’m a rising senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying Psychology and Business. Here at UCD, I worked at William Fry, a large corporate law firm, as a Business Development Intern. This role was perfect for me, as I have a keen interest in entering the field of business law and had the opportunity to interact with both the business and legal sectors of the company. During my time at William Fry, I felt important to the company's success, with a steady workload that produced meaningful results and strengthened my resume and skill set.

Regarding the modules, there was a nice intersection of material in class and my internship. We were fortunate to have expert guest speakers visit and discuss the effect of foreign direct investment in Ireland, which related to my work in a meaningful way and allowed me to contribute in meetings and discussions with Partners, managers, and other coworkers.

My favorite part of this trip was everything about it. I loved the "local" trips to Galway and Belfast, experiencing the beauty Ireland has to offer. Additionally, I enjoyed the ability to travel across Europe, with Italy and Scotland being two notable destinations. I absolutely recommend this program to anyone considering it, as you not only get a taste of Europe and international business but also have the chance to meet amazing people from all around the world and form connections that will last a lifetime.

I completed an internship as a Business Analyst at EpiCapture Limited, a start-up cancer diagnostics company based out of UCD’s campus. This internship allowed me to learn how start-up companies operate and work on projects in a variety of areas beyond my major. This internship was different from any of my prior work experiences which allowed me to work outside of my comfort zone and expand my healthcare knowledge while contributing to the progress of the company. I would recommend this internship to others because working at a start-up company, even for a short time, allows you to see the large span of different work and the challenges that come along with the nature of the business. The academic component of this program helped me gain a more well-rounded perspective as we covered topics like sustainability that I had never studied in depth before. The Cultural Programme coordinated by the Summer Internship Program team allowed me to meet friends for many years to come. My favorite trips were hiking Glendalough in the Wicklow Mountains and seeing the Cliffs of Moher and Galway! I would recommend the Summer Internship Program at the Quinn School of Business to others because it offers a great combination of work experience, academic modules, personal growth, exciting trips in Ireland, and opportunities to travel all around Europe!

Probably the most important thing to understand about me is that learning is my core value and my favorite kind of learning (both the most effective and the most fun!) is through experience. I chose to study abroad in Ireland because of the Quinn Business School’s unique offer combining classes at a new university in a different education system, an internship in a new country with a different work culture, and time to explore the beauty and culture of Ireland.

My internship at Chronic Pain Ireland taught me being independent at work and trusting myself with the task I need to get done. It also allowed me to learn about how charities work and left me with extensive knowledge of Canva. My classes at UCD really made me think about sustainability and ethical lines in entrepreneurship. They also showed me how different the education system here is compared to the US. My afternoon and weekend adventures taught me to do the things I enjoy on my own and left me with newfound independence and planning skills. And I cannot forget the flexibility and patience that I gained from taking public transportation everywhere :)

The opportunity to immerse myself in multiple aspects of a different part of the world was very eye-opening and educating. I feel like I learned so much over these past two months and I’m leaving Ireland with a ton of new knowledge and memories that will last a lifetime.

Life is what happens when you get out there, do things and take opportunities to learn. And I think we all want to feel that, at the end of the day, we truly lived each day.

My name is Ethan and I’m a Marketing major at UW-Madison. I chose this program as a way to gain work experience in a foreign country whilst learning in an environment with a unique perspective. My internship was at the EE Group, which operates both global and local restaurants in Ireland. I gained experience in multiple different aspects of marketing such as creating a digital marketing campaign, using Excel to extract qualitative information from a data set, along with planning events for a variety of activities. As for the academic component, I was able to learn about new information and gain a new perspective on something I had already learned in the past. The cultural program offered both localized Irish experiences to experiencing main tourist sites, like jumping in a bog to seeing the Cliffs of Moher. This program has allowed me to grow in a variety of ways and it was a great experience.

This summer I had the amazing opportunity to work at Concern Worldwide, Ireland’s largest humanitarian organization. My role consisted of aiding the Grant Compliance Unit in their due diligence process. This process is creating reviews on partner organizations prior to working with them. It provides assurance to donors that they are not passing funds to criminal organizations, or to organizations that are not financially viable. This experience has allowed me to understand the inner workings of an NGO and how this sector is different from other corporations. I enjoyed researching other humanitarian organizations and learning about their mission statements and how they help communities in poverty all over the world. I would highly recommend this internship to others that are interested in pursuing a career in this sector as you learn about Concern’s mission in helping the most impoverished countries.