Taking Lehigh to the World and Bringing the World to Lehigh

Iacocca International Internship Program
Student Report

Summer 2018

OFFICE OF
INTERNATIONALAFFAIRS2018 Student Report
Table of Contents
IIIP & Student Demographics
Amaya, Isabel
Arita, BrianBenares, Angelica
Berrios, Soniet
Breen, Lidia
Buonasora, Rachel
Callahan, Reilly
Campbell, Victoria
Castro Espinoza, Ruben
Chansky, Evan
Comisac, Morgan
Cortes, Yasmin
De Guzman, Fatima
Do, Lisa
Egar, Troy
Exaras, Ileana
Fabia, Lana Azalea
Feliciano, Andrew
Friedemann, Jeffrey
Fuertes Smith, Sara
Gargiulo, Domenic
Gatua, Cynthia
Gilliam, Elliot
Gonzalez, Alexandra
Goodman, Jack
Grussi, Paula
Guilfoyle, Connor
Hamp, Lauren
Hanft, Melanie
Hemsath, Victoria
Henderson, Maura
Hoke, Andrew
Hom, Erin
Honer, Kenneth
Horn, Madison
Jackman, Jada
Jennings, Caroline
Johannes, Cyrus
Kanneh, Vaafoulay
Keenan, Hunter
Kidd, Kristin
Kirshenbaum, Jeffrey
Kuipa, Sophia
Lansberry, Jacob
Leahy, Conor
LeBlanc, Shawna
Leuba, Spencer

4-5
6-7
8-9
10-11
12-13
14-15
16-17
18-19
20-21
22-23
24-25
26-27
28-29
30-31
32-33
34-35
36-37
38-39
40-41
42-43
44-45
46-47
48-49
50-51
52-53
54-55
56-57
58-59
60-61
62-63
64-65
66-67
68-69
70-71
72-73
74-75
76-77
78-79
80-81
82-83
84-85
86-87
88-89
90-91
92-93
94-95
96-97
98-99

2

2018 Student Report
Table of Contents:
Lian, Nelly

100-101

Lin, Grace

102-103

Liu, Jessica

104-105

Lopez Zelaya, Paola Violeta

106-107

Loughlin, Kevin108-109

Maldonado, Alondra

110-111

Malofsky, Nicole

112-113

Margulies, Austin

114-115

McCloy, Marissa

116-117

Mendello, Kourtney

118-119

Miller, Dixie

120-121

Miller, Tracey

122-123

Nesfield, Nia

124-125

Nguyen, Marilyn

126-127

Noble, Abigael

128-129

Osgoodby, Jessica

130-131

Pacheco, Cynthia

132-133

Pedraza, Vanessa

134-135

Poe, Cory

136-137

Pozos, Alexandro

138-139

Redden, Christopher

140-141

Reid, Lara

142-143

Rizzi, Eric

144-145

Rojo, Diego

146-147

Sandhu, Kendra

148-149

Scally, Ava

150-151

Skrapits, Julia

152-153

Starer, Allison

154-155

Stragapede, Michael

156-157

Suerig, Brigette158-159

Teles Sutija, Marina

160-161

Tellez, Alexis

162-163

Terrero-Martinez, Nathalye

164-165

Trinh, Kathy

166-167

Veliz, Croldy

168-169

Villamar, Jean-Pierre

170-171

Walker, Doterrius

172-173

Yahraus, Hannah

174-175

Yang, Jacy

176-177

You, Eunice178-179

Youngblood, Amanda

180-181

Zachary, Emma

182-183

Acknowledgements

184

3

Since the inception of the Iacocca International Internship Program, nearly 500 students
have lived and worked in 46 countries. During Summer 2018, there were 89 students in 29
countries. As depicted in the following pages, there are a variety of types of internshipexperiences ranging from corporate environments, non-profits, start-up organizations,research experience in labs or in the field.
real-world professional experience while being immersed in a different culture.
Iacocca Interns learn how to navigate a new environment, meet professional expectations
and communicate with people from varied backgrounds. Former interns say the experiencepushed them outside their comfort zone and gave them newfound confidence andawareness of their capabilities, as well as insight into how other people think and act.
The comprehensive program provides career coaching and cultural training before students
leave, opportunities for reflection and mentorship during the internship and formal re-entry
programs upon return to campus, all with the goal of ensuring that students get the mostfrom their internship experience and are ready to succeed in their careers after graduation.
The program has expanded rapidly—the number of students who participate each year
increased by 700 percent in its first five years. Today, more than 400 students have internedin 40 countries.

Number of Students & Countries by Year
600

484

500

400

300

200

100

68

82

104

99

89

42
13

7

15

23

27

29

28

29

46

0
Selected
2012

2013

Countries
2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Total

4

2018 Iacocca International Internship Program
Student Demographics
IIIP 2018 COLLEGE DISTRIBUTION
AE

AS

BU

ED

EN

IC

AE, 1%IC, 15%

AS, 40%

IIIP 2018 STUDENTS PREVIOUS
STUDY ABROAD EXPERIENCE

EN, 26%

No prior int'l exp.

Had previous int'l exp.

ED, 1%
BU, 17%
Had
previous
int'l exp.
21%

IIIP 2018 Financial Aid Representation
Low
6%

None
13%

No prior int'l
exp.
79%

Medium
10%

High
71%
Low

Medium

High

None

5

Isabel Amaya
MyanmarCollege of Arts andScience
Biochemistry

Youth Society for
Education
STE(A)M Education
and General
Management InternCompany and Position Description: The Fun and Learn Education Center is located in
Yangon, Myanmar. The center was founded in June of 2013. The purpose of this office is tooffer STEAM education around Myanmar using USA teaching standards to support the STEAM
curriculum in various schools around Myanmar. This office does an absolutely amazing job
making sure that they provide support and opportunities for students in public, private andinternational schools. They use LEGO and LEGO EV3 to teach students things from building tocoding at various levels. They help students think outside of the box and allow them to create
their own creations. My job focused on creating science experiments in Biology and Chemistry.
I also got to teach two private school classes, where I taught students from kindergarten tosecond grade. In my classes we focused on introducing students to building structures following
pictures, and then having them create their own structures. As an office we would attend
various commencement ceremonies where students would present things they had learned
while celebrating their moving up to the next levels in their education. It was always so amazing
to see the excitement and happiness of the students at these celebrations.

Teaching the students a lessonon gears before they built the
pictureWorking with kindergarten
and first grade students on
their creations
6

Isabel Amaya
Myanmar

Visiting Bagan, Myanmar

Enjoying lunch in the office!

Value Derived from the Experience: My time in Myanmar was absolutely amazing. It was
my first time being abroad and I had the chance to experience it completely alone, in a country
where all I knew about were the things I had Googled. It was very interesting to see how flexible
I really am when it comes to being in a completely new environment. Keeping a positive attitude
is really what helped me while I was getting used to life in Myanmar. I have always been open tolearning about the culture and history of this beautiful country. This will help me in the future
because I have learned to use my resources to make the best of any situation. I did things I had
never done before, such as building robots from Legos, as well as helping plan the biggest
robotics competition in the country. I became very comfortable with Googling to learn about
things and asking questions to those who worked with me to make sure I was doing things
correctly. Although I didn’t know the language, I sometimes communicated by pointing and using
hand gestures. I loved learning Burmese, I can successfully count to ten in Burmese!

One of the biggest things I took away was my love and passion for teaching. I was very lucky tohave the opportunity to learn about the country through the kids I worked with and by listening
to their stories. This internship showed me that I do love science, and that I hope teaching is in
my future. One of my favorite things was the time they had to build their creations and see all
the amazing things that the students could come up with. When given the proper tools, andspace to reach their full potential, students begin to believe in themselves and their abilities. I
hope to continue to create space where people can feel free to express themselves.

7

Brian Arita
Amsterdam, Netherlands
P.C. Rossin College
of Engineering andApplied Sciences
Industrial
Engineering

University-Industry
Innovation Network
Global InternCompany and Position Description: The University-Industry Innovation Network focuseson the interactions between well-established universities and corporations. It also focuses on
the triple helix system, which extends on just academia and industry: it also brings ingovernment. By treating universities as an official entity, the company better improves theinnovation ecosystem. I was able to study this working out of the Amsterdam Science Park. I
also traveled to two international universities in Sweden and Denmark and one national
university in the Netherlands. I wrote case studies focusing on the different interactions each
university had with organizations.

Presenting to my coworkers
at the Amsterdam Science
Park on my research trip toSweden and Denmark.

Conducting interviews for myboss, Arno Meerman during
the semi-annual UIIN
conference in London, UK.

8

Brian Arita
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Spending time walking aroundthe canals of Amsterdam.

Sailing in the Northernpart of the Netherlands.

Value Derived from the Experience:
During this experience, I have improved upon my personal mobility skills. Constantly
being on the move, I had to learn how to quickly adapt to meeting new people incompletely new environments. I had to be able to understand public transportation toproperly arrive on time to different interviews and tours. At many of the countries I spenttime in, I also had to make presentations in front of several people that I did not know. I
was able to overcome many fears while traveling. I gained a sense of confidence that I
am now able to carry with me to my home country. I feel as though I am capable oftaking on completely new situations. Traveling and working in Europe has allowed me tofeel prepared for even the most unpredictable situations.

9Angelica Benares
India
College of Businessand Economics
Business
Information
Systems

GEN India
GlobalEntrepreneurship
InternCompany and Position Description:
Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) operates in 170 different countries around the world,
managing projects to help people start their own businesses. They work to foster a network tostrengthen the global entrepreneurial ecosystem. I worked for the managing director of GEN
India, Yatin Thakur. Along with the three other interns, I helped him with his global
entrepreneurship projects with the Taiwanese and Emirati governments. Additionally, throughYatin I was able to work closely with the Indian government’s thinktank organization, NITI
Aayog. My specific project was developing their Women Entrepreneurship Platform. I
spearheaded their outreach strategy and marketing campaign, writing to different women
entrepreneurs to inform them of our programs and workshops as well as running social media.
I also conducted research on women in India and the partner corporations to help create
marketing materials for the program. The platform hosts many events and workshops
throughout India and I was fortunate enough to attend the one in Delhi.

NITI Aayog co-hosted The International
Conference on “Empowering Women:
Fostering Entrepreneurship, Innovationand Sustainability” with guest of honor,
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu. As anintern, I got to attend as a delegate.

The GovHack Series is aninternational competition forstartups hosted by the Emirati
government. I helped manage
the entrepreneurs backstage
during the competition.
10

Angelica Benares
India

Can’t go to India
without visiting the Taj

Celebrating International Yoga
Day in the birthplace of yogawith 10,000 other people

Value Derived from the Experience: This past summer in India has been a truly
unforgettable experience. With such a rich and fascinating culture, every day was anopportunity for me to learn something new. Through Yatin’s extensive entrepreneurial
network, Lehigh’s partnership with Ashoka University and global alumni network, I was able tomeet entrepreneurs, investors and established professionals across different industries inIndia. My experience taught me a lot about cultural differences when it comes to runningbusinesses outside of the United States. India’s distinct social class structure played asignificant role in company culture. By traveling around the country I was able to witness theindustrious life inside a slum as well as the luxurious lifestyles of India’s elite.
After this experience, hard work takes on a completely new meaning for me. I’ve found a new
appreciation for many aspects of our American lifestyles that I’ve always taken for granted.
Living in a foreign country taught me to be more patient. The language barrier and culturaldifferences taught me to be more patient and open-minded. I took the time to slow down andto appreciate the new environment around me. The slower pace helped me to develop moresocial relationships with my colleagues, allowing me to learn more about their country andtheir culture. This was a big change from my experience in the fast-paced work life in the US,
where our main goal is to get the job done as quickly as possible.

11

Soniet Berrios
Japan
P.C. Rossin College ofEngineering andApplied Science
Computer Science

Nagoya Institute ofTechnology
Research InternCompany and Position Description:
My program was based in Nagoya, Japan out of Nagoya Institute of Technology. NiTech is one
of Japan’s leading universities focused around science and engineering.
I worked under Dr. Takayuki Ito in his Artificial Intelligence lab. While I was there I waspartnered with one of Dr. Ito’s students, Tomoya Fukui, and researched machine learning andautomated negotiation.
I created an agent using a platform named Genius during my time. I also attended weekly
Japanese language classes.

My tutor while at NiTech

Final presentation on myresearch

12

Soniet Berrios
Japan

Summit of Mt. Fuji

Traditional lunch in Kyoto

Value Derived from the Experience:
I had dreamed of visiting Japan ever since I was a little girl and I will forever be grateful to thisprogram for allowing me to go on such an amazing trip. I was able to not only grow in my field,
but learn so much about a culture very different from my own. I was very nervous when I firstarrived since I didn’t speak the language, but everyone in Japan was so incredibly nice andpatient with me. If I ever needed help with anything I knew I could ask anyone on the street andthey would happily help me. I learned a lot about being independent since I lived by myself in adorm where I would cook for myself a lot.
The dorm actually housed all of the international students so I was able to meet people from allover the world while in Japan. The change in my confidence from when I first arrived to Japan towhen I left was insane. I remember going to the grocery store my first week alone and being so
proud of myself for being able to figure out how to ask where the salt was in Japanese. By theend of my internship, I was using public transportation like a pro, ordering food at restaurants
confidently, and I even traveled to Kyoto and back all by myself. I was able to do so many things
I didn’t think I would ever do, the proudest one being climbing for 8 hours to reach the summitof Mt. Fuji.
I went into this experience with a positive mindset just happy to be going abroad, but I returned
with so many amazing new friends, new outlooks, and memories that I will forever cherish.

13

Lidia Breen
Italy
College of Arts andSciences
Journalism &Political Science

Natasha Slater
StudioCommunications
InternCompany and Position Description: I had the opportunity to work for Natasha Slater
Studio this summer, a communications and public relations firm based in Milan. It is a small
office of five, including us, headed by the CEO and Founder, Natasha Slater. Natasha has worked
in fashion PR for many years, and has worked with all of the most famous brands from aroundthe world, including Dolce & Gabbana, Givenchy, Adidas, Moschino, Les Benjamins, and more!
In the office, I was a communications and PR intern, and my responsibilities varied. Chiefly, I
was responsible for creating online content for the new website that Natasha is planning on
launching, sort of a luxury and lifestyle blog and news source. Besides creating content for that,
I assisted in creating event pitches, handling the showroom and fulfilling stylist requests, press
office, phone recall, working Fashion Week events and editing all of the English copy in theoffice. I truly was given the opportunity to learn every aspect of working in a fashion PR firm,
and got to do a little bit of everything. Every day was different, and I learned a new skill andcould amplify my strengths everyday.

Tori and I in the office!

The Natasha Slater teamafter one of our Fashion
Week events!
14

Lidia Breen
Italy

Riding a gondola in Venice!

At La Scala in Milan!

Value Derived from the Experience: There was an intangible amount of value derived fromthis experience. I was able to work with people that didn’t speak my language, and grew up in a
culture vastly different from my own. While it was strange at first, this experience allowed me tocontinue to develop my strengths, while also helping me to identify weaknesses that I can
improve upon and use to make myself a better worker, and person. I learned how tocommunicate efficiently in the workplace, and with those who do not necessarily understandwhat you are saying, both linguistically and culturally. I was placed into a very demanding andfast-paced work environment, which allowed me to develop my independence and toughness, asmany times I had to figure out a solution and figure out what to do on my own.
This experience has made me much more independent in seeking out work and developing
efficient solutions to problems alone, but also has given me more experience in working inteams made up of vastly different people. Working in a team with people who do not speak yourlanguage requires that you find creative ways to communicate and to get your point across, sothat your voice is still heard and you still make an impact in the work. Working in Italy gave methat skill, and I would not have been able to obtain that anywhere else, or working in any otherinternship.

This unique opportunity also afforded me with the chance to experience the beautiful country of
Italy, and to appreciate how they live. I’m returning back to America with an increased
appreciation for the little things: long meals and an appreciation for the natural world, time withfamily and good pasta!

15

Rachel Buonasora
KosovoIntegrated Business andEngineering
Industrial and Systems
Engineering & Finance

3CIS
Telecommunications
InternCompany and Position Description: I interned at 3CIS (Consulting and Integration
Services), a telecommunications company located in Pristina, Kosovo. As described on thecompany’s website, they offer “highly specialized services to major telecommunication carriers
and solution providers across the globe.” For each project, a team of Network Engineers andProject Managers are assigned to complete the migration of routers and communicate with US
clients throughout the process. During my internship I shadowed a Network Engineer and a
Project Manager to learn about the multi-faceted and extensive process required for the
successful completion of a project.

3CIS is a microcosm of the American-based telecom giants it services. The employees are fluent
in English and approach their jobs with modern and innovative work styles. The company iscontinually evolving by offering its employees training opportunities in Kosovo and America sothat they are at the forefront of emerging technologies in the telecom industry. During thesecond half of my internship, I contributed to the company’s growth by helping to create aconcrete and realistic internship handbook and program outline to be used for future interns.
This handbook and the feedback from my experience will allow the company to offer a valuableinternship program to attract and retain talent within Kosovo.

3CIS office entrance

3CIS office16

Rachel Buonasora
KosovoKosovo is famous for
its macchiatos!

Visit to Kalaja Fortressin Prizren, Kosovo withmy host family

Value Derived from the Experience: My time in Pristina, Kosovo helped me to grow both
personally and professionally. Prior to this internship, my life experiences were limited to a
suburban environment in the northeastern United States. Coming to Kosovo exposed me to city
life, a new culture and language, and life as a foreigner. Consequently, I often had to step outsideof my comfort zone and adjust my lifestyle to adapt to Kosovar culture. Given Kosovo’s conflicted
history and its recent emergence as an independent nation, I developed a great respect for the
resilience and hope of its people.
My experience was also enriched by my host family and co-workers. Kosovar culture maintains astrong sense of hospitality and family. I was introduced to countless cousins and friends while in
Kosovo and these connections helped make the city of Pristina feel like home. Additionally, myhost family was eager to take me to other cities and countries in the Balkans. Visiting new places
introduced me to the rich and complicated history of the Balkan region. The ability to travel
easily and learn about new places and cultures allowed me to develop my view of the world andrespect for different cultures. Ultimately, I believe that the Iacocca International Program in
Kosovo has allowed me to expand my cultural awareness and to grow as a contributing andengaged citizen of an international society.

17

Reilly Callahan
Israel
P.C. Rossin College ofEngineering andApplied Science
Biomedical
Engineering

The Technion – Israel
Institute ofTechnology
Research AssistantCompany and Position Description: I worked in a laboratory for the Technion Israeli
Institute of Technology. The laboratory I worked in was a nanobiology-focused lab that ran
projects spanning topics like electrochemistry, protein purification, nanoparticle growth, fuelcell creation, and biosensor development. The lab consisted of myself, another Lehigh student,a few Israeli undergraduate Technion students, a Masters student from Belarus, and an Israeli
lab manager. The principle investigator, Omer Yehezkeli, is an Israeli citizen who earned his
Ph.D. in the U.S.A.

My task for the summer was to use a very stable protein to grow metal nanoparticles. In orderto check the nanoparticle nucleation and growth, we measured its absorbance andfluorescence at varied time points. In this position, I worked with another Lehigh Student, Lara
Reid, and various people in the lab. The P.I. was oftentimes in the lab working with us andchecking in on the work we had done. After experiments had been completed, there wasplenty of data analysis to complete in order to understand and interpret the results. Afterobtaining new information based off of the result interpretation, we were able to construct a
new protocol that would advance the project.

Utilizing a multi-pipette for swift
addition of materials

Working in an oxygen-freeglove box
18

Reilly Callahan
IsraelA sign pointing to
the Red Canyon

A modern church atop theruins of the world’s first church

Value Derived from the Experience: Throughout this program, I was able to develop
personally and professionally. In my internship, I was an international student at the Technion in
Israel. The international department at the Technion hosts plenty of social and sightseeing
programs throughout the summer, allowing me to not only explore the beautiful country I was
stationed in, but also to meet other students from across the world! I made so many powerfulconnections with other academically-inclined students in over 10 other countries. They were,
mostly, from very different cultures and backgrounds; however, we all shared the common
ground of being science-minded individuals, as we all traveled (for that summer, at least) tostudy in a technical university.
Professionally, I learned a great deal of biological and/or chemical processes and protocols that I
hadn’t had access to in my labs in the states. Not only did I simply learn protocols, but I also
molded to fit the blunter culture typically found in Israel and learned to assert myself more easily
in the workplace. Americans tend to operate more passively, without stating exactly what ismeant, or with fear of coming across rudely. Israelis, however, have little reserve in deliveringorders or assigning tasks; this was eye-opening to me, and allowed me to become more
confident in carrying myself in a professional, effective, and assertive manner.

19

Tori Campbell
Netherlands
Integrated Degree in Engineering,
Arts and Sciences
Aerospace &Sustainable
Development

UIIN
Global InternCompany and Position Description: I worked at an organization called the University
Industry Innovation Network (UIIN). UIIN holds an annual conference in a different city eachyear, bringing together all academics interested in university-industry interaction. In thisposition, I traveled to three universities around Europe and learned about innovative programs
each university was involved in. I spent the remainder of the summer writing case studies, blog
posts, and interview articles about these programs.

Presenting about The
Pyramid Principle

Celebrating a coworker’s birthday inthe office20Tori Campbell
Netherlands

Me standing in front of the“I Amsterdam” sign

Spontaneous photoshoot in
Hamburg with a new friend

Value Derived from the Experience: This experience taught me so much about myself
personally as well as professionally. I developed a greater confidence in my own abilities and feellike I have a better understanding of who I am as a person. I understand my strengths,
weaknesses, and personality traits on a much deeper level than I ever thought I could.
During my job, we practiced presenting almost every single week, if not more. I am very nervous
presenting in front of people, and a major goal of mine this summer was to develop my public
speaking skills and confidence in myself. In turn, these skills helped me to interact with new
people, approach strangers, and make new friends everywhere I went.

21

Ruben Castro Espinoza
Japan
P.C.Rossin College ofEngineering andApplied Science
ComputerEngineering

NITechResearch
InternCompany and Position Description: I was a research Intern at Professor Nobuhiro
Inuzuka's lab at Nagoya Institute of Technology. NIT is a medium-size university in Nagoya thatsolely focuses on engineering and applied science.
While there I researched Friendship networks and used graph theory and existing models to
extract meaningful information from the networks I was analyzing. I then attempted toreplicate these results by applying different graph models to show how the existing algorithmic
models can achieve results very similar to the ones from the actual data.

Me giving final presentation

Me giving final presentation

22

Ruben Castro EspinozaJAPAN

Me at a tea ceremony

Me trying traditional
Japanese food

Value Derived from the Experience: This experience has helped me realize just how vastand vast the world is.
I have opened my eyes to the numerous opportunities out there. It has also given me a greater
sense of respect for immigrants since for almost two months I felt lost and out of place whentrying to communicate with the local population.
I can only imagine how they must feel. Furthermore, this experience has imbued in me a desire
to work abroad for a period.

23

Evan Chansky
Hong Kong
RCEAS
Elec. Engr. & Engr. Physics

Hutchison Ports
IT Intern

Company and Position Description: I was placed on the Product Development andInnovation team in the IT Department, so I was working on a lot of forward-thinking projects.
Mostly, I was building small applications to help digitalize and standardize a lot of the IT
process. Hutchison Ports has 52 ports in 26 countries, and the Hong Kong office is the global
headquarters. That meant I was developing applications to be used all around the world. As
cool as that sounds, I had to spend a lot of extra time documenting and smoothing out mywork so that it could be translated easily. My main projects were a program to automaticallycheck the status of servers and send alerts if needed and a process for importing and exporting
language sets for the many different languages the mobile app used by their clients allows. I
mainly programmed with Python and JavaScript, but there were many times I needed to learn
on the job. Once a week, my team had a learning session where someone on the team would
pick a topic regarding technology, research it, and then run a workshop for the rest of the team.
It was an incredible to be working on projects that were both bringing the shipping industry
into the modern age, and being implemented all over the planet.

Discussing on board technology
with a vessel captain

The Lehigh HPH interns on aship larger than 3 football fields
24

Evan Chansky
Hong Kong

An extremely densely populated
apartment building – a common
sight around Hong Kong

Vibrant colors on an ancientmonastery near the Big Buddha
statueValue Derived from the Experience: 8 weeks in Hong Kong taught me a lot, but one of mybiggest lessons regarded work-life balance. There is so much to do in Hong Kong and 8 weeks
isn’t enough to see it all, let alone adapt to a new living situation and new job. At first it wasdifficult to do everything I wanted, since working full time and commuting in a new city can takeenough energy out of you for one day. I learned a lot about my lifestyle and mindset frombalancing everything going on and I pushed myself to experience as much of it as possible. Hong
Kong is very much a city of variety – often called Asia’s world city. The food was amazing and I
tried a lot of traditional Hong Kong dishes as well as many influenced by Hong Kong’s
multicultural identity. The variety of living situations is impressive: from high-rises in the centerof Hong Kong Island, to cramped tenements in the historic districts of Kowloon, to fishing villages
in the outlying Islands. The only constant is how expensive rent is – and I am so grateful to have
lived in such a good location in Hong Kong for two months. I spent a lot of time hiking, which is a
lot more prevalent than one would expect in such a big city. There were some great hikes only a
10 minute walk from the subway, and some really amazing ones that were just over an houraway and could be reached by bus. Overall the public transportation is amazing and made it very
easy to explore at night after work or on the weekends. Seeing the many sides of Hong Kongmade me realize that this city is truly a microcosm of the whole world and that I still have somuch to experience. To put it bluntly – living two subway stops away from the most densely
populated neighborhood in the world will certainly shift your perspective.

25

Morgan Comisac
India
Integrated Businessand Engineering
Civil Engineering &Architecture

VIVA Group
Construction
Process Analyst

Company and Position Description: VIVA is a diverse business conglomerate with a focus
in land aggregation and construction. The company has been involved in every aspect of therapidly transforming Vasai-Virar region of Northern Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra. The
family’s values permeate all aspects of their products and services including land development,
travel, marketing, retail, education, branding, and more.

With commitment to the local community and innovative, global aspirations, the company has
been at the forefront of conscientious business. While with VIVA, an intern has many options:
one is to focus on their efforts to create affordable, residential apartment complexes. A large
portion of the local population qualifies under one of two categories: Economically Weaker
Section (EWS) or Lower Income Group (LIG). Designing housing structures for these groups
would entail studying the Development Control Regulations (DCR), attending meetings withEngineers, Architects, Lawyers, Financiers etc., visiting active sites, and working in AutoCAD on
current drawings. At VIVA, there are plenty of options for interns interested in a variety ofsubjects including marketing, accounting, management, engineering, graphic design, andarchitecture.

Visit to Viva City
Construction Site

Lunch with other VIVA Interns
in Marketing Office26

Morgan Comisac
India

Insert culture
photo here (withsmall caption
below)
Traditional saree forwedding in Udaipur

Trip to Taj Mahal in Agra

Value Derived from the Experience: In a constantly evolving and densely populated suburbof the largest city in India, VIVA group provided a fascinating and educational window into thecomplexities of business, family, and service. Going into this internship my goal was to becompletely open to the new culture and experiences in order to immerse myself in the culture,
but throughout the summer I also found myself becoming much more confident and using this
newfound strength to stand up for myself and what I believe in. I was so inspired by the people
at VIVA and their passion for their work and faith. At VIVA, the employees truly work as a teamand enjoy being together. This close-knit coworker community advances the town and VIVA
itself. I knew that this was the type of company I wanted to be part of in the future.
Through the fun times and challenges that I shared with the people I met, I became a part oftheir family and will always be connected to them. Even though I’m halfway across the world
now, I feel as close to them as ever. I am lucky to have met such caring, interesting, wise,
positive, and generous people. VIVA group and their families and friends were such welcoming
hosts to me as I lived, ate, worked, and learned all over India. It was so much fun getting toknow all of them and sharing with each other about our culture, history, and what comes next. I
can’t wait to see what VIVA group and India will do. This trip may not have been easy at all
times, but that is what traveling is all about. I can’t wait to do it again and maybe even work or
study internationally full time. The Iacocca International Internship Program truly provided anamazing opportunity for me this summer that I will take with me for the rest of my life.

27

Yasmin Cortes
Republic of Macedonia
College of Businessand Economics
Management

Pivara Skopje, A.D.
Management
Marketing InternCompany and Position Description: I had the privilege of working for Pivara Skopje, A.D.,
referred to as the Goldman Sachs of Macedonia. The company has a renowned reputation for
its impeccable business and success. The company was founded in 1922 after the first World
War and business continued to grow despite the second World War and financial crisises. In
1991 the company began to produce soft drinks from Coca-Cola and due to the high demand,the company kept expanding their products and production. The company has beenrecognized by multiple organizations and awarded for their success. Pivara works with brands
such as Heineken, Coca-Cola, Skopsko, Amstel, Schweppes, among many other alcoholic andnon-alcoholic brands.
I worked in the Marketing department – specifically under Marketing Managers – where I wasable to work under different brand managers. Some of my tasks included: contributing to the
preparation of accurate and timely monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports for thecompany; assisting a Marketing brand manager in exporting data for Coca-Cola Sweepstakes;
developed a portfolio of goods for future project; analyzed and reported stock shares for yearlyand monthly reports; participated in MIT (Marketing Impact Team) week and assisted in setting
up displays and advertisements in restaurants, bars, and cafes around Ohrid. As a Marketing
management Intern I was able to get an in depth perspective as to what this field entails. The
corporate atmosphere is very different here in Macedonia, nonetheless, it is a very welcoming
and friendly environment.

A warehouse in Ohrid with thecompany car parked inside during
MIT week.

Work desk/space area at
Pivara Skopje A.D.
28

Yasmin Cortes
Republic of Macedonia

Alexander the Great
fountain behind me, which
is located in the mainsquare.

The famous churchof Kaneo in Ohrid.

Value Derived from the Experience: I have immense gratitude for my host parents and mycoworkers at Pivara for showing me the beautiful Macedonian culture and country. This
experience has been incredibly humbling. Living here for two months has allowed me to growand become someone different than when I first arrived in Macedonia. From my arrival in Skopje
my host family was extremely welcoming and helpful. They went above and beyond to make me
feel at home. I have found a second home here in Macedonia. I am grateful and very lucky that I
have yet to encounter a negative experience while living here. It truly has been a beautiful
experience to be surrounded by individuals who want to share their culture with me.
Aside from my host family, my coworkers have also made me feel amazing. From making me feelincluded by inviting me to eat lunch with them, to extending to me an invitation to be part of the
MIT (Market Impact Team) and paying for my meals and hotel in Ohrid.
I have learned how to be more comfortable in situations where I do not have full control ofthings. For example, I have been in many situations where I do not speak or understand thelanguage, but I use my communication skills to try and communicate to the best of my ability. I
leave Macedonia knowing that I was able to be part of something truly meaningful, as well as
knowing that I have a second home that will always be so welcoming.

29

Fatima Isabel De Guzman
Malaysia
P.C. Rossin College
of Engineering andApplied Sciences
IDEAS

High Performance
Cloud Computing
CentreResearch InternCompany and Position Description: During my time at Universiti Teknologi Petronas, I
completed research at the High Performance Cloud Computing Centre otherwise known as
HPCCC. This computing center was a small office space that consisted of several professors,
teaching assistants, and students working together or separately on various projects.
My supervisor assigned my partner and I the task of working with Artificial Neural Networking(ANN) via Matlab. Specifically, we used ANN to create a network that would predict the
deformation in beams. This was done by first creating a code in Matlab that generated
deformation data after providing inputs such as force, length, area, and Young’s modulus ofelasticity. We would then train a network with the given inputs and generated displacement
outputs.
Finally, we tested the performance of the trained program by feeding it different inputs andseeing if it produced the correct deflection outputs.

Co-workers and I celebrating theend of Ramadan

A photo of myself in theoffice by my desk
30

Fatima Isabel De Guzman
Malaysia

Standing in a field of tea in
Cameron Highlands

Posing with Penang’s
street art

Value Derived from the Experience: Before going abroad to Malaysia for research, I had
never left the country without my parents, let alone been self-reliant in a foreign country. I was
excited for my summer but I also felt quite nervous. My anxiety came from being unsure if I
could manage traveling alone, make friends from a culture I did not know much about,accomplish my research, and handle living in an unfamiliar country.
However soon after I started working, I made friends amongst my co-workers and other interns
from the United States. Together we would make plans to eat local food, go grocery shopping, dolaundry, and enjoy each other’s company. Then, we would travel together on the weekends.
After about three weeks, I became much more comfortable with the Malay culture and felt braveenough to take a solo trip around the city. Afterwards, I no longer felt uneasy to be by myself andtook several more day trips alone. Because of my journey to Malaysia, I am proud to say that I
now feel confident and independent!
have realized that I can not only handle living in new country, but I can have an adventure as
well. I can’t wait for the next one!

31

Lisa Do
Vietnam
College of Arts andSciences
Behavioral
Neuroscience

Dental Tourism
Graphic Design

Company and Position Description: Dental Tourism is a company that looks to make
Vietnam the Dental Hub of the world. DT specializes in providing clients with affordable,
painless dental treatments in the quickest amount of time, in addition to providing a beautiful
place to travel, since Vietnam is a new hot spot for tourists. Dental Tourism sets the standards
for our partner clinics, and this company has the backing of both the Department of Health andthe Department of Tourism.
For this company, as a Graphic Design intern, I made infographics as well as posters. I used myskills with PhotoShop in order to make appealing visual designs to attract attention. I also didsome translating work, because I speak both Vietnamese and English.

Celebrating Trang’s departureas she leaves to Finland.

A welcome dinner hosted by Dental
Tourism with fellow intern, Emma

32

Lisa Do
VietnamWith family at a café with live
koi swimming around!

With my mom on apedal boat in a pond!

Value Derived from the Experience: Being in Vietnam has really humbled me. It’s amazing
to see how fast Vietnam is expanding, but it is still nowhere near how America looks. I’ve always
got a little glimpse of Vietnamese culture in my house, but being in Vietnam and experiencing
the real deal was utterly amazing. I enjoyed sitting on little stools on the streets and eating
amazingly good street food. I often drank Café Sua Da (coffee with condensed milk) as the locals
do, and I enjoyed interacting with the people. I had felt disconnected from the Vietnamese sideof me, since not many people I know are Vietnamese, but being in Vietnam and interacting withmy family and the locals has solidified my identity as Vietnamese-American.
I feel like I am more Vietnamese than I usually am because I have a sense of belonging – this is
the food I eat at home in America, this is the language I speak, and everyone looks like me. I
have really brushed up on my reading and writing skills in Vietnamese as well, since everything is
in Vietnamese as well. Being in Vietnam was an amazing experience, I enjoyed feeling moreconnected to my culture so much.

33

Troy Egar
Hong Kong
P.C. Rossin College
of Engineering andApplied Science
Industrial andSystems
Engineering

Hutchison Ports
Group Operations
InternCompany and Position Description: Hutchison Ports is one of the world’s leading port
companies with 48 ports located throughout the world. Interns working at Hutchison weredivided between terminals 4 and 9. As a Group Operations Intern at Hutchison Ports, my work
consisted of consolidating data from several different port terminals in Asia and the Middle
East into a single database. Difficulties arising from this project were mainly due to the large
quantity of records and format consistencies.
What was interesting about this project was the amount of freedom I was given in solving the
problems and arriving to a solution. Additionally, interns at various departments were tasked
with an environmental sustainability project and presented their findings to company directors
at the conclusion of the internship.

MOL Tribute vessel
tour

Interns and supervisors photo34

Troy Egar
Hong Kong

View from Victoria’s peakPower Plant Beach

Value Derived from the Experience: This experience was essential in teaching me thedifferent work cultures outside of the U.S. While there were obvious differences in work ethic
and office cultures, I found that there were more similarities than differences in Hong Kong. For
example, at work, it is acceptable to take short naps after lunch before returning.
However, during work hours, the office is very active and productive. Moreover, while I learned
invaluable skills at the office relating to database and data analytics, the lessons learned outside
the office were even more impactful. Interacting with my coworkers outside of work and Hong
Kong locals enabled me to fully experience Hong Kong’s unique culture. For example, I was
introduced to interesting Cantonese restaurants and different areas of the city to explore.

35

Ileana Exaras
Armenia
College of Arts and Sciences
International Relations

Eurasia PartnershipFoundation InternCompany and Position Description: Eurasia Partnership Foundation is an NGO thatprovides funding and training for Civil Society Organizations in Armenia. Its main mission is to
aid in the development of civil society and local governance, and in the normalization ofregional relations that have historically been strained by social and territorial conflict.
As part of my work at EPF, I got the opportunity to visit various conferences and internationallyrelated events that I subsequently wrote briefs on. I worked with the CSO Development
Program to review and prepare grant applications in English, update the web portal daily, andconduct research on various topics from the recent revolution in Armenia to women in society.
I also took the initiative to produce a short promotion video for which I wrote the script, wrote
the interview questions, directed, and edited with the help of my co- workers.

Interview with EPF’s Human Rights
specialist.

Democracy Today’s Sixth
International Conference on
peace-building and journalism.

36

Ileana Exaras
Armenia

Lenin’s head, rescued by its
sculptor from the village of Pokr
Vedi after the overnight collapseof the USSR.

At the bottom of the
Cascade, consisting of 572
steps.

Value Derived from the Experience: Armenia is a different universe that I eagerly lookforward to visiting again. It is a collectivist, family oriented country that made me feel welcome,safe, and content with a simple lifestyle. Being there, I realized that enjoying the journey of life ismuch more fulfilling than working to achieve status or material gain. There, there are noboundaries or “personal bubbles”- people are not afraid to talk with one another. I believe I havebecome more honest as a result. I do not speak Armenian, but there were many times when I
felt I understood everything. This is how I know Armenia is a magic place.
Professionally, I gained an immense amount of knowledge. EPF has numerous resources which I
took advantage of. The organization has published books, lectures, and other videos on regional
and local history and society which I used every day to fulfill my research tasks and my own
curiosity. My perspective on NGOs and CSOs also changed. For someone who prefers the realist
school of thought in international relations, NGOs are mostly deemed ineffective, but I actually
got to see change take place in front of my eyes. EPF organizes youth exchange programs forArmenian and Turkish students who have historically held animosity or bias towards one anotherdue to their controversial history. This is a small scale change, but one that will have significant
impact in the long run. I directly saw the patience and persistence that it takes for change to takeplace.

37

Lana Fabia
BermudaCollege of Arts and Sciences
Biochemistry

Bermuda Institute of
Ocean Sciences
Research InternCompany and Position Description: The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS)
located in St. George, Bermuda is a U.S. non-profit research and educational institute that
focuses on marine science. The researchers and visiting scientists work together to address
topics such as coral reef ecology , fish communities and biodiversity, biogeochemistry in the
deep oceans, using underwater sea gliders, changes in marine bacterioplankton levels, andmore.

Devil’s Hole is a seasonal oxygen minimum zone located in Harrington Sound in Bermuda andmore recently studied in 2008 and 2016. Under the direction of Rachel Parsons, samples arecollected on a monthly basis from October to May and twice a month from June to September.
The samples are analyzed to find how much and what kind of bacterioplankton are in the
different depths of Devil’s Hole. Other measurements such as oxygen levels, pH, temperature,and salinity are measured as well. Chemical samples for nitrites and ammonium are collected
too. With all these collections and the data from them, the goal is to understand better theeffects of an oxygen minimum zone on the bacterioplankton and how those changes alter theconditions in the water.

Out on a sampling trip toDevil’s Hole with other interns

Presenting my methods
and initial results of myresearch
38

Lana Fabia
BermudaWith other interns
along Astwood Park,a South Shore Beach

At the top of Gibbs
Lighthouse overlooking
the island

Value Derived from the Experience: Interning at BIOS this past summer has been
extraordinary. Under the direction of Rachel Parsons, I learned and practiced so many microbial
techniques and concepts in the Microbial Lab. I was able to see my work from start to finish withcollecting samples, running experiments, and analyzing results. It was really satisfying to see how
my research started and see it to its completion. From this internship, I got to work in a groupsetting with other interns on the same project, which was beneficial to furthering my skills of
how to work in a team. I also got to meet and network with other scientists and learn about
their research and what work they were doing. Moreover, I was able to create, practice, andpresent my research to my peers and fellow researchers so I could share the work I was doing at
BIOS. I am really proud of the lessons I have learned from my work experience.
Personally, I couldn’t have been more fortunate than to have had the chance to go to Bermuda. I
was able to explore a beautiful country and all that it offered from the gorgeous beaches,
spectacular views, and the always blue and clear ocean water. I was able to meet such amazing
people through my work who made my experience so memorable as well as interact with locals
who were so kind, hospitable, and welcoming. I got to meet people from all around the worldand hear their stories. We got to travel around Bermuda together and discover new things.
Bermuda has taught me to be open minded, to be kinder, and to explore more. I feel so
fortunate for this opportunity and all that it has given me.

39

Andrew Feliciano
China
P.C. Rossin
Engineering andApplied Sciences
Industrial and Systems
Engineering

National
Instruments
Applications
EngineerCompany and Position Description: National Instruments is a software company andproducer of automated test equipment. National Instruments create these technologies tohelp other engineers, scientists, and researchers innovate to find new discoveries. Application
Engineers deal with complex problems that come from companies that use National
Instruments products and are always available to talk through customer support. As an intern
I was able to work with LabVIEW and LabVIEW NXG software to create a game that's
mandatory for every Applications Team Member to complete. Completing the game took aweek long study of the software and critical analysis skills. The second project I worked on as
an intern was multi-platform data communication. National Instruments has been working on
the ability to view projects through the cloud/websites to make working on projects moreconvenient and allowing easier completion of projects outside of the office. I worked on
creating a demo to represent the power this project withholds for the LabVIEW software. I
accomplished simulating random data and concrete data using hardware, to send data to
local servers and deploy them to customized user-interface websites.

First Day of Work!

Runtao, a great mentor!
40Andrew Feliciano
China

Mantinyu section of theGreat WallAn evening in Shanghai

Value Derived from the Experience: This experience has completely changed the way I
view myself and the world. This was my first professional work experience and coming into it I
was extremely anxious to intern for a large company. After interning for six weeks, I am
incredibly confident in my ability to produce quality work for any company that I work for, andfeel that I am ready to jumpstart my career. I plan on applying to externships, internships, or coops to maintain this momentum and leave Lehigh fully employed. From a cultural standpoint,
traveling abroad has allowed me to be more in tune with myself and I am now able to hear andcater to my own needs. Being in a country and not knowing the language caused me to think a
lot about myself, my future, and my career during commutes to and from work and simply
traveling around the city. I am much more introspective, confident, ambitious, and eager to see
where my career takes me.

41

Jeffrey Friedemann
Vietnam
College of Arts and Sciences
Statistics

Royal HaskoningDHV
Business Development
and Finance InternCompany and Position Description: Royal HaskoningDHV(RHDHV) is an engineering andproject management consultancy firm, with offices in over 30 countries, including Ho Chi Minh
City, Vietnam. During my internship with RHDHV, I split time between the Business
Development and Finance teams, performing various tasks for each department. For Business
Development, I helped draft and prepare project proposals for submission to our clients, whileoccasionally meeting with the clients to discuss potential services for industrial projects.
For the Finance team, I assisted with data exploration and statistical analyses for various
datasets in order to figure out the best allocation of staff hours and try to determine theprobability of winning a project proposal. Although everyone at my company could speak somedegree of English, I learned a lot about communicating with people who have a different native
language and work culture than me.

My desk at RoyalHaskoningDHVMy coworkers and I at
the office42Jeffrey Friedemann
Vietnam

On a boat in the
Mekong Delta

Descending into the Cu
Chi Tunnels

Value Derived from the Experience: Throughout the 2 months I was in Ho Chi Minh City I
learned a lot more in and out of the office than I could have imagined. I learned several ways toanalyze datasets, while also participating in the business side of the company as well. In
addition to experiencing the everyday work culture of the Vietnamese people, I also experienced
their traditional foods, social events, and overwhelming friendliness. I have made many new
relationships and connections with Vietnamese people, as well as other interns and travelers
from around the world.
I found out what it was like to live in a big city for an extended period of time, never running outof things to do, such as networking events, cultural activities, and social gatherings. I was able todevelop my communication skills as I interacted with various people in the city who spoke very
little English, if any. I grew more independent throughout my experience, as I explored local
places near my accommodation and in center city. Although I planned and participated inseveral events and weekend trips with the other CRCC Asia interns, I found that some of mymost impactful days in Vietnam were ones in which I ventured out into the city and interactedwith the community.

43

Sara Fuertes
Moldova
College of Business andEconomics
Marketing

Hospice Angelus
Fundraising InternCompany and Position Description: Hospice Angelus is a non-profit organization thatprovides free palliative care for people with life-threatening illnesses. During the duration of myinternship I worked with the fundraising team. My duties included to help coordinate and takepictures during fundraising events like the monthly trivia nights. Other responsibilities included
creating the artwork and advertisements for future events like the soccer tournament, theannual charity ball, and the bike tour.
The graphics that I made were used to promote the events through various social media forms.
Aside from my main duties listed above, I also helped with the translation of documents toEnglish and counting money from donation boxes. Working at Hospice was an incredible
experience that helped me grow my professional skills.

With the othervolunteer at Hospice

I helped organize and take picturesduring trivia nights

44

Sara Fuertes
Moldova

Orhei Monastery withother American Council
volunteers

Stefan cel MarestatueValue Derived from the Experience: The Iacocca Internship in Chișinău, Moldova has been
one of the most amazing and memorable experiences I have ever had. Traveling to a different
country helped me become more independent and increased my global awareness. Before
embarking on this experience I set a goal that I would keep an open mind throughout the entire
journey. I was very nervous to travel on my own to a country I had never been before, but
surprisingly after the first week I started feeling quite at home in the beautiful city. Chișinău is aremarkable city filled with beautiful parks, cafes, and incredible people. Working at HospiceAngelus helped me grow both personally and professionally.
During my internship I was able to form new friendships with my co-workers and with othervolunteers giving me the chance to learn about new cultures. I never thought I would feel so
comfortable in an unknown city, but I was able to learn how to adapt to difficult situations aswell as how to overcome communication issues.
Professionally, this internship gave me real-world experience with my graphic design work. I had
a variety of assignments at Hospice Angelus which helped me improve my professional skills. In
conclusion, participating in the Iacocca Program has been an incredible experience that I will
always cherish.

45

Domenic Gargiulo
China
P. C. Rossin College
of Engineering andApplied Science
Bioengineering

National
Instruments
Applications
Engineering InternCompany and Position Description: National Instruments is an international technology
company based in Austin, TX that produces automated test equipment and hardware like
myRIO and ELVIS III, as well as virtual instrumentation software, such as LabVIEW.
As an Applications Engineering Intern in their Engineering Leadership Program, my day changed
depending on what project I was working on. Over my time at NI I worked on three major
projects, programming a Simon game, creating educational demos for ELVIS III, and doing
market research on biomedical imaging grand challenge solutions. When working on my firstproject everything was software related, consequently my day mostly consisted of coding intheir product LabVIEW and asking my mentor and other employees for help navigating
software. For my next project I worked with NI’s Educational Hardware ELVIS III and its
complimentary platform Thinkscape to create demos for engineering students using the
hardware.
For my final project, I researched the top ten biomedical imaging companies to see theirsolutions to the specific engineering grand challenges that NI was working towards and createda presentation for the department.

NI Interns on our
first day of work

NI ELVIS III Hardware wired
for a demonstration.

46

Domenic Gargiulo
China

Iacocca Interns at the Bundin Shanghai

The Great Wall of China

Value Derived from the Experience:

Receiving an Iacocca Internship was the best
opportunity I have ever had. At first, the idea of living and working on the other side of theworld, though exciting, was also scary. After this experience, I feel so much more comfortable
and self-assured as a person and engineer. Professionally, I had an amazing work experience that
not only gave me a sense of industry but also affirmed my abilities as an engineer. Moving into
my senior year I now feel more confident about my skillset entering the work force. On a
personal level this experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me grow as aperson. I had to navigate train stations and ordering food where I had minimal language skills
with people I had just met. At the end of it, I can walk out saying that I have learned how toconnect with people on a deeper level across cultural and language barriers.
Moreover, I got to experience things that I have always wanted to, like the Great Wall, theOlympic park, the Pearl Tower, and so much more. All in all, this experience has changed the waythat I view the world and the people in it and it left me with a desire to travel and allow myperception to continue to evolve.

47

Cynthia Gatua
Hong Kong
College of Businessand Economics
Accounting

PVH-Calvin Klein
Planning & Supply
InternCompany and Position Description: Working for Calvin Klein, the largest brand in PVH, in
Asia offered several unique experiences that only comes with being part of a major global
retailer outside of its home country. The first half of my internship was in the Planningdepartment, which largely involved creating weekly sales reports, category reports, andfrequently adjusting budgets when actual sales or economic events significantly changed theoriginal prediction. Inventory was also a constant concern in both planning and supply, because
as a high-end brand the company would have to order at least 6 to 8 months prior to sales toensure they had enough inventory on hand.
When I switched to the Supply department, I focused on creating an inventory liquidation
project as it was inevitable that there would be excess inventory in at least one of the eightregions Calvin Klein is sold in. Because eight regions also meant eight different currencies,
inventory levels often reflected fluctuations in the exchange rate and not an actual excess of
deficit. I was able to present this project as well as others done with fellow interns tosupervisors and receive feedback that was invaluable in making me a better future employee
and a more critical thinker.

Decor with popular Calvin Klein
ads displayed around the officeFirst day at Calvin Klein, infront of the main showroom.
48

Cynthia Gatua
Hong Kong

The streets of Whampoa,
where PVH headquarters is
located.

View during a hike tothe beach in Sai Kung.

Value Derived from the Experience Hong Kong was one of the countries I knew least
about in Asia before visiting, and nothing online or in books could have prepared me for theunique mix of East meets West, old meets new, and urban meets tropical. This made even themost mundane experiences, like finding toothpaste or catching the bus, quite a saga. It required
a lot of flexibility and lack of assumption since you never knew if you were somewhere filledwith English-speaking Westernized people or Cantonese-only speakers that could notunderstand you or your mannerisms.
I think Hong Kong has something for every single person because of this. Even after 8 weeks,
there are experiences I’m worried I didn’t get to have or places I didn’t know to visit. It was very
easy to meet and talk to Hong Kongers and eat local cuisines, especially because we lived in a
residential area and could easily access less touristy places. Yet I also had many amazing
interactions with expats from around the world in major hubs and popular events like the horseraces, and learned all the varied ways they also found themselves in the last place they everexpected to be.

49Elliot Gilliam
Netherlands
P.C. Rossin College
of Engineering andApplied Sciences
Industrial
Engineering

UIIN
Global InternCompany and Position Description:
UIIN is a network of business professionals, academics, and industry leaders, founded in
Amsterdam, focused on creating and improving the relationships between industry andeducation. The company focused on connecting its delegates through its magazine andconference series that continues to advance the field of university-education interaction. I had
the opportunity to travel to Maastricht, Aalborg, and Stockholm to conduct research on
university-industry interaction. The research conducted was compiled into three case studies
providing an archive of information to use in the magazine. I also was given the opportunity towork at the UIIN annual conference in London for a week during my internship. During theinternship I was given the opportunity to meet and interview key people from organizations
such as Samsung, Ericsson, and the city of Stockholm.

On a tour of a waste management company
with the Knowledge Sharing for Urban
Sustainability conference.

Iacocca Interns working
at the UIIN 2018conference in London

50

Elliot Gilliam
Netherlands

Visiting Copenhagen
during a business trip.

Amsterdam residents
hanging out in Vondelpark

Value Derived from the Experience: My experience in Amsterdam changed my life foreverand changed how I interact with the world. I was able to gain professional confidence working
with extremely different people from around the world when traveling to do research. Not only
was I afforded the opportunity to live in Amsterdam: UIIN flew us to Denmark and Sweden on
business trips to conduct research on innovation at Aalborg University & KTH. We were expected
to figure out living arrangements and transportation to our various interviews while in Denmarkand Sweden, which gave me more confidence with taking care of professional meetings andbudgeting my time. On the weekends in Amsterdam we traveled to many different restaurant,parks, and attractions where we met people from around the world, who imparted to me
unforgettable lessons like staying true to yourself. The biggest professional skill I took away fromthe experience was becoming proficient at giving professional presentations. Originally my shy
nature made it extremely difficult to give personations, but by the end I felt much more
comfortable giving presentations. I now know that I will move to Europe after graduation tocontinue my education.

51

Alexandra Gonzalez
Barcelona, Spain
College of Arts
and Sciences
Architecture

SlowHome
Architect InternCompany and Position Description: SlowHome, a healthy home. Slow is a healthy homethat is built with natural and breathable materials. Houses that naturally ventilate by achieving
an indoor environment at the right temperature and humidity. They work with natural isolates
free of volatile toxic compounds, design biocompatible electrical installations, and propose
healthy heaters that do not reset the environment while keeping our immune system alert. A
house is our refuge, the place where we rest and we get rid of the daily bustle, so it must be ahealthy place. Slow is a way of understanding life. For this company, it is a way to feed
ourselves, to educate our children, to travel, but above all it is the way they do what they most
love: build houses for a lifetime.
Some skills required are design basics, such as AutoCAD and Revot for floor plans.

Company Logo made with alaser cutter

Work Photo

52

Alexandra Gonzalez
Barcelona, Spain

Tarragona with Lehigh Interns

Tarragona

Value Derived from the Experience: I am so grateful to SlowHome for everything that I
have learned, from the business side to the design side. I had to learn AutoCAD in Spanish whichis slightly different, learn how to communicate in Catalan, and also how to work in a professional
environment. I gained a better understanding of the environmental techniques Barcelona uses inorder to create efficient and friendly homes. How to connect with construction promoters andcreate better connections and networking with local companies in all areas of Spain.
This was my first internship and I feel better prepared to decide what I would and wouldn't likefor my future studies, it has shown me to follow what I like so a job won't seem like a job but
something to enjoy doing every day. I have acquired 3 main skills which I believe will improve myresume and myself: time management, communication and immersing myself into thecommunity. I find these skills useful because wherever I go, back home or any other country,
having a language barrier is something to overcome in order to communicate and finish tasks
properly. In my internship Catalan is more common than Spanish so I was reluctant to ask for mycoworkers to change their native tongue in order for me to understand; but the more I
understood that I’m supposed to speak up, the more I felt like part of the family. Honestly thishas been one of my favorite parts of the internship as it makes me feel like I’m part of a teamand part of the community. Time management is something that I have learned so well in Spain
because of how they manage their time, like it doesn’t exist. It’s a change from what I’m used to
but it has helped me to grow as a person and manage my assignments differently, but efficiently.
I have learned to do my assignments or anything in general in my own time, but still be able tofinish them without procrastination and stress, rather than having the time crunch I am used toin the United States.

53

Jack Goodman
Spain
College of Arts andScience
International
Relations andSpanishHarris Bricken
Spain
InternCompany and Position Description: Harris Bricken is an American law firm based out of
Seattle that has expanded into several international locations including China and Spain. They
specialize in international law, and their clients consist of companies who are interested ininternational expansion. They provide these companies legal assistance in countries where
their legal knowledge is limited.
I was tasked to do several projects during my time in Spain all with the purpose of attracting
more potential clients to the firm. . My first task was to help set up the website for the Spanish
branch of the law firm. Most of the website was copied from the main website, so I was tasked
with translating the website into Spanish. After the translations were completed and polished, I
was tasked with optimizing the websites for search engines, so websites like Google and Bing
would be able to list the website as an option for prospective clients searching for law firms.
Secondly, I was responsible for market research. My supervisor was interested in reaching out
to prospective clients, so I compiled a detailed list of possible clients, with their best contact, as
well as drafting letters to a few of these companies.

This is me at my work stationin the office.

This is a screenshot of the searchengine optimization work I was
tasked with.

54Jack Goodman
Spain

Me at the Citadel Park in thecenter of Barcelona

Me overlooking the city ofBarcelona from a chapel on the
top of a mountain

Value Derived from the Experience: When I returned to the United States after thisexperience and I explained my summer to my friends, one exclaimed “you must have been
having the time of your life.” I reflected on what he said to me, and I think it is true. My time in
Spain has given me so many new perspectives and experiences. This was my first time everleaving the United States, so I did not really know what to expect. I very quickly adjusted andcame to love the city of Barcelona. It’s beautiful, clean, and safe (just mind your pockets!). Just
living in a foreign country for two months really contributed to my personal growth.
My professional growth was also significant during my time in Barcelona. Regarding myinternship, I learned several new things that will really help me in the future when looking foradditional internships. I learned how to maintain the backend of a website. I also learned how toproperly add SEO (search engine optimization) elements to a website to make it easier to find on
Google. Moreover, through my market research project, I learned techniques to find prospective
clients. I am also now comfortable with using LinkedIn to search for the best contact in acompany.
Lastly, my language growth has been enormous during my time in Spain. One of the biggest
reality checks to me when I first arrived was that there was no English spoken on the streets. My
Spanish up to this summer had seen a steady, slow increase. But, of course, there is no
substitute for being fully immersed in a different language. Being forced to speak Spanish on adaily basis really strengthened my conversational abilities, and has increased my confidence incommunicating with non-English speakers.

55

Paula Grussi
Paris, France
College ofBusiness andEconomics
Marketing andGraphic Design

IES Abroad
MarketingCommunications
Intern at Sphere

Company and Position Description: Sphere is a company that specializes in mobile
application development. The company is based in Paris, France however it has an
office in Strasbourg, France as well as San Francisco, California. At Sphere, I worked as amarketing community manager and member of their design team. Because Sphere is a
startup company whose Paris office only consisted of 5 members, including myself andone other intern, I was able to do work that was meaningful and useful.
This being said, my responsibilities went further than the typical internship work
experience. I created, distributed, and updated all social media platforms including:
Linkedin, Facebook, and Instagram. I produced designs using Adobe Illustrator andPhotoshop for media posts, media kits, and the company website. The best part of myinternship was that I was able to see my work being used for the company immediately.
Instead of working behind the scenes, my efforts were put on display right in front of
my eyes.

The Founder/CEO, myself, A a
fellow intern, and the Sphere
Project Manager

My company identification andfull access card to office buildingon Rue La Boetie in Paris
56

Paula Grussi
Paris, FranceStanding at the top of theEiffel Tower!

Learning about the history of The
Notre Dame Cathedral and its
architecture!

Value Derived from the Experience:As I had never had a position in a professional work
space related to my desired field of study, I initially was very nervous when I came to hear that I
was accepted as an intern. However, what makes the Iacocca International Internships special isthat it’s not only a professional opportunity but its one that’s in a completely different setting
than I, as an American, would ever be used to. Simultaneously learning about the culture ofFrance and more about marketing and social media was an experience I will never take for
granted. Using what I learned about French values and professional habits will forever influence
my work ethic and cultural appreciation.
I feel that the French appreciation for workplace harmony and social balance will allow me to
strive in my Marketing career by encouraging me to always connect with everyone in myenvironment. We never know where a simple “Hello” will take us in life, but living in France
showed me that it goes a very long way. My Iacocca International internship has changed mycareer for the better for many reasons but most importantly because it taught me that I am able,
adaptable, and strong enough to prosper wherever my profession might take me, even by myself
in a foreign country.

57

Connor Guilfoyle
Italy
College of Arts andSciences
International
Relations andEconomics

EGIC
Support Staff

Company and Position Description: This summer I worked for a company known as theEuro-Gulf Information Centre (EGIC). EGIC is an initiative that aims to build social, political,
strategic, cultural and economic bridges between the people of Europe and the Arabian Gulf.
They focus on 5 main activities: a publishing hub, hosting seminars, conferences androundtables, hosting of specialized certificates, internships and scholarship programs, hosting
cultural events, and utilizing the most current web and tech to present their daily tasks andactivities.
As an intern there I served in a variety of different roles, and performed different tasks each day
depending on what was needed. I was considered support staff in that I did not specialize in
one area of work, but instead bounced around working on various projects and daily tasks thatwould help the company run more smoothly. These task included: doing research, lobbying,attending conferences, building GCC country profile pages, assisting with and writing
publications, attending conferences, networking, compiling data, conducting interviews andmore.

Photo I took during a
conference we hosted.

Photo of my laptop as I worked oncompiling contact information formembers of EU Parliament
58

Connor Guilfoyle
Italy

View from atop of the Roman
Forum

Exploring Villa Gregoriana
in Tivoli

Value Derived from the Experience: Being granted the opportunity to participate in an
Iacocca International Internship proved to be a life-changing experience. Traveling to a foreigncountry and staying for an extended period of time requires one to come out of their comfort
zone and grow as a person, in order to face daily challenges. Not only did I see myself growpersonally, but I also developed a variety of professional skills through my internship. First,
touching on my job. My internship was my first chance at having a professional career and was
also my first experience working hands on in my field of study. This meant that I was learning
new skills that could not be taught in the classroom.
While it may have been possible to gain some of these skills from an internship in the US, only by
travelling abroad could I really get a better understanding of international politics, and increase
my cultural competency. Stepping away from work, this experience was my first chance to travel
abroad, which meant everything I was facing would be new to me. Dealing with public
transportation, language barriers, completely new people, etc. I had to face a variety ofchallenges that I had never seen before. Coming out of the experience I can say I am a much
more confident person because of those challenges, and have begun a journey of self-discovery.

59

Lauren Hamp
Singapore
P.C. Rossin College
of Engineering andApplied Science
Materials Science

3M
Materials Science
InternCompany and Position Description: 3M is a company that uses research and innovation tocreate the best possible quality products. As a materials science intern for 3M, I was assigned
to the Chemical and Materials Lab at their research and development site. In this lab, I was able
to prepare samples and perform testing in order to help finalize the formula for a new productbefore commercialization.
I have learned a lot about how new products are developed and the process that it takes to getto the final form. Along with working toward finalizing a product, I also performed various
other types of testing which allowed me to further expand my research knowledge.

All the Lehigh and local interns
at 3M Singapore.

A Singapore intern and meoutside our lab.

60

Lauren Hamp
Singapore

Tracey Miller and me at
Gardens by the Bay.

Downtown Singapore andthe Marina Bay Sands.

Value Derived from the Experience: This experience has helped me to develop
professionally by allowing me to learn how to adapt to a different work environment than I am
used to. Learning to work with all kinds of people, whether they are from the US or anothercountry, is an important skill to have as all people and companies have different working styles
and customs. I am grateful that so early on in my work experience I have gotten the opportunity
to have to adapt to a new working culture. This is a skill that I know will help me in the future.
Along with adapting to the workplace, I have had to learn how to adapt to the overall culture
here in Singapore. While Singapore is more similar to the United States than I anticipated, there
are also many small differences in daily life culture that took time to get used to. Learning toadapt to these every day differences will help me in the future when I have opportunities tolearn about other cultures or visit new countries.

61

Melanie Hanft
Beijing, China
College of Arts andSciences
Psychology Major

ITCCC
Education InternCompany and Position Description: The International Teenager Competition andCommunication Center (ITCCC) advocates for cross-cultural education for students, with a focus
on those specifically interested in the STEM fields. The institution guides Chinese youth throughactivities, programs, competitions, and lesson plans that encourage global academic
relationships. As an intern at their main base, I was able to pursue both personal interests in myconcentration of cognitive neuroscience, and my potential career path in education. My
supervisor allowed me to choose a topic within the field of Biology to create engaging lessons
for her students. I worked on designing and producing five short educational films on the
different senses of the human body and how the brain processes them. I was thankful to workon a project that fit both my passion for education and my interest in the human mind. Being
exposed to the different educational fields my coworkers were interested in expanded myappreciation for global education in the sciences. I found this work experience highly valuable
and beneficial to me, as I learned how an emphasis on group cohesion can lead to productive
outcomes and worthwhile relationships.

Short film production for
coworkers teachingrobotics

Emotional last day at work

62

Melanie Hanft
Beijing, China

Summer Palace

Temple of Heaven

Value Derived from the Experience: Beijing, China was beyond my expectations. Thismassive city consisted of a strong presence of culture, history ancient in time, and an itinerary ofactivities and places to see that left minimum days inside the apartment relaxing. Driving fromone end to the other, the scenery consistently changed from endless concrete skyscrapers andapartment buildings into forests and picturesque parks and then past traditional architecture andtemples. My experience living in Asia was the first time I had traveled to a culture entirely
different than what I am used to. One of my primary goals anticipating this internship in China
was to step out of my comfort zone and test my independence. I learned much more about
myself during the process. Personally, the most valuable tool that has benefitted me wasremaining open-minded to new experiences that may seem different or strange to me. I foundmyself learning so many different perspectives on ways of living, government issues, andrelationship building that I will incorporate into my daily life. A majority of the lessons I havelearned about Asian cultures in my college courses remained accurate, but some things really
had to be experienced first hand to understand key differences between our cultures. The
language barrier persisted as a challenge throughout my entire internship, but it just pushed me
to trust in those around me and figure some things out on my own. I left China feeling more
confident in my abilities to navigate a city and engage in an unknown environment without afamiliar face to guide me along the way. I also feel more prepared and eager to explore culturesdifferent from what I have grown accustomed to. There is not a doubt in my mind that I will
return to China.

63

Tori Hemsath
Italy
College of Arts andSciences
Graphic Design
Marketing
Photography

Natasha Slater
StudioSocial Media InternCompany and Position Description: This summer I was given the opportunity to work for
Natasha Slater Studio based in Milan. This is a bespoke communications agency that offers
services such as public relations, event management, social and digital PR, brand consulting,talent booking and management, and VIP placement. Natasha has worked with many wellknown brands including Gucci, Polaroid Eyewear, Givenchy, and Adidas.
Throughout my time here I focused on running the social media for the agency, as well as forone of their clients. During my first days, I analyzed all of their social media accounts tounderstand the best times to post and how to increase their followers and engagement. I
developed plans for all of their accounts explaining any and all details - from what type ofcontent to post on each platform to how many posts should be posted on each one. After this, I
created and organized content for each platform and posted on each of them every day. On topof this, I was introduced to fashion photography and took pictures of influencers andNatasha herself.

Lidia and I sitting at our desk in
the office with Charlotte, thedog we had in office for a week

Our last day at work!
(From the left: me, Lidia,
Natasha, and Eleonora)
64Tori Hemsath
Italy

At La Scala where we
saw a ballet

Riding in a gondola,taking a tour of Venice

Value Derived from the Experience: The Iacocca Internship program has given me so many
opportunities to grow personally and professionally. I had never been to Europe before
embarking on this internship, and was very unsure of what to expect. I focused on coming inwith an open mind ready to learn as much as I possibly could. After reflecting on my time here, I
believe I have grown immensely in cultural awareness, confidence, and in professional
experience. To enhance my cultural experience, I took every opportunity possible to immerse
myself in the Italian culture with weekend trips to Lake Maggiore, Venice, Florence, and Cinque
Terre. I also explored the many different parts of Milan as often as I could. We were lucky
enough to be placed into an Italian class which we went to after work twice a week. Not only did
we learn a lot about the language, but we were taught many things about the culture as wellgoing on field trips to places like La Pinacoteca and Castello Sforzesco.
As my first internship, I believe this was one of the most incredible experiences I could ever haveimagined. I was given much more responsibility than I had expected, and really enjoyed being
able to run an entire aspect of this company. With Natasha being the only one able to speak
fluent English, I had to quickly adapt to learn how to communicate with my other coworkers.
This forced me to begin understanding the language and figuring out the best way tocommunicate. It was difficult at first, but now I believe I can pick up on what people are saying
and am able to respond accordingly.
I am beyond grateful for this outstanding experience and believe I have grown so much as aperson throughout these seven weeks. I’m very thankful for all of the opportunities I have been
given and cannot wait to travel more!

65

Maura Henderson
Bududa, Uganda
College of Arts andSciences
EnglishPathways to
Development
Initiative
InternCompany and Position Description: Pathways to Development Initiate (PDI) is a NGO local
to Bududa Uganda. They have three components: A savings and loans group (VSLA), a sports
clinic and an education centre. The overarching goal of all of these groups is to empower thepeople of this area to be saving, to live an active lifestyle and to be educated. To them, theseare essential factors in moving out of poverty and making a healthier nation. The education
centre is a pre-primary and primary school working on developing academic skills. The savings
group offers a support system for empowered people to save and learn how to appropriately
spend their money through investing. Lastly, the sports clinic works with a variety of ages, maleand female, on skill development of soccer. It works to develop a healthier environment.

PDI Education Centre’s New
Classroom

The Students of PDI Education
Centre66

Maura Henderson
Bududa, Uganda

Insert company logo here

The Homestay Family Became
Simply, Family

PDI Interns at theThursday Market

Value Derived from the Experience: Before leaving for Uganda, I felt very worried andconstantly anxious about what I needed to next accomplish. I was worried about how to teachwhen I would not be fluent in the primary language of the pupils, and I worried about how I
would be able to help organize and manage PDI’s sports program when I was not an avid soccer
player, and the rules and implementations I wanted to put in place would be coming from alanguage that is not their own. When I touched down in Uganda, I found myself surrounded bypeople who’s only goal was to make sure I had the time I needed to not feel overwhelmed or as
if any task was too big to be tackled. I obtained a great deal of experience in working withothers from similar and nearly opposite backgrounds. I worked in athletics, helping mold theirlanguage into my project planning in hopes of creating a more successful program. I worked in
education and learned that a key component of teaching is not so much what is taught in class,but the conversations had and the interaction between people. Above all else, I learned how
deeply and amazingly good people are. I experienced days of hardship but had people
constantly willing and wanting to help me make the most positive experience I could possibly
have. My experience with these diverse people taught me that a lot of misunderstandings anddisagreements simply come from the lack of understanding or knowledge of other people. Thisis a problem that can so easily be solved by listening to others, and not asserting personal beliefs
upon new situations. It reminded me to listen before speaking and to not believe that I know
how a situation will turn out, until all of the information is given.

67

Andrew Hoke
Singapore
College of Arts andSciences
Journalism

3M
Media &
Communications

Company and Position Description: 3M is one of the largest companies in the world with
operations in 70 countries world wide and over 91,000 employees. 3M uses 46 technology
platforms across many different fields to accumulate $32 billion in sales. My position at 3M
Singapore was a Media and Communications intern at their Research and Development Center.
My job consisted of several main projects with the biggest being to create three advertisement
videos for new products the company released this year. Other works I completed were to
restructure and develop their Youtube channel, take professional photographs of 3M’s new CTC(Consumer Technical Center) building, and storyboard 10 short videos to be posted on their
Facebook page.

All of the 20 3M summer interns
at the CTC building.

The four Lehigh 3M interns on
their last day.

68

Andrew Hoke
Singapore

Gardens by the Bay indowntown Singapore.

Boat Quay, a popular
destination for food and drink.

Value Derived from the Experience: My experience working in Singapore helped develop
myself in two ways, professionally and personally. Professionally, the greatest thing I developed
was adjusting to a full-time work culture in comparison to college life. Being responsible for yourown projects on your own time without a syllabus or teacher to guide you along the way has
given me a sense of maturity and responsibility that I don’t believe I truly had before. Also, thehabits that come with working a 45 hour work week molded myself into becoming much more
professional. Arriving to work at 8:15 a.m., dressing professional for work, sending work related
emails, meeting with your bosses and just observing how your coworkers act in the office gives
you a sense of professionalism that I will carry with me forever. In a personal perspective, being
in a foreign country for 10 weeks with only a few other students is an extremely humbling
experience.
I was forced out of my comfort zone to try new foods, new activities and introduced to different
cultures. But, everything I learned and did while in Singapore was for the better and has mademe much more conscious of the beauty of people’s cultures along with being much more open
to experiencing different cultures.

69

Erin Hom
Italy
College of Arts andSciences
Journalism

LUXOS Magazine
Communications
InternCompany and Position Description: Luxos is a luxury travel company that focuses on thewhere, what, and when of different countries. They have a physical magazine that gets
distributed to luxury hotels across the world. They also have an online magazine with articles
about the culture of each city, and then a device called “Handy,” which is basically a mobile
version of the online magazine. The content for each of these platforms focuses on which
restaurants to eat, different attractions to visit, what hotels to stay at, etc. As an intern, I got tohelp create some of that content, either by writing articles, doing research for some of thewriters, and working with the CMS database for the company to manage the content that getsshown on the different platforms. I was able to see how a real magazine works and what needs
to be prioritized when working there. I got to enhance my writing skills by writing articles, aswell as work efficiently but with the best quality possible.

This is an article I got to write forthe company that was publishedon the Luxos website.

Here are copies of magazines
published by the company that I
received the first day of work.
70Erin Hom
Italy

This photo was taken at
Lake Maggiore.

This was one of my first days in
Milan, at the mall right next to the
Duomo.

Value Derived from the Experience: My Iacocca experience helped me tremendously in all
aspects, but it especially helped me open my eyes to new things and seeing them on my own. It
was the first time being outside of the country, and I was put into an environment with a culturethat is so different from American culture. There are tiny things that I needed to get accustomed
with, like the different mannerisms and the way daily tasks are done. It showed me that people
are so different in other countries, and made me realize that I’ve never been so different from a
population before. This experience also taught me about becoming more independent. Rather
than going into college for the first time where everyone is in the same boat as you, I only had
three other girls in Italy with me. It was just the four of us and we had to figure out on our how
to simply order a meal at a restaurant, where to go grocery shopping, and how to commute towork. We were no longer students in college, but we were basically residents of a completely
new city and going to work every morning just like everybody else there. Having to adapt to a
new culture and city was a bigger task and much harder than I thought it was going to be, but it
was such a good experience for me because I got to learn about these things first-hand, and got
to learn from my own mistakes in order to really immerse myself in the culture and appreciate it.

71Kenneth Honer
India
P.C. Rossin College
of Engineering andApplied Science
ChemicalEngineering

Aksharchem India
ChemicalEngineering InternCompany and Position Description: Aksharchem is a publicly traded company in theindustrial center of Gujarat. Aksharchem’s primary business unit is in the field of paints,
pigments, and inks. Most households in the United States have objects in them, in particulargreen objects, that have dye intermediates from Aksharchem. The company’s niche in theworld market is to provide low-cost commodities while still maintaining their superior quality.
My position was primarily to conceptually design and cost a 1MW solar farm in southern
Gujarat. Renewable energy is the future of chemical engineering, so it was interesting to learn
about how companies can be environmentally friendly and profitable. After determining
business metrics of the facility, the company agreed to 1 million USD investment in renewableenergy with an expected completion date of March 2019.

Main factory inIndrad, Gujarat

Discussing details of
solar farm withcompany Vice President

72

Kenneth Honer
India

Amer Fort, Jaipur,
Rajasthan

Sidi Saiyyid Mosque in
Ahmedabad, Gujarat

Value Derived from the Experience: Growing up in the Lehigh Valley, Allentown, thepopulation of 120,000 seemed like a very large city to me. Ahmedabad, the company headquarters has over 7 million people. The hustle of the big city was definitely a huge adjustment forme. Also, India taught me that spicy food can be very delicious. It took awhile for my palate to
get used to the spices, but once it did, I was able to eat all types of new foods. I also now nevercomplain about the heat in the United States. American summers in the northeast can get up to
90F a few days, but nothing compares to 113F and humid. Although the United States and India
have many differences, they do have many similarities. There was a strong sense of pride of theircountry that closely resembles that of the United States. Furthermore, both countries have a lotof diversity in race, color, and religion, and India has the same “melting pot” characteristics of
the United States.

73

Madison Horn
Netherlands
College of Arts andSciences
Political Science,
International
Relations

UIIN
Global InternCompany and Position Description: The University Industry Innovation Network is acompany that works to understand, help to develop, and promote innovation networks. They
have helped to form a network of universities and companies around the world who cometogether at an annual conference, workshops, and events. The UIIN also researches the goodpractices of universities, science parks, and innovation districts around the world to share themwith others and bring awareness to the possible opportunities that can have a positive impact
educationally and economically. As an intern for the UIIN I worked with my partner Nia Nesfield
to write four case studies and five blog articles, as well as one article of my own. Our casestudies and interviews took us to Paris, Porto, and Leiden allowing for additional international
travel experience. In these cities we were able to research Leiden Bioscience Park, Porto’s
innovation network, the OECD, IMT Starter, and the Genopole Biocluster. In addition, I also
helped to set up, work the front desk, sit in on presentations, and more at the annual
conference which this past year was located in London.

My partner Nia and I presenting
on innovation districts
Outside St. Andrew’s Cathedral in
London leading conference participants
to dinner.
74

Madison Horn
Netherlands

Park Plein in
Amsterdam.

Under the Eiffel
Tower in Paris.

Value Derived from the Experience: I grew up in Allentown, PA and only went to college
twenty minutes from the house I was raised in. Though I have traveled the United States, I had
never traveled abroad and this experience was truly unique. Not only did I gain my professional
skills of giving presentations, conducting interviews, writing reports and blog articles, evennetworking; but I personally gained my own confidence. When I arrived in the Netherlands I did
not speak Dutch, I did not know how to use public transportation, and I could not open the front
door to my house. I was outside my comfort zone.
Worst of all I thought everyone around me in Europe would know I am an American immediately.
However, as long as I acted confident no one knew at all. By the end of the trip, I had gained somuch confidence in myself that tourists were asking me directions thinking I was a local. I
realized quickly I could adapt easily even in difficult situations. Whether I was lost in a foreign
city, trying to open a door, or figuring out public transportation in six different cities I was able to
do so. In the end, I am thankful to have this experience because it assured me that even outsideof my comfort zone I can adapt and I can problem solve.

75Jada Jackman
FranceP.C. Rossin College
of Engineering andApplied Science
ChemicalEngineering

University of
Bordeaux
InternCompany and Position Description: I worked through the University of Bordeaux in a labof both PhD students and employees of the chemical company Solvay. The Lab is a research anddevelopment facility, so everyone there are working on the newest scientific research, andmost everyone there is involved with publishing their results. My job consisted of my helping
out with a PhD student’s and her mentor’s research on diffusion and diffusiophoresis. We usedmicrofluidic chips to study diffusion at a smaller and quicker scale, so the first part of myinternship was spent understanding how to create microfluidic chips and finding the bestparameters for our experiments. The second part was spent conducting the experiments on
the chips I had created and determining the best way to record diffusion over a four hour
period.

Laboratory where microfluidic
chips are synthesized

Picture outside ofLaboratoire du Futur with all
mentors and Iacocca interns

76

Jada Jackman
FranceRight after the World
Cup win in Bordeaux

In Paris, the Iacocca Francegroup with Iacocca internfrom Lithuania

Value Derived from the Experience: I think it goes without saying that the opportunity towork in a different country is absolutely amazing. First and foremost, for anyone trying to decide
on international work it’s so important to gain this experience before graduation because it
could play a huge role in the job searches for both the individual and for the company deciding
on candidates. I know that I personally found that this trip showed me that international work is
a possibility, and will take that into account for both my future employment and possibly
graduated study. As for personal growth, I think world travel can only expand your knowledge
and help you grow. Specifically for me, I got to work on my French language skills, to talk andgrow relationships with people both in country and the other group interns. Also, I had neverbeen to Europe, but now I have been to six European countries including France: sinceIntercontinental travel is so affordable in Europe, and everywhere is so close, the weekends werededicated to seeing the rest of Europe. This was an experience I could have never afforded
without the help of the Iacocca Internship.

77

Caroline Jennings
Chile
College of Arts
and Sciences
Biology

Pontifica
Universidad
Católica de Chile
Neurobiology Lab
InternCompany and Position Description: During my time in Santiago, Chile, I worked in
the Neurobiology Lab department of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Specifically, I was working with and assisting the PhD students of Dr. Morselli with their
thesis research. Each of her five students were studying slightly different things, but all
related to how a high fat diet disrupts normal brain function in a series of metabolic
events that often leads to insulin resistance and type II diabetes. Essentially, they are
studying the exact pathway and mechanism that leads to type II diabetes in the hopesthat they can lay the groundwork for pharmaceutical developments to assist people atrisk for diabetes.
My role as an intern was to learn about their theses which included reading their
proposals and attending presentations, as well as assisting in experiments andlaboratory procedures.

An example of a rat brainslice, which my lab used often
in their research

A tissue culture room, used
as a sterile laboratory space78

Caroline Jennings
Chile

Santiago at Sunset
A Vicuña in the Atacama
Desert of Northern Chile
Value Derived from the Experience:
Professionally, this internship was an amazing opportunity since I want to go into the biology
research field after I graduate. Furthermore, working in Spanish and English and getting theopportunity to see academia in an international setting was an extremely valuable experiencethat will be highly useful in any work setting that I may be in.
In addition to growing professionally, I found that I learned so much about myself, my abilities,
and my strengths through navigating a foreign city and traveling every weekend.
Not only were the views and sights incredible, but the vibrant cultures that I found in every
corner of Chile and the wonderful people I met made me realize that in any situation I can andshould meet new people. That confidence to conquer challenging situations, in overcoming
language barriers, and social learning experiences are values that I will carry with me in all that I
do.

79

Cyrus Johannes
Hong Kong
Integrated Degree inEngineering, Arts andSciences
Industrial and Systems
Engineering

Hutchison Port
Holdings
Operations InternCompany and Position Description: Hutchison Port Holdings is an international port
operator. When shipping companies send vessels to one of HPH’s ports, containers are taken
off of the vessel and new ones are added. I was placed in the operations department,
specifically, simulations. Simulations is a group tasked with providing management projections
on various key performance indicators based on a variety of variables. For example, if a port
was to add another crane to take containers off vessels or increase the speed at which thecrane operated, how would values such as the number of total moves, the delays vessels
experience before they can be berthed at the port, and how much of the berth was occupied
by vessels be effected. Simulations was also responsible for making graphic representations ofthese situations in some cases so that the exact ways in which the port would operate could bedemonstrated, i.e., the route trucks would take to move the containers from the berthing area
to the yard where other containers are stored.

Members of the
Operations team

Touring a 400m long
MOL container ship80

Cyrus Johannes
Hong Kong

The beautiful skyline ofHong Kong

Visiting nearby Macau

Value Derived from the Experience: At HPH I was able to gain experience with writing code
for advanced macros in Excel, a skill that will be applicable in many lines of work. I also gained an
appreciation for office work and being a part of a team in the corporate sense, something that I
had never experienced before. In addition, doing an international internship made me feel more
comfortable with the thought of working abroad in the future, something that could potentiallyopen many doors for me professionally. Figuring out public transportation, getting a taxi, or
eating at a restaurant when I don’t speak the same language as the people working there in aforeign country now do not seem like daunting tasks. I now believe that I could adapt to living ina different country more smoothly thanks to the experience I had this summer. I gained agreater appreciation for the differences between cultures as well; reading about another country
simply could not do it justice when the only place I had experienced was the United States. I now
have the beginnings of an understanding of my place as a global citizen and the inspiration to digeven deeper.

81

Vaafoulay S. Kanneh
United Arab Emirates
Integrated
Engineering & Arts
and Sciences
Civil Engineering;Architecture

DeSimone
Consulting
Engineers
Structural
engineering InternCompany and Position Description:
DeSimone Consulting Engineers is a structural engineering consultancy firm primarily based in
the United States with international offices in the United Arab Emirates, China, and Columbia.
The Abu Dhabi office, where I interned, works with architects, contractors and otherprofessionals in the building industry to provide design solutions for high-rise buildings andother habitable concrete and steel structures. As an intern my tasks included preparing andreviewing bill of quantities from building component schedules, reviewing concrete and steel
construction drawings, and marking up architectural and structural drawings using Autodesk
Revit software and Autodesk Revu.

At my assigned desk
working on BOQs

Other young employees
at the company

82

Vaafoulay S. Kanneh
United Arab Emirates

With a muslim worshipper
at Sheikh Zayyed mosque

Enjoying one of the many beaches
along the city’s extensive coastline

Value Derived from the Experience: I interned at Desimone with only two years of civilengineering related coursework. This also meant that I hadn’t taken courses relating to steel
and concrete design which would’ve made me more prepared for qualitative work at thecompany. Despite this I was still able to apply myself quite effectively due to consistentguidance and advice from the employees (especially the managing partner) at the firm. I was
mostly tasked with preparing BOQs and reviewing drawings. These tasks provided me withthorough and comprehensive knowledge on the structural components of a building and how
these components are pieced together. I also learned how to read structural drawings
prepared from architectural drawings as I had only previously learned how to work with thelatter. Although terms such as post-tensioning, column-shortening etc. were hitherto beyond
the scope of my learning, the employees at the company were very steadfast in simplifying themost complex engineering concepts which had to do with my tasks. I consistently took down
notes throughout my time there and slowly I was able to piece together, for myself, a morethorough understanding of concrete slabs, columns, stirrups, shear walls, outriggers etc.
The diversity at the office was also reflected in Abu Dhabi. The city is termed a ‘’cultural andcommercial mecca’’ due to the fact that it draws people from all over the world– northAfricans, Europeans, east Asians etc. My pre-held misconceptions about the Middle East as aden of conservative values were destroyed upon seeing the vibrant and eclectic streets ofDubai and Abu Dhabi. It was very clear that the city had an immense western influence, but
despite this its inhabitants (both foreign and local) seem to have a clear idea, in theirsubconscious, that the country’s tolerance for diverse culture does have a justifiable limit.

83

Hunter Keenan
Israel
P.C. Rossin College
of Engineering andApplies Science
Bioengineering

Technion Israel Instituteof Technology
Product
Development
InternCompany and Position Description: The company I worked for is called FeelIT. They are a
Haifa-based company built around a nanotechnology which can detect sensitive changes tostrain, temperature, and humidity. There are many applications to this revolutionary
technology and my job was to find a marketable one. This included exploring different
industries, figuring out a problem this technology could solve, what kind of product it would
have to be incorporated into, what potential partners there would be, what competitors there
are, the cost benefit analysis of implementing this solution, and creating the basis of thebusiness model we’d be following. Throughout this internship I also sat in many meetings, metwith many other companies, delivered a presentation to Stanley Black and Decker on behalf of
FeelIT, and learned about what goes into running a startup.

Insert work photo
here (with small
caption below)
The Interns

The Workplace84

Hunter Keenan
IsraelTime Travel

Natural Food

Value Derived from the Experience: Throughout my trip in Israel I learned more about mystrengths and weaknesses. I got to see how adaptable and resilient I could be in both a newsocial and business setting. I was able to talk to people quite easily from all cultural andexperiential backgrounds. This has given me a newfound appreciation for myself and confidence
in my ability to persevere in unknown situations. I also learned about a challenging aspect ofmyself: I seemed to be too cautious when it came to how I approached my work and thisaffected the confidence others would have in me, despite the quality of work produced. I
realized that your work will not speak for yourself especially when everyone has their own
responsibilities to worry about. I worked on this throughout the summer and am better able toarticulate what I am doing and the significance it has with a voice of confidence. Overall, thisexperience has better prepared me as a professional and a person going forward, whether thatbe in my home country or across the globe.

85

Kristin Kidd
Hong Kong
College of Businessand Economics
Marketing

PVH Calvin Klein
Retail Marketing
InternCompany and Position Description: Calvin Klein is a international fashion brand underPhillips-Van Heusen Corporation. With their new Chief Creative Officer, Raf Simmons, Calvin
Klein is exploring their American roots while embracing global fashion influences. The APAC
Regional office is located in Hong Kong, which in itself is a bustling fashion hub.
This summer I worked in the Regional Marketing Department as a Retail Marketing Intern.
During my internship, I conducted competitive research for multiple CK brands, wrote copies
for upcoming Fall 18’ products, helped arrange the first-ever APAC Regional Marketing Summit,
consolidated Advertising data, and created multi-department Go-To-Market calendars.

My team and I on my last day!
APAC Marketing team dinner after the
first ever regional marketing conference
86Kristin Kidd
Hong Kong

Visiting a temple during
monsoon season

Hong Kong’s famous
Bronze Buddha

Value Derived from the Experience: Prior to my internship I was uncertain about what I
wanted my future career path to be but my experience this summer gave me exposure to the
fashion industry and helped me realize that I want to work in that field after I graduate. I havealways been passionate about fashion, but I never considered pursuing a career in it as the fieldis very difficult to enter, the experience and knowledge I gained during my internship has
prepared me to enter the fashion industry with the skills and confidence I need to be successful.
Personally, I experienced so much growth through this program, living abroad was difficult at first
but I learned to be adaptable and resourceful and to face challenges head on.

87

Jeffrey Kirshenbaum
Tbilisi, Georgia
College of Businessand Economics
Economics &International
Relations

American Councils
for International
Education
InternCompany and Position Description: For eight weeks I worked for the “Office of the
Ministry of Euro-Atlantic Integration”, a branch of the Georgian government. The office I
worked for was called the “Information Center on NATO and EU”. My job was to run their news
website to raise awareness about the positive effects of joining NATO and the EU. I publisheddaily news articles, did research for my boss, and edited and translated English documents.

Working on a report in myofficeBook I was given by a professor I
interviewed and wrote an article on88Jeffrey Kirshenbaum
Tbilisi, Georgia

Beautiful view of Tbilisi

Fabrika, a hangout area built
from an old Soviet Factory

Value Derived from the Experience: By immersing myself in a foreign country where I
knew no one and where almost no one spoke English, I was forced to be more independent thanI ever have. Additionally, I had to adapt to new circumstances and challenges. By working in an
office where I was faced with many challenging tasks, and where I had few coworkers who could
effectively communicate with me, I better prepared for a challenging work environment in the
U.S. Learning about a new culture has reduced feel I am ethnocentrism, and enlightened me toall the different experiences that the world has to offer. Likewise, working in an office setting
prepared me for my future job in the U.S. Perhaps most importantly I met many very nicepeople, and formed lifelong friendships.

89Sophia Kuipa
Ireland
P.C. Rossin College ofEngineering and Applied
Science
Bioengineering

The Asthma Society of
Ireland
Health Promotions
AssistantCompany and Position Description:
I interned at the Asthma Society of Ireland which is located in Dublin. It is a small non-profit
organization that works towards improving the lives of people with asthma in Ireland byproviding information, education, services and support about asthma. During my time there asa Health Promotions Assistant I worked with patient documents from “pharmacy days” thecompany holds to advise patients, researched and compiled documents on asthma triggers to
be used for the website, and did research into the asthma medication available from theirsponsors such as GSK. I also helped with research into prevalence studies of asthma in othercountries, helping to prove the importance of such studies in order to find funding for the
Asthma Society to complete a similar study. I was also involved in patient satisfaction surveys
with regards to the Adviceline the Asthma Society provides.

Alongside a poster with facts
about asthma in Ireland

My workspace at the Asthma
Society90

Sophia Kuipa
IrelandInsert culture
photo here (withsmall caption
below)At the Cliffs of Moher

Walking through Killarney
National Park

Value Derived from the Experience: The two months I spent in Ireland where an invaluable
experience to me. Even though my job was not directly related to my major, I felt I still grew
professionally as I was able to learn to communicate and work in a professional environment. As
this was my first internship, I was able to learn to take responsibility and take initiative, ensuring I
always gave my best for any task I completed. This internship has also grown me as a person, as I
am now even more independent than I used to be. During my time in Ireland, I made sure I saw
as much of the country as possible. I planned trips around the country and around Dublin cityalone and figured out the transport system. I appreciated how helpful and nice everyone I met or
spoke to was, from locals I conversed with when I was on a weekend trip to my co-workers.
Because everyone was so friendly, I was forced out of my comfort zone and as a result met new
people, made new friends and created lasting bonds. I immersed myself in Irish culture andwatched a traditional hurling game and even visited an Irish farm where I learned to bake soda
bread. Overall, the experience was enriching and one I will never forget.

91

Jacob LansberrySingapore
College of Business andEconomics
Finance

3M
Business InternCompany and Position Description: I interned for the company 3M while in Singapore.
3M is responsible for thousands of products we use everyday through separate well known
brands. Not only do they manufacture products that we use in our everyday lives, but also
thousands of other goods that other companies use. Some of these products are medical
devices such as a flosser with two strings and specially designed films to make signs more
illuminated. Within 3M there are 5 distinct groups, I specifically worked for the Consumer
Business Group which oversaw the brands that are more well known with the common public.
Some of the brands I worked for are Scotch-Brite, Futuro, and Command. These brands
contained products such as Scotch Tape, Post-It notes, and Command strips. Throughout myinternship I acted as a consultant for all of the different brands, which included leading a study
on their acne patch product, helping set up a publicity event for Scotch-Brite and creating avideo demonstrating the benefits to using a 3M knee brace versus a competitor’s.

Me and other 3M interns

Consumer TechnicalCenter that display many
3M products
92

Jacob LansberrySingapore

Halong Bay, Vietnam
Our first lunch at a hawker centre
Value Derived from the Experience:
This experience has helped me develop myself both personally and professionally. Personally, I
was given the opportunity to interact with a completely different culture and way of living.
Singapore specifically has a much greater government control over the country than America.
This is seen through very high consequences for seemingly unharmful crimes such as facing jailtime for jaywalking. The food culture was also different than what I have been used to in
America. They have food areas called Hawker Centers which have many different food stalls
serving everything from pig intestine soup to ice cream made with jelly. Learning to interact with
the Singaporean community and country helped develop my character and understanding ofother cultures.
Professionally, I was able to improve my communication skills, and gain both maturity andconfidence. Even though I was in a primarily English-speaking country, there were someinstances where I had nuances and sayings that they did not recognize with my speech. I learned
that when I was explaining myself or voicing my opinion I needed to speak clearly, slowly, and to
make sure I wasn’t using any shortcuts like those I would use in America. My confidence soared
because I felt I was providing usefulness to the company through the projects andresponsibilities I was given. The tasks I was assigned helped me gain the confidence that I can bea productive and efficient worker in a professional environment. Lastly, I feel that my maturity
was increased not only from just working for 3M but also by being given the opportunity to live
on my own for a significant amount of time. From having to decide where to eat everyday tostaying on top of my spending, I was put into an environment where I would truly be responsible
for myself and it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire life.

93Conor Leahy
Hong Kong
Integrated Businessand Engineering
Finance andIndustrial andSystems Engineering

Hutchison Port
Holdings
Corporate FinanceInternCompany and Position Description: While working in the Corporate Finance Departmentof Hutchison Port Holdings I was able to learn many of the basic tasks in order to valuate andanalyze potential investments and global acquisitions. This included intrinsic discounted cash
flow valuations of companies by making projected financial statements, as well as comparing
deals through comparative valuations to recent acquisitions of other similar companies. In
addition to this, I was able to work with other employees and management in order to review amore complex valuation of a current investment in the pipeline for usage by upper level
management. I also was able to learn more about how to research, calculate, and present
financial multiples and information. Through this internship, I felt that I learned a lot about thepractical procedures of corporate finance.

Company Pizza
Competition (Lehigh
Sweeps)Aboard the MOL Tribute, a 400m
long container ship94

Conor Leahy
Hong Kong

Beach off of Sai Kung

Lantau Island Big Buddha

Value Derived from the Experience: I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Hong Kong. Being
someone who had never been to another country, I thought that my time spent living
independently in Hong Kong allowed me to grow not only culturally and professionally, but also
personally. Living in Asia exposed me to a multitude of new view points and lifestyle differencesthat have allowed me to expand my worldview and become more open-minded. I was also able
to get a practical view of my major in a professional setting and learned professional etiquette.
Having this bundle tied altogether was an entirely unique experience that forced me to adapt
and become a more flexible person when my plans fall through. No where else could have I
achieved such a unique experience through anything but the Iacocca program.

95

Shawna LeBlanc
India
P.C. Rossin College ofEngineering andApplies Science
Industrial andSystems
Engineering

Apollo Tyres Ltd.
Industrial
Engineering InternCompany and Position Description:
Apollo Tyres Ltd. is a tyre manufacturing company founded in India by a Lehigh University
Alumni. A relatively new manufacturing plant in Chennai, Tamil Nadu has been working
tirelessly to meet total quality management (TQM) and other efficiency standards. I worked
specifically with the Industrial Engineering department of the company in both the Central
Office and on the plant floor looking into production standards and fatigue of workers. I wasable to work on the tyre building machines doing an elemental time study to calculate thestandard production quantities for the different types of machines and collect data for
implementing an automated guided vehicle (AGV) on the production floor.

Apollo dedicates much of theirtime and resources to keeping the
grounds green and making thecompany green.

Apollo’s CSR office works with local
schools in surrounding villages toprovide recycled tire playgrounds
and computer labs for children of
all ages.
96

Shawna LeBlanc
India

Shore Temple, Mahabalipuram we were able to learn about theculture and history of this cityand these monuments as well as
see the beauty of South India.

Taj Mahal, Agra - the lastweekend we spent in India wasin New Delhi where we wereable to visit with a guide andenjoy a traditional North Indian
buffet meal.

Value Derived from the Experience: Living 10 hours ahead of everyone at home may havebeen tough, but it was more than worth the experiences I was blessed with. Each day I woke tothe rising sun and each night I went to bed with only the sound of the cows and dogs disturbing
the silence of the night. I spent my time in India learning about myself, my work, and,thankfully, life. I grew more in my confidence and independence in six short weeks in Chennai,
India than I could say I did in my three years at Lehigh. The work I was assigned taught mepatience and attention to detail, while my time away from the office taught me serenity andhappiness. My coworkers were some of the kindest, happiest people I have met. Spending timeaway from the office with them gave me comfort, and hearing their support and genuine care forme allowed me to open up. Doing work in my field, I learned what I need to end up where I see
myself one day. The time I spent on my project allowed me to see the depth of Industrial
Engineering (IE) as well as the importance in any company. IE is a growing field, the world needs
more of them. Apollo simply showed me this is what I should be doing.

97

Spencer Leuba
Vietnam
P.C. Rossin College ofEngineering andApplied Science
Industrial & Systems
Engineering

CRCC Asia
Consulting InternCompany and Position Description: I spent the summer interning for entrepreneur Victor
Luong, doing various work between his two companies Vickchowski and AMBlockchain.
Vickchowski is based in Canada while AMBlockchain is based in Ho Chi Minh City, so most of
the work I did was for the latter. AMBlockchain provides consulting and marketing services toother Blockchain start-ups. The company is small, consisting of 3 paid employees. The first few
weeks of my internship were learning oriented. He sent me about 10 articles and 5 videos a
day about topics ranging from Blockchain and cryptocurrency, to creating a “perfect pitch”. We
would discuss what I learned, which helped give me a basis of understanding to converse withclients. I got my first taste of real work when Victor was asked to organize a networking eventto bring together HIT Foundation and NEM Asia. I promoted the event on Facebook, and whentime for the actual event came I greeted people, signed them in, and held conversations withthem about their interests in Blockchain to get them excited, and shared my own interests.
Much of my work for the summer was networking oriented. My job was to hold casualconversations with people and gauge if they were a potential client for Victor, without coming
off as overbearing. Towards the end of the summer I worked on a new project of organizing abiweekly event where entrepreneurs could practice their pitches.

Me, my boss Victor, and intern
Ali pose at our co-working space

Intern Ali and I pose with Chi
Xiu, Director of Marketing98

Spencer Leuba
Vietnam

Staying shady outside abeautiful pagoda

Thousands ofmotorbikes sit in traffic

Value Derived from the Experience:
There is no doubt that I have grown more this summer than any other summer in my life.
Professionally, my biggest developments can be seen in my networking abilities. I learned how
to talk to people in a professional setting, and I became much more comfortable asking
questions when I didn’t understand something. In college, it can feel like if you don’t know
something you probably should, so asking about it merely shows you haven’t been listening. I
learned that in a professional setting asking questions makes you appear interested, and canmake the other person feel more comfortable to give detailed answers.
My greatest developments, however, came outside of a professional setting. One of the biggest
things I learned was how to be on my own, and I was alone often. This feeling of aloneness, andsometimes loneliness was heightened by the 11 hour time difference from my loved ones backhome. Towards the end of the summer feeling “alone” didn’t feel lonely at all. I grew to love
being on my own, and even took solo trips to Siem Reap, Cambodia, and Bangkok, Thailand.
Going to these places highlighted how my perception can be influenced by group mentality. It
also forced me to go out of my comfort zone and meet new people, many of whom happened tobe solo travelers like myself. I learned that there is no reason to be lonely when I could go out
and find travelers like myself craving the same human interaction.
Overall, my Iacocca internship was a wonderful experience. It taught me to be moreadventurous, try new foods, and question everything I am told about the rest of the world. Mostof all, it has put the travel bug in me, and I can’t wait to explore the rest of the world.

99

Nelly Lian
Malaysia
P.C. Rossin Engineering andApplied Science
ChemicalEngineering

Universiti Teknologi
Petronas
Research
Attachment InternCompany and Position Description: Over the summer of 2018, I traveled to Universiti
Teknologi Petronas (UTP) as a research attachment intern, under the supervision of thechemical engineering department A.P. Dr. Yeong Yin Fong. UTP is a private research university,and an owned subsidiary of Petronas, Malaysia’s national oil company. My work at UTP
involved research on CO2 absorption using metal-organic framework (MOF) materials.
Specifically, I fabricated and tested a mixed matrix membrane (MMM) for CO2 removal from
CH4. The MMM consisted of different compositions of NaX and polysulfone, a combination
used to target CO2. This research falls under the umbrella of techniques used to separate gases
applicable in both oil fields and industrial purification.

Measuring the amount ofchloroform necessary to
make a membrane

Dr. Yeong instructing me about theproper usage of the vacuum oven100

Nelly Lian
Malaysia

A monk in the midst of aprayer at Kek Lok Si Temple

Durians for sale at a
Malaysian night market

Value Derived from the Experience: Before this international internship experience, I had
not been exposed to very many different cultures. This extended stay in a foreign country was
truly an immersive experience. By the end of the program, I had assimilated enough not to look
like a tourist.
Fortunately for me, most of the people I interacted with spoke English, so it was not too difficult
to convey anything in particular. This was especially helpful during workdays when I had
questions about specific procedures and chemicals used in the lab. My colleagues were morethan willing to assist, even outside the lab. Their openness was reassuring, and in turn I also
opened up more than I had intended. I realize that my initial concern about being lost in this newenvironment was unfounded, and that people want to help. I got closer to my new friends andasked more questions about Malaysia, and also their opinions on other matters. Answers
became discussions, and sometimes, careful navigation was necessary. By the end of myinternship, I had become more comfortable with meeting new people and my once indifferent
attitude was often replaced with positive expectation.

101Grace Lin
China
College of Arts andSciences
English andPolitical Science

National
Instruments
Human Resources
InternCompany and Position Description:
National Instruments (NI) is a multinational company with international operation. They are
producers of automated test equipment and virtual instrumentation software, with LabVIEW
being one of their most prominent products. National Instruments is headquartered in Austin,
Texas, and has acquired about $1.25 billion in revenue. As a human resources intern, I assistedwith their online learning platform, which provided video lessons for their employees. I
interviewed NI Shanghai employees in order to gain feedback on the operation of the company.
Also, National Instruments Shanghai was about to celebrate their 10 th anniversary, so I helpedwith editing and content for the publishing of their memory book as well as organization forcompany events.

First week interning at NI

Last day with the Human
Resources Department102Grace Lin
China

The Bund, Shanghai

Gate of China, Nanjing

Value Derived from the Experience: My time as an Iacocca intern has truly been one of themost incredible experiences of my life.
Interning at National Instruments, where I was a human resources intern, allowed me to develop
my skills and grow as an individual both personally and professionally. My Mandarin Chinese
language skills improved immensely. My internship made me realize all that goes into thesuccess of a large company, and ultimately, I created so many relationships with peers, coworkers, and mentors that I know will continue to grow even though I am now back in the states.
Living in Shanghai was amazing. It taught me the importance of adapting to a new environmentand how jumping into the unknown can benefit you in so many ways. The Iacocca International
Internship Program gave me the amazing opportunity to fully immerse myself in an incrediblyrich and complex culture. It showed me what I was capable of and gifted me with the chance tofeel the magic of gaining new friends, new skills, new passions, and new memories while living
abroad.

103

Jessica Liu
UgandaCollege of EducationCounseling
Psychology

Pathways
Development
Initiative
Sustainable
Livelihood in Rural
Uganda InternCompany and Position Description: As a PDI intern, I had the privilege of working
alongside the PDI Officers and my colleague to aid in program evaluation and program
development. Each day at work was always unpredictable but fulfilling. Even on days whenthings were planned, we also had to embrace the challenges that naturally come with working
in a rural village and adjust when plans changed. In many ways, I worked as a consultant andwas therefore constantly adapting and supporting whatever the PDI officers identified as aneed that day. Whether we were trekking up giant mountains in the village to support various
village microfinance groups aimed at promoting a culture of savings (i.e. Village Savings Loan
Associations; VSLA), or sitting in the office developing data collection forms with the Program
Coordinator to more effectively assess the needs and status of the community, or identifying
areas of inefficiency and then providing trainings to PDI officers and the community to promote
more sustainable approaches (e.g. goal setting and planning) – each day was an opportunity topromote PDI’s mission: empowering communities, educating individuals, and changing lives.

End of Savings VSLA Cycle Celebration
Fieldwork: Collecting
Data in the Villages
104Jessica Liu
UgandaWorking, collaborating, andgrowing with PDI staff members

Playing with thekids in the field

Value Derived from the Experience: As an intern working with the organization, theexpectation far exceeded and satisfied my goals and motivation for participating. I came into theinternship not exactly knowing what to expect. There was a lot of ambiguity about what was tobe expected, and as daunting as that was, it was incredible and I wouldn't have wanted it anyother way. I think that this ambiguity truly allowed me to bring in my own unique strengths andinterests into the internship rather than just being some robot doing what I was supposed to do.
The biggest gain from this experience is having had the opportunity to learn about a different
side of me - both professionally and personally. I feel much more confident in my abilities and I
also feel much more humbled. By being surrounded by so many different kinds of people,
whether it was with my group or with the members of the community, it was amazing to see
how there are so many differences that exist in this world and that I can also exist differently inthese different spaces! By witnessing and participating in their daily lives, I expanded my scopeof understanding about what it means to engage in meaningful human interaction at both aprofessional and personal level. Far from a “developing” country (in my opinion), I experienced
how innovative, creative, compassionate, generous, and kind people can be and learned fromthe many strengths and skills that members of Bududa, Uganda possessed. Whether it waswatching PDI staff members challenge themselves, or never leaving a house I visited empty
handed, or being welcomed as though I was a family member, not a stranger, the community
members made it clear that despite our differences, we were united through our humanexistence and that each one of them possessed incredible strengths. In this way, I left thisinternship with one of the most priceless souvenirs: the gift of human appreciation in a way that
I would not have ever imagined. Indeed, compassion, love, and kindness know no cultural
boundaries and I am so incredibly grateful for this invitation to grow.

105

Paola López Zelaya
Bordeaux, France
P.C. Rossin Engineering andApplied Science
Material Science
Engineering

Solvay S.A
Research InternCompany and Position Description: Solvay is a chemical research company whose motto
is “Asking more from Chemistry”. They do a lot of research in order to improve certain
commodity products, especially those made out of soft matter or polymers. Solvay’s learning
environment sponsors PhD students to do research for the company in topics of chemistry,materials and nanotech, physics, and more science related fields. My role as a Solvay researchintern was to help out a PhD student with his research on porous materials. The first weeks
were relaxed and we got a lot of safety training and were introduced to the laboratory rules
and expectations. After I was informed of the lab rules, I would prepare and carry out various
types of experiments daily with the expectation that my results fit the PhD student’s research.
Throughout the nine weeks I conducted research, I was condensing all the results and data I
obtained from my research into a final PowerPoint presentation. The last week of theinternship, I gave my ten minute presentation in front of all the company’s directors,
researchers, students, and advisors.

Group Photo of Company
Advisors and Interns

Mixing a Precipitated
Calcium Carbonate Solution
106Paola López Zelaya
Bordeaux, France

Beautiful Bordeauxsunsets in the main
Palace of Bordeaux

Bridge connecting Northand South Bordeaux
divided by a river

Value Derived from the Experience: Living in Bordeaux for nine weeks was not only an
unforgettable experience culturally, but also a really eye opening one personally. Before theinternship, I was really anxious about not meeting the expectations of the company since I had
never done research or anything similar in my life. Also, I had never worked on something
related to my field of study so closely so I was scared I would not like it. Nevertheless, the exact
opposite happened, since I did really well in my internship and I fortunately loved what I wasdoing. I loved Solvay’s inclusive learning environment so much, I tell all of my friends I canactually see myself working in a place like that in the future. Because of this internshipexperience, I was also able to network internationally and now have friends from all over
Europe. Besides, Bordeaux itself is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited. There is somuch culture there: from the distinct architecture that was very different from anything I had
seen before, to the amazing gourmet food they eat. I can honestly say I have eaten enoughcheese and baguettes for a lifetime’s worth, but I could not get enough. I am so beyond grateful I
got the opportunity to be part of this wonderful program mainly because I got a better idea ofwhat I want my future to be like, which was not only an amazing personal self-discovery, but also
it will keep me motivated to work harder and to get more out of life.

107

Kevin Loughlin
Hong Kong
College of Business andEconomics
Accounting

Hutchison Port HoldingsGroup Commercial
Development

Company and Position Description: Hutchison Port Holdings is the world’s leadinginternational port operator. With ports all over the world they run an intricate andsophisticated network that helps facilitate trade between global players. As an intern in theCommercial department I coordinated market research, competitive analysis, trend analysis,
and daily internal communications between ports operating at a global scale. I developed anunderstanding of how different data sets relate to business interests in the shipping industry. I
also gained insight into geo-political relations between countries. I researched and completed acomprehensive study on the implications of NAFTA renegotiations on trade lanes, identifying its
trends, risks, and growth opportunities relative to Hutchison's market position and strengths.

HPH Interns after theCommercial Dep. Pizza
competition

Arial view of the port

108

Kevin Loughlin
Hong Kong

Big Buddha

Local Fishing Village withfellow Intern, Conor.

Value Derived from the Experience: Working at HPH provided me with an incomparable
crash course in the customs and courtesies of an Eastern work environment and how it may bedifferent from any that I’m used to. Furthermore I was able to not only develop individual skills,
but leaned to function within small teams and even larger groups to execute tasks in the mostefficient manner possible. Having already lived in Asia for five years during my childhood I wasn’t
sure what to expect. What I grew to realize is that there is always so much more to learn.
Whether it was taking the complicated routes to work, or even just trying to navigate a bustlingcity to find dinner, I was constantly growing through my experiences. I plan and hope to utilize
the cross-functional skills I learned this summer to enhance my Lehigh experience. I am
extremely grateful for the opportunity provided by Lehigh and I look forward to seeing how I will
shape my final two years at Lehigh.

109

Alondra Maldonado
Spain
College of Arts and Sciences
Behavioral
NeuroscienceCentro Médico
Quirónsalud Aribau
InternCompany and Position Description: The company that I had the opportunity to intern for isa medical center called Centro Medico Quironsalud Aribau. This private medical center caters to
the medical needs of a multitude of people from all over Barcelona, outside Barcelona, and evenoutside Spain. With departments including vascular surgery, gynecology, endocrinology,
traumatology (orthopedics), general medicine and even orthodontics and ophthalmology
departments, just to name a few, this medical center ensures a wide variety of services available
to its patients and even foreigners. As an intern, I had the opportunity to shadow a wide variety
of different specialties and was able to experience and observe the day to day tasks of thedoctors and nurses that work there, as well as how doctors diagnose and treat patients. My
main tasks as an intern included retrieving test results and imaging results for patients, checking
patients in, taking blood pressures and pulses, changing the paper covers on the beds before thenext patient was called in, and passing and holding tools for nurses when they cleaned wounds,
gave shots or performed EKG’s, and most importantly as I mentioned before, shadowing doctors
and learning to analyze blood test results with them.

Centro Medico
Quironsalud Aribau

Two of the doctors I shadowed, Dr.
Unzuete (endocrinologist, left) and Dr.
Sesin (general medicine, right)
110

Alondra Maldonado
Spain

Castell de Montjuic

Rooftop of Gaudi's house

Value Derived from the Experience: Ultimately, I have learned many valuable skills, both
soft and hard, and have gained valuable insight into the medical field through this internship. I
have learned to communicate better with others in a medical setting and interact more withpatients, and I have also learned to be more resourceful and attentive. I have learned thatworking in the medical field is really a team effort and everyone’s role is vital to the functioningof the center as a whole. Furthermore, I experienced and observed many patients withconditions that I had never had the chance to observe or learn about and have learned thebasics of how an EKG machine works and how to read blood test results. Overall, thisexperience taught me to be more extroverted and confident in myself, whether talking to
medical professionals or patients or being in a medical environment. Most importantly, thisinternship has taught me that this is undoubtedly the direction I want to take my career in andshowed me that medicine is so vast and there is always something to learn or observe.

111

Nicole Malofsky
Israel
P.C. Rossin College ofEngineering andApplied Science
Bioengineering

Access for Life
Biotechnology
Research InternCompany and Position Description: This summer, I worked as a Biotechnology ResearchIntern for the Global Medical Centers of Excellence (GMCE) Haifa Life Sciences Innovation Hub
in Haifa, Israel. I served as Access for Life Project Supervisor and Lead Researcher when
performing a biomaterials investigation for Access for Life’s vascular access device, JEM. My
background in bioengineering and medicine enabled me to carefully identify and develop
opportunities for improvement in repetitive vascular access therapies targeting chronic disease
patients. My JEM investigation recognized biomaterial complexities by connecting biologic or
metallic options with their potential market perception, level of invasiveness, FDA approval
path, and vulnerability to infection. I served as the lead contact between the GMCE Haifa Hub
and Dr. Roger Mason (Access for Life CMO and Vascular Surgeon), while I also directed theAccess for Life project within the Hub.
While working at the Hub, Dr. Ofer Markman served as my direct supervisor. 16 other Americaninterns (participating in Onward Israel) worked in my office as well, and this created a fun officeenvironment. In conclusion, I am so thankful that I have had the opportunity to at work with
GMCE Haifa Hub as well as Access for Life. I was even awarded the distinguished Most Valuable
Intern Award in recognition of my outstanding performance and dedication.

My fellow American interns and I
celebrated with our boss at ourend of summer office party!

My office overlooked the Bahai
Gardens which are right behind me!
112

Nicole Malofsky
IsraelI volunteered at the Save aChild’s Heart Children’s Homein Holon! I also visited Masada.

I visited the Rosh HaNikra
grottoes on a Technion trip!

Value Derived from the Experience: I had such an incredible experience in Israel! My
program was based in Haifa, Israel with the Technion International School. I lived in campus
apartments, located next to workout facilities and a swimming complex. Throughout thesummer, the Technion led a variety of overnight trips for its international students – we traveled
to Rosh HaNikra, Tel Aviv, Dead Sea, Masada, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and Netanya. Some of myfavorite activities included rafting on the Jordan River, tubing on the Sea of Galilee, andparticipating in a Haifa food tour. In addition to the planned trips, I frequently traveled to Tel Aviv
for the beautiful beaches and amazing social scene. I also volunteered at the Save a Child’s Heart
Children’s Home in Holon throughout the summer. I spent time with children from Tanzania,
Senegal, Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Myanmar as they prepared and recovered from pro-bonoheart surgery. Lastly, Haifa had a fun Downtown area, great beaches, and the stunning Bahai
Gardens!
I am proud to say that the Israeli culture embraced me with open arms. Of course, the weather
was amazing in Haifa - 85°F and sunny every day. The food was exquisite – you can never haveenough falafel, shawarma, shukshuka, baklava, hummus, and pita. The people are warm andfriendly. If I was ever confused or lost, the Israelis were always happy to lend a helping hand. This
made it especially easy to meet people and experience Israel in a more authentic way. Although I
had previously visited Israel on Birthright, this Iacocca experience was much different. I truly
immersed myself into the Israeli culture. Whether it be using public transportation, shopping at
the shuk (outdoor produce market), or attending weekly neighborhood concerts, I was able tofully integrate myself into Israeli culture.
Overall, I loved my experience in Israel and I wouldn’t trade it for the world! Thank you!!!

113

Austin Margulies
India
College of Business andEconomics
Finance

CoworkIn & GEN
India
Intern to Managing
Director

Company and Position Description: This summer I had the opportunity to work directly
for Yatin Thakur, an entrepreneur and global leader based in New Delhi, India. Yatin’s originaland largest company is CoworkIn, a brand of co-working offices in New Delhi. Now he has
several ventures, all of which he works on simultaneously, so the four of us were divided
among his projects. I had the opportunity to work for India’s chapter of the Global
Entrepreneurship Network, of which Yatin is the Managing Director. Along with all other GEN
chapters around the world, GEN India seeks to facilitate the entrepreneurial ecosystem in India
through engaging relevant stakeholders. These include startups, investors, government officials,
academic institutions, financial institutions, and so on. Often this position takes Yatin aroundthe world, as he forges relationships he hopes will shine a spotlight on India’s entrepreneurs. In
my role, I engaged in research and analysis to propose stakeholder roundtables for GEN India tofacilitate. These future events will bring together the necessary stakeholders, by region, so thatnumerous issues and topics relevant to the stakeholders can be discussed. It was my job to use
previous information and research, as well as compile my own, to show why these roundtables
are needed. My proposals and ideas will be used in official submissions to government officials
and other parties to request participation in these events. I worked closely with Yatin tounderstand the ecosystem of India, and to return the best possible product I could.

At the CoworkIn coworking space and
HQ in Delhi

Angelica, Allie, Cory and I at the
GovHacks Series Competition,sponsored by the governments ofIndia and the UAE
114

Austin Margulies
India

Riding an elephant inJaipurAt the Taj Mahal

Value Derived from the Experience: This experience and internship forced me to learn somuch more than just what my job required. In order to truly understand India, its culture and its
business environment, there are several levels of exploration which must occur. First is simple
research, which I was able to complete through my internship opportunity. I like numbers, andtaking the time to dig into the macro themes of India through data was fascinating. India is ahuge place with quite a bit of people in it, so it is helpful to have some sort of simplifying data to
begin to understand it. But more important than research, this internship gave me so many
opportunities to engage, one on one, with people who have truly superior knowledge of India.
Since our program was sponsored by both Iacocca and the Lehigh @ NASDAQ Center, we were
given several contacts to connect with before and during our trip. These conversations were truly
enlightening, and offered chances to ask candid questions about India, answers we mightotherwise not have gotten. It is this multi-level understanding which I truly appreciate. India isincredibly complex, and there is no place to “start” learning. But the last two months gave me
ample time to develop the beginnings of comprehensive understanding of India, its people, its
culture, its economy, and sometimes its problems.
India is a country unlike any other. Just within India there could be 10-20 different countries. So it
has been the opportunity of a lifetime to explore a nation so different than mine, in both aprofessional and personal way. I truly gained insight into how international business isconducted, especially between two very different places.

115

Marissa McCloy
Italy
College of Arts andSciences
Journalism
Graphic Design

LUXOS
Communications
InternCompany and Position Description: I worked in Milan, Italy as a Communications internfor LUXOS, a luxury travel magazine and website. The LUXOS magazines are distributed to fivestar hotels in popular travel destinations around the world, including Paris, London, New Yorkand Istanbul. I wrote articles for Luxos.com and uploaded content from the print magazines tothe online platform. I also did some writing and planning for the Luxos Instagram account. In
addition to my work with LUXOS magazine, I also worked on Handy, a smartphone app that isavailable to guests in five-star hotel rooms. I edited articles, wrote articles and uploaded
content to the device platform.

The LUXOS front deskin the office.

The “Across Italy” editionof LUXOS magazine.

116

Marissa McCloy
Italy

Before watching a ballet at
Teatro alla Scala in Milan.

A gondola ride in Venice with Lehighfriends during a weekend trip.

Value Derived from the Experience: This experience taught me how to be more adaptable
both in my professional and personal lives. Professionally, I worked in an office in which I
couldn’t always understand what everyone was saying because most of my co-workers spoke
English and Italian. Additionally, the woman that I was directly working for left halfway throughmy internship at LUXOS, so I started reporting to a new supervisor and taking on completely
different tasks. Personally, I had to meet and connect with new people, and I ended up forming
really strong bonds with the other students in the program, even though I barely knew them
before boarding the plane to Milan. I also had to spend more time by myself than I do when I am
studying at Lehigh or at home during breaks, which forced me to be independent and confident,
especially in a foreign city.

117Kourtney Mendello
Luxembourg
College of Arts andSciences
Biology

Luxembourg
Institute of HealthTrainee/ResearchInternCompany and Position Description:
The Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) is a public biomedical research organization whichaims to be a leader in the development of new diagnostics, preventive strategies and therapies
to have eminent effects on healthcare. I worked in one of three of the company’s departments,
the Department of Infection and Immunity. The LIH is an incredibly culturally diverse work
environment, having employees with 35 nationalities. My small team alone had members from
5 different countries, providing a unique cultural experience for me. Most of my time at the LIH
was spent working on the EpiPath Project with the Immune Endocrine and Epigenetics team.
Prominent diseases such as cardiovascular disease and mental health problems are thought tobe linked to severe childhood adversities through epigenetic methylation of genomic DNA. The
EpiPath Project involved looking at the health effects of a cohort of individuals adopted at an
early age and investigating the role of mitochondria in these methylation changes using
techniques such as pyrosequencing. As a trainee, I worked mostly in the lab conducting
experiments and learning a wide range of new techniques and in the office performing data
analysis.

Preparing samples for
Gel Electrophoresis

Outside the LIH’s Department
of Infection and Immunity
117

Kourtney Mendello
Luxembourg

View in Grund, Luxembourg City

Watching traditional danceoutside the Grand Ducal Palace

Value Derived from the Experience: From a professional point of view, this internshipsuperseded all of my expectations, and I left it as a more confident research scientist. The project
I worked on required skills both new and old, allowing me to learn new techniques and perfectothers. Never before had I worked in such a professional lab setting, so I was pleased to havesuch a welcoming work environment with people dedicated to teaching each other at every
given opportunity. My time at the LIH really helped solidify my confidence in being able topursue a career in research, something I will forever be grateful for. Unlike past internships I had
the freedom to perform experiments on my own and learn self-sufficiency in the lab.
Of course, living in a foreign country proved to have some challenges but overall provided ample
opportunity for personal growth. Traveling solo forced me to become more confident,
independent and adventurous. Living in such a beautiful country is something I will never forget.
Because of the small size of the country and its location within Europe, I was able to meet
people from all over the world, exposing me to different cultures and backgrounds in a way I
might not have experienced in another country.
I am so grateful for the opportunity given through the Iacocca International Internship Program
and the way it has affected my professional and personal self.

119

Dixie Miller
China
College of Arts andSciences
Biology; Pre-Med

Sponsoring Organization
Marketing InternCompany and Position Description: This summer, I spent eight weeks working as amarketing intern for U-Plus Capital Healthcare Clinics in Beijing, China. In this position, I used
my knowledge of health care methods and products to create both paper and electronic
marketing materials in English. I also had the opportunity to use my previous knowledge ofGerman language to set up and facilitate connections between the company I worked for andGerman medical professionals in the area. In addition to marketing work, I was able to speakwith Chinese doctors that used both western medicine and traditional Chinese medicine, andlearn about their efforts to blend the two methods together for the benefit of their patients.
Outside of my internship, I traveled around Beijing and other parts of China and explored many
historically relevant sites. I had the privilege of getting to know students from across the UnitedStates, as well as from Australia, Ireland, Italy, and the UK.

My coworker (left) and supervisor(right) at Chaoyang branch.

U-Plus Doctors andEmployees at Children’s
Health Information Session

120

Dixie Miller
China

View from the Summer
Palace in Beijing

Overlooking the Coastal
City of Qingdao

Value Derived from the Experience:

My time in Beijing allowed me to grow in multiple
dimensions as a student, a traveler, a professional, and as an individual. In everyday life, I learned
a great deal about overcoming communication and language barriers while still effectively
conveying important ideas. In the workplace, I had the opportunity to complete tasks in areas
outside of my comfort zone and general area of study. This provided me the chance to gain
understanding about what makes healthcare companies and providers successful, and what typeof work occurs behind the scenes to keep doctors employed. Within my two months in China I
traveled all over Beijing and to areas outside of the city. I gained valuable experience withtraveling independently and navigating unfamiliar areas while still being smart and safe. Most
importantly, this internship allowed me to explore what I was passionate about, and connect
with people from other cultures who shared these interests. This experience broadened myappreciation for the similarities these cultures shared, and for the differences we encountered. I
feel much more confident now in my ability to not only navigate and thrive in other areas of theworld, but to also understand what makes these places both special and successful. I have madefriendships that will last a lifetime, and I have opened the door to an excitement for travel that I
cannot wait to continue.

121

Tracey Miller
Singapore
P. C. Rossin College
of Engineering andApplied Science
Material Science &Engineering

3M
Material Science
InternCompany and Position Description: During my 10 weeks abroad working at 3M, I was
assigned to the Analytical Lab at their Research & Design center. 3M has a plethora of products
consisting of everything from adhesives to medical supplies, and the Analytical Lab served
mainly to do research on 3M’s products as well as comparing them to competitor’s. As anintern, the lab supervisors taught me about the various equipment in the lab as well as the
products we were testing. In addition, I would help with sample preparation for any
experiments and perform any tasks around the lab in order to help maintain it. Furthermore,
3M also hosts science summer camps for kids. Two weeks out of the ten week internship werespent educating kids about the basics of chemistry and engineering within the context of 3M
and the work that is done in the analytical lab.

Me with my two lab supervisors(right) and another intern in mylab (far left).

All of the 3M interns from
Summer 2018.

122

Tracey Miller
Singapore

The Singapore skyline atsunset as seen from
Boat Quay.

Lunch at a hawker center (food stalls) of
Singaporean specialties Lor Mee andsugar cane juice.

Value Derived from the Experience:

After returning from the Iacocca International
Internship program, I can confidently say that it has been and will continue to be one of the mostimpactful experiences of my Lehigh career. It served as a my first taste of the professional world,
and although working for eight hours five days a week was exhausting, it served to instill a senseof responsibility and opened the door for meaningful relationships to form. Because theinternship was in Asia, it also really forced me to improve my communication skills and thinkcreatively about how to tackle any language barriers I encountered. In addition to developing
these skills in the office, the cultural immersion was also a big part of it. Learning about andbeing a part of the Singaporean culture was an awesome experience and only increased mydesire to continue to travel and learn about new places and interact with others, which I hope tocontinue to do even after college. In addition to being in Singapore, I also had the opportunity to
do some travelling around Southeast Asia. While I saw many beautiful places and made a lot of
awesome memories, it was also very humbling and made me appreciate even more how lucky I
am to have so many great opportunities, such as being able to study abroad and receive a goodeducation. Outside of Singapore, all of the countries that I visited were still developing and many
people that live there aren’t as fortunate as I am, which was very impactful. I hope to be able totravel back someday!

123Nia Nesfield
Netherlands
College of Arts andSciences
International
Relations

UIIN
Global InternCompany and Position Description: This summer I worked as a Global Intern at the UIIN
(University Industry Innovation Network) and traveled around the Netherlands and to Porto,
Portugal and Paris, France to develop case studies on the work they have done with integrating
university and industries to further innovation. Along with the case studies I completedinterview articles and blog articles about the different companies and universities I visited. In
addition, I helped organize and facilitate the UIIN’s annual conference, which took place inLondon this year.

Working at the Front Desk at
UIIN Conference
Interview at Porto
ScaleUp

124

Nia Nesfield
Netherlands

Walking by London’s Tower
BridgeThe Lennon Wall in
PragueValue Derived from the Experience: From traveling all over Europe, learning how to
conduct my own interviews, and writing work to be published, I feel as though I am a more
confident person. I was a very shy person going into Amsterdam, but as I left I realized how
comfortable I felt talking to people that I wasn’t close to. I traveled Europe and overcame
language and accent barriers; I interviewed influential people in the academic world, andapproached accomplished businessmen and women and engaged in meaningful conversations. I
gave countless presentations to experts in the university industry innovation field and did so
without hesitation and fidgeting. This internship has taught me to believe in myself and myabilities. It has expanded my view of the world and helped me meet amazing people and see
beautiful sights.

125Marilyn Nguyen
UgandaCollege of Arts andSciences
International
Relations andEconomics

Pathways Development
Initiative
InternCompany and Position Description: Pathways Development Initiative is a nongovernmental organization located in Bududa, Uganda that works to empower the people
through various programs. These include the Sports Clinic, the Education Center (which taught
primary school level students), Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs), Small Business
Loans for those in VSLAs, and the Second Chance program that gives women who could notfinish school a chance to go to trade school. I personally worked closely with the program
director and field officers on the microfinance components of the organization. As an intern, I
aimed to ensure sustainability of all existing systems that I had the opportunity to work on, andthat meant consulting with the program director, my fellow interns, and the field officers toassess the needs of the community. Throughout the internship, I focused on developing data
management systems, improving data entry methods, and recordkeeping for both theorganization and the community members that it supports through collaboration and various
trainings held by me. The motivation held by all team members made the experience extremely
pleasant as we exchanged skills and improved organization management.

Insert work photo
here (with small
caption below)

A staff meeting at the PDI officein the Bududa District

Going to the field to attend
a VSLA zone meeting
126

Marilyn Nguyen
UgandaThe last day of our homestay, I
embrace the kind women thatcooked and kept us company

Daily walks brought us
closer to the beautiful
people and environment.

Value Derived from the Experience: Within the work that I did with PDI, I truly saw mystrengths come into play as I worked. Being introverted, I occasionally feel the need to withdraw
from certain situations to just listen. There would be times where I would question the value ofthat and consider speaking up all of the time but I realized that the way I was working was notflawed. Rather, learning to understand my work style allowed me to thrive in all of situations that
I encountered, reacting with positivity and adaptability. Other factors also played a role as I was
thrown into an unfamiliar environment that immediately welcomed me and my peers.
Although the scenery fascinated me with its beauty, the sense of community that I felt during mytime in Bududa, Uganda was the thing that brightened my experience the most. Throughcomparing my experience in Uganda to my time in the United States, I realized that the thing I
loved the most about my time in Bududa was the people. Regardless of whether I was at work or
simply exploring the community or at the Zaale homestay, I was welcomed and could approach
people to discuss their community, their lives, and their dreams. Seeing the smiles as I
attempted to speak their language daily, I felt the appreciation and positivity. The love and hopefrom the community has only encouraged me to work harder, strengthening my motivation as I
return to the United States. Living each day freely and truly with my intention in mind allowed
me to connect to people as well as myself. No matter who one encounters, there is a story to beheard and one should not be afraid to inquire and learn of it for it might change their life.

127

Abigael Noble
FranceIntegrated Businessand Engineering
Bioengineering

University of BordeauxResearch InternCompany and Position Description: This summer I worked in LOMA, a biophysics lab at
the University of Bordeaux. I was a research intern in a lab group focused on single cellmechanics and quantitative phase microscopy techniques. I was able to perform my own
experiments on three different lines of triple negative breast cancer cells. I used a lens-freemicroscope to study the motion of the cells in regards to the presence of a certain protein,CD95. With the help of my advisors, we analyzed the data using Matlab and had conclusive
results supporting our hypothesis that the protein induces motility in triple negative breast
cancer. In addition to performing the experiments and maintaining the cell cultures I used in
my experiments, I also learned a great deal about breast cancer and the topics my lab groupwas studying. I presented the research I performed throughout the summer at a meeting withmy research group’s collaborators who came from other parts of France. As well as sharing myown research, I also learned about breast cancer research that is being done by otherresearchers in France and saw the process of how researchers in an interdisciplinary field
collaborate, share ideas, and learn from one another.

Working in the biology lab

The lens-free microscope andcell cultures I used forexperiments
128

Abigael Noble
FranceCelebrations in Bordeaux afterFrance won the World Cup

Trip to Paris with theother Iacocca Interns

Value Derived from the Experience: Living and working in Bordeaux this past summer wasan amazing experience that broadened my horizons in so many ways. I had never worked in a
lab before and although it was all brand new to me, I learned so much about breast cancer,
working in an interdisciplinary research group, and research in general that will continue to help
me in the future. Besides just the technical skills I learned in the lab, I have gained a whole newskillset in presenting to international audiences, working through slight language and culturalbarriers, and adapting to learning in a completely new atmosphere. In addition to developing
professionally, my experiences also helped me grow as a person. I was lucky in that at least mostyoung people speak some English in Bordeaux as I don’t speak any French, and I learned to work
my away around other small barriers, such as communication, very quickly. In no time I
confidently knew my way around Bordeaux, rode the tram, checked out at stores, and orderedat restaurants with ease. Probably my favorite aspect of the summer though was theopportunity I had to travel and see so many different places and cultures. I spent nearly every
weekend travelling within France and to other countries in Europe with the other Iacocca Interns
on my trip. It was an amazing experience to get a feeling for the way of life in France as well as ataste of life and culture in other countries during our travels. I was able to try so many new
things as well as make long-lasting friendships with people who I probably never would have
met if it weren’t for this internship. Overall, this was such an influential and unforgettable
experience that I am incredibly grateful for.

129

Jessica Osgoodby
The Netherlands
Integrated Business andEngineering
Mechanical Engineering

University-Industry
Innovation Network
Global InternCompany and Position Description: The University-Industry Innovation Network acts as aconnection for universities around the world looking to grow their entrepreneurial andinnovation education programs through connecting with related industries. They look toprovide the resources necessary to facilitate knowledge sharing, technology transfer, andnetworking among universities specifically. One main activity is the yearly publication of Next
Best Practices, a collection of case studies on university industry interaction and innovation inhigher education around the world. These case studies provide information about the
progression of innovation around the globe, and provide guidelines for universities looking to
improve their programs in various ways. My task, as a “Global Intern,” was to write three casestudies for this publication, as well as corresponding blog posts for publicity purposes. I was
sent to University of Groningen in the Netherlands to look into the International Tuning
Academy and how universalization of higher education is affecting European education. In
addition to this, I travelled to Vienna, Austria, to learn about the Technical Institute of Vienna’s
incubator program, and Budapest Hungary, to look at the growing entrepreneurial culture in
the Hungarian ecosystem. Finally, I travelled with the company to London to help run andfacilitate their annual international conference, which connects universities and industries inperson each year.

The interns at a beach trip
with the company

At an interview in Vienna, Austria
130

Jessica Osgoodby
The Netherlands

Amsterdam’s many canals

Amsterdam’s many canals

Value Derived from the Experience: The experience in Amsterdam helped me develop as aprofessional. Being trusted with full responsibility of real projects made me feel like a real
employee, with a real impact. The nature of the work was empowering, as well. Seeing how
something as hands-on as innovation can shift an entire country’s culture, and we can do thatstarting with us. It’s an incredible idea, and has solidified my aspirations in start-ups andinnovative thinking. Knowing the impact makes it feel like more of a real option rather than justa dream. This also applies to the idea of travelling and working abroad. I never thought I’d havethe opportunity to travel, let alone work abroad. Now, after making the connections I have andmeeting the people I now know, I feel it’s a reasonable plan for the future.
As for personal growth, I’ve found my form of leadership. I’ve struggled in the past to find myvoice and style, but after being dropped in the middle of countries I have no knowledge of andno connections in, I feel more confident. I am a problem-solver, and can communicate effectively
even across language barriers. This confidence has altered how I interact with teammates inwork and athletics, and has made me trust myself. This program gave me the push I needed tomake the jump into a leadership role and be able to encourage others to do the same.

131

Cynthia Pacheco
UgandaCollege of Arts andSciences
Biology

Pathways Development
Initiative
InternCompany and Position Description: On this internship I worked with Pathways
Development Initiative to help enrich the NGO that Lehigh University is sponsoring. During theinternship I worked with three categories and mainly focused on two of them as part of my job.
One category was working with the youth and teachers at the PDI Education Centre to further
incorporate new lesson books into their teaching lessons. On some days I also taught thestudents some English to further their speaking and grammar in this language. The second
category I worked with was the Sports Clinic where I was the social media director,
coordinated events, and helped keep track of the individuals who participated in the Sports
Clinic itself. The third category was working with small business loans and VSLA groups. This
category included doing house listings, attending weekly meetings with VSLA groups to discusscurrent issues and future improvements. These three categories of the internship encouraged
us to begin cultivating ourselves and within that help in any way possible to enrich the lives of
those in Pathways Develop Initiative.

These are the children I got theopportunity to work with.

This is the pitch where I would
work with the soccer coaches.
132

Cynthia Pacheco
UgandaThis is when we were
helping make Chapati fordinner.

We were enjoying our
Matoke for lunch.

Value Derived from the Experience: Haven taken part in this internship has allowed me tocultivate myself in becoming an individual who is more patient, understanding, and nonjudgmental. The biggest characteristic I have developed is the key of being patient. The culturein Uganda was one where they did not run on time and took the day as it came. There was neverany pressure or much stress on arriving on time to meetings. Although it was frustrating when
everyone was accustomed to arriving late to meetings, everyone still led and continued themeetings. Therefore, it taught me to also be patient and take the day as it came. Personally, I
have learned to understand the culture and opinions of others without being judgmental.
Professionally, I have developed my speaking skills. Prior to arriving to my internship country, I
would speak very quickly to arrive at the point I was trying to make. With time I learned thatwhen I spoke English it was difficult for some of the Ugandans to understand me. Therefore, I
had to slow down and make more of an emphasis on certain words. When I continued to do
this, I realized that I spoke more calmly, and it allowed me to not fidget while speaking. Alongwith less fidgeting while speaking I also developed better presenting skills. I have been able tospeak slower and space my words while presenting rather than rushing out my words.

133

Vanessa Pedraza
China
College of Business andEconomics
Accounting

IES Abroad - Shanghai
Business Development
InternCompany and Position Description:
While in Shanghai, China, I interned for a Financial Technology startup, InFin Tech Ltd. InFin
Tech Ltd launched an app, GoRupiah, just over a year ago for the unbanked population ofIndonesia. A large portion of the Indonesian population is under the age of 35 and unbanked,
meaning that they do not hold a bank account so it is harder for them to get loans. GoRupiah
allows the people of Indonesia to obtain payday loans where the borrower must repay the loan
amount in a month with 18% interest. The app makes the whole loan lending process smootherand uses a risk analysis program to analyze the lending potential of each applicant that applies
for a loan.
There are many departments within InFin Tech Ltd but I spent my time interning in the Business
Development department. As a Business Development Intern, I was mainly in charge ofInvestor Outreach. Due to the fact that GoRupiah was doing so well in Indonesia, InFin Techwanted to expand their app to help other people in Southeast Asian countries through the helpof investors.

Insert work photo
here (with small
caption below)

My boss Jane, co-worker Toy and I on
my last day of work. We made up theBusiness Development Team.

The InFin Tech Office wasvery modern and sleek,
overall a very nice place towork every day.
134

Vanessa Pedraza
China

Beijing, The Great Wall,one of the sevenwonders of the world.

The Bund, the famous waterfrontand symbol of Shanghai, was just aquick walk from our apartment.

Value Derived from the Experience:
My time in Shanghai is a time that I wouldn’t trade for anything. This was my first chance to beable to travel outside of the United States and it has taught me a lot about myself that I would
not have learned if I was not presented with this opportunity. Personally, I faced a lot of
homesickness my second week in Shanghai. The food wasn’t agreeing with me, the language
barrier was overwhelming, and I missed my family tremendously. However, I had really
supportive roommates and we all helped each other overcome our waves of homesickness.
Shanghai also taught me to step outside my comfort zones. I live in a very residential area back in
the United States, so being in a city was completely new to me. I took the metro, hailed my own
taxi, and tried xiao long bao (soup dumplings) all for the first time. I also now have the bragging
rights of saying I got to see The Great Wall and got to the top of the second tallest building in theworld, The Shanghai Tower.
This experience also developed me professionally in many ways. I learned the culturaldifferences between American and Chinese workplaces. For example, lunch breaks in the
Chinese workplace consist of 20 minute lunches and the rest of the time is devoted to a mid day
nap. I also got the pleasure of working in the Business Development Department of my company
so I got to communicate with potential investors and create a whole new pitch deck for
GoRupiah.
My Iacocca Internship provided me with many opportunities that I am so grateful I got toexperience. I was pushed outside of my comfort zones and as a result I had an amazing time inShanghai, China. I look forward to my return to China in the future.

135

Cory Poe
India
College of Business andEconomics
Finance

GEN India
Global Entrepreneurship
InternCompany and Position Description: Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) is anorganization whose mission is to facilitate the growth and success of new businesses aroundthe world. Creative Business Cup (CBC), a partner of GEN, is an initiative to empower
entrepreneurs in the creative industries, helping them to grow their business ideas, connecting
them to investors and the global markets, and strengthening their innovative capabilities. Each
year, partners from around the world host independent CBC competitions to determine whichstartups will get the chance to compete on the international stage in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Yatin Thakur, the managing director of both GEN India and CBC India, is the light-hearted
entrepreneur that I had the pleasure of working with this summer. Him and his team werebeginning to organize the yearly CBC competition and were in need of funding. My mission was
to seek out and communicate with potential sponsors, and by utilizing a comprehensive
proposal pamphlet that I drafted, I was able to raise around $2000 for the event.

A typical day at work with myfellow intern, Angelica.

All of the GEI Students at the
GovHack Competition. I worked
alongside the judges to help
determine the winner.
136

Cory Poe
India

Happily embracing one of thecountry’s many monkeys.

Laughing at the Taj Mahal
because of how sweaty we were.

Value Derived from the Experience: It was difficult to adjust to India at the beginning,
especially having never lived outside of the United States before. At first, it’s hard to noticeanything besides the overcrowded streets, unbearable heat, and piles of trash everywhere. I
understood that India was a developing country, but nothing could have prepared me forsomething so raw. Eventually, however, I realized that India wasn’t the problem and I was. I waslooking at everything with the wrong set of eyes and a distorted, westernized perspective. It
wasn’t until I started to adopt the Indian way that I realized the beauty is in the chaos of it all.
I’ve dealt with crowds, chaos, delays, unhygienic conditions, culture shock, illness, and unwanted
attention. What I’ve learned from all of this is that everything works out. Not only does
everything work out, deviations from your original plan sometime turn out far better thananything you ever could have planned. In fact, letting things happen, instead of trying to control
them all the time, is the best formula for magic. And even if it appears that things are notworking out at all, sometimes, it’s just our perception and understanding of the situation that isoff. When viewed through the right lens, everything is perfect.

137

Alexandro Pozos
Nagoya, Japan
P.C. Rossin College ofEngineering andApplied Science
MechanicalEngineering

Research Intern at
Nagoya Institute ofTechnology

Company and Position Description:
During my time at Nagoya Institute of Technology I was able to do research with Dr. Makoto
Iwasaki under a growing technique called Genetic Algorithm. This technique is able to findcoefficients for nearly any mathematical equation with ease and precision. I was working in oneof three labs and every person was a graduate student doing their own research topic. With theguidance of my lab members, we were able to understand more about Genetic Algorithm andhow it can save a tremendous amount of time while trying to find a best fit set of coefficient for
a complex function. We have used this technique for PID controllers so we can find a set of
coefficients that have the lowest settling time or lowest amount of error.

I worked in a lab filledwith graduates.
Whenever I had
questions, they would
happily answer it

I was assigned to Prof. Iwasaki
and he helped answer all myconcerns and guided me
through my project138

Alexandro Pozos
Nagoya, JapanThe other interns and I went to
Kyoto wearing traditional kimonos
while exploring the city of Kyoto

The other interns and I wanted
to climb Mt. Fuji. We climbed
overnight and were able to see
the sunrise.

Value Derived from the Experience: I have been to two other countries before, but I havespoken the language and I did not feel as if I was a foreigner. However, my time in Japan mademe realize that I was actually a foreigner that needed help with directions or ordering food. I was
lucky to experience the kindness and friendliness of Japan. At any moment, people were willingto help with the most mundane things, and I was very grateful for this. Even in Lab, people weremore than willing to help me, despite the language barrier that we had. We even madeconversation and jokes with their minimal English and my nonexistent Japanese. At one point
when I was climbing down Mt. Fuji I heard a child ask her mother if she could see the entire
world from the top. This was more impactful than I thought because one can only see a fractionof the world, despite being on the tallest mountain in Japan. When I was at the summit and atthat time, I realized that we are so insignificant and small. There are going to be conversations inlanguages that we will not understand, people we will not meet, or places left unseen. But this isokay for me because we can impact one person’s world with small, kind gestures andfriendliness in our day-to-day lives and professional life.

139Christopher Redden
SwedenCollege of Business andEconomics
Supply Chain
Management

Woshapp
Operations InternCompany and Position Description: The company that I interned with is a small startup
company based in Stockholm, Sweden. This company was developed based on a specificbusiness need that many people in Stockholm face. The problem is that unlike here in the
United States, there are not many drive-in car washes where people can get their cars cleaned
and detailed cheaply. With Woshapp the idea is that you place an order on their app andsomeone will bike out directly to your car and detail it on the street. The company uses a
proprietary cleaning liquid that only requires a few cups of water to clean the inside andoutside of the car unlike the many gallons that are used in a typical carwash. This allows for asignificantly lower waste of water and less chemicals being used and this is something thatmany people in Stockholm took careful note of.
My role during the internship was to directly dispatch a crew of four to five ”woshers” to their
daily washes throughout the city through an in-house messaging service. I would communicate
directly with the clients and make sure the woshers got their jobs in a timely manner, allowing
them to wash the most cars possible per day. I also was able to help in designing a new
operating system that the company used for their day-to-day operations. I was able to makerecommendations on how to streamline certain processes and reduce redundancies that theowners faced.

Work retreat with supervisor
Tracy and American intern Caitlyn

Myself in the company
office with our banner140

Christopher Redden
SwedenThe landscape of Stockholm
outside of my office

My first day in Sweden seeing
the flag and architecture

Value Derived from the Experience: I think that I really gained a lot of great experiencesfrom my time in Stockholm and Woshapp. In terms of work experience I was able to directly
manage a group of four to five employees for the first time ever. I have held leadership roles in
the past but this is the first time it was in a real business setting and I am glad that I was able tohave that kind of experience. Woshapp also did a great job of creating projects that related not
only to my major but also my minor as well. The projects I worked on were tough and made me
develop my critical thinking and problem solving skills leaving me with a sense ofaccomplishment when my internship came to a conclusion.
The city of Stockholm was amazing and I was able to try new foods and other experiences thatreally allowed me to gain a better knowledge of Swedish culture. The diversity that was present
in Stockholm was something I did not expect at first but it was cool seeing how other cultures
became intertwined in the city creating a real melting pot. The people were beyond welcoming
and helpful. It seemed like they were happy to practice their English when they saw I did notunderstand Swedish and I was very thankful for that. Overall I could not have asked for a better
place to not only spend most of my summer but also intern at as well.

141

Lara Reid
Israel
P.C. Rossin College ofEngineering andApplied Science
Bioengineering

Technion Israel Instituteof Technology
Research AssistantCompany and Position Description: The Technion Israel Institute of Technology is a publicresearch university located in Haifa, Israel. It is a leading institution for academics and researchin the Middle East. Here, I performed research in a nanobiotechnology lab experimenting withmethods of creating gold and silver nanoparticles using a protein called Stable Protein 1, orSP1. Gold and silver nanoparticles have vital applications in biosensing and power generation.
We designed and conducted experiments testing a variety of test conditions in order to
optimize nanoparticle formation, and analyzed vast amounts of data in order to look forpatterns in nanoparticle development. By the end of the summer, we were able to successfully
form gold and silver nanoparticles under conditions which optimized their growth.

Examining asolution in the lab.

Working with oxygen-sensitive
chemicals in the glovebox.

142Lara Reid
IsraelFloating in the Dead Sea.
Bahai Gardens in Haifa.
Value Derived from the Experience:
This internship has developed my skills in and knowledge of professionalism, networking,collaboration, and culturalism. I also was able to refine my laboratory skills and learn more aboutbiotechnology and the science of nanoparticles. Through working in a lab in a field that is very
different from most of my coursework, I was able to do and learn a variety of experiments andtopics that I otherwise would not have experienced had it not been for this internship. I also
learned a lot about Israeli politics and culture of the many ethnic groups living in the country.
Additionally, in meeting students at the Technion from many countries around the world I wasable to not only establish lasting friendships but also learn about other cultures from across theglobe. I now have a vastly expanded outlook on the world, and have developed as abioengineering student and researcher.

143

Eric Rizzi
Australia
P.C. Rossin College ofEngineering and Applied
Science
Chemical & BiomolecularEngineering

EnergyLab
AssistantCommunity
ManagerCompany and Position Description: EnergyLab is Australia's leading hub, connector andaccelerator of new business and technological initiatives that move Australia and the world
toward 100% clean energy. As the Assistant Community Manager, I worked punctually onseveral projects for various resident startups within the office, including process optimization,engineering analysis, market research, and product testing. I also executed diverse tasks
around the office to maintain a pleasurable work environment for the startups within the
incubator.

Attending a professional
networking event on July
4th in Darling Harbour

Me and my boss Sarah LaCroix
at the EnergyLab office144

Eric Rizzi
Australia

Catching my firstwaves at Bondi Beach

Up in the Warrumbungle
Mountains in the Outback

Value Derived from the Experience: This program has hands down provided the mostinfluential 8 weeks of my life thus far. Prior to this experience, I had never left the US, or worked
in a strictly professional environment. In fact, there have been a multitude of “first-times” forme on this trip, ranging from organizing and running company events to stargazing in the
Outback. My travels have broadened my perspective on the world greatly, and have taught me
an infinite amount about being a confident, adaptable, and professional individual, whether in a
professional or social setting. Being exposed to different cultures, customs, and the like has
caused me to deeply reflect on the way I present myself to the world, and I can confidently saythat I have become a more independent, courageous, and happy individual. More specifically,living in a large city was always something that intimidated me to no end, but now I canconfidently manage the many stressful and diverse aspects of living in a global city like Sydney.
This is not to mention that navigating multiple global airports over the course of a 30 hour
journey to and from the US has made me optimistic and comfortable with both travelingoverseas and long distances in general. Being forced to interact with people who are very
different from myself has taught me a great deal of respect, empathy, and patience. The
connections I have been able to make and build even all the way around the world will stick withme indefinitely, and stepping out of my comfort zone to do so has been an eye-opening
experience in and of itself.
There’s this indescribable and overwhelmingly positive feeling that floods me every time I think
about the time I was lucky enough to spend in Sydney, and I will be infinitely grateful for all of
those who made this opportunity possible, because it has truly changed my life for the best.

145

Diego Rojo
Montenegro
College of Businessand Economics
Finance

Erste BankInternCompany and Position Description: While working in Erste Bank, I was placed in arotation program which changed my role every two weeks. I really enjoyed this since it gaveme great insight as to how the bank operates in Montenegro. I also got to meet someincredible people through the rotations that I would not have met otherwise. In theaccounting department, for example, I was in charge of sending and receiving invoices,archiving them in the system, and paying them. Similarly, in other departments like marketingand treasury, I was tasked with verifying the credit rating of those who wanted to open
accounts with Erste Bank or receive loans, in addition to making modifications to the company
website, updating information within it, and ensuring that it’s as easy to use and user-friendly
as possible. In the end I loved working in the company and would strongly recommend it toanyone else pursuing careers relating to banking.

Morning routine to work

At work in accounting
department at Erste Bank

146

Diego Rojo
Montenegro

Kotor Old Town

Ulcinj Center

Value Derived from the Experience: Working in a completely foreign country can only
serve for the betterment of the individual. I have no doubt that working in Montenegro at Erste
Bank helped me develop greatly both personally and professionally. For one, I had to learn how
to adapt very quickly since I did not know the country’s official language. The skills I attained
through this type of adjustment can easily be applied to other areas of my life once I graduate
Lehigh. Also, this was the first time I got to work in a bank, which was very exciting. Having
hands-on experience in most of the major departments of a bank offers a well-rounded
perspective on what it would be like to work in one someday. Exploring a foreign country alone
is a great learning experience. In the past I would travel with my family and the experience,
although great, was very structured. When travelling in Montenegro, I got to choose exactly
where I would go and how I would go about getting there. This was very refreshing as it offered
the independence I wanted. My time in Montenegro was priceless.

147

Kendra Sandhu
Ireland
College of Arts andSciences
International
Relations and
Health, Medicine
and Society

Asthma Society of Ireland
Health Promotion

Company and Position Description: The Asthma Society of Ireland (ASI) is a non-profit
organization which works to educate Irish citizens about asthma triggers and symptoms inhopes of lowering asthma illnesses and deaths. Currently, Ireland has the highest asthma
population rate in the world. ASI performs a number of events such as pharmacy and clinicdays, as well as educational talks with trained asthma nurses in the workplace and in schools.
They also campaign with the Irish government in hopes of raising awareness through advocacyof asthma patients across Ireland. At ASI, I was both a health promotion and communications
intern. I worked in all departments of ASI, including advocacy, finance, accounting, healthpromotion, research, communications, and fundraising. Each day I performed a different rangeof tasks, but most of my work focused on assisting other team members with their tasks, aswell as performing research on the government, possible grant opportunities, asthma
incidence and prevalence, and new strategies for fundraising.

Fundraising event

My cubicle at ASI!

148

Kendra Sandhu
Ireland

The Giant’s Causeway!

Cliffs of Moher on aweekend trip!

Value Derived from the Experience: My two months spent in Ireland were invaluable interms of my professional and personal development. Professionally, I was able to be a part of avery cohesive and hard-working team, and developed many hard skills in the workplace indepartments I wasn’t fully comfortable working with. Finance and accounting were extremely
foreign being an IR & HMS double major, but I found myself performing business tasks multiple
times a day and enjoying them. I also developed many professional relationships in the office,and found myself talking with my coworkers all eight hours of the work day about subjects notnecessarily touched upon in the North American workplace. During my time at ASI, I felt like ateam member and not necessarily an intern.
Personally, I gained a larger understanding of intercultural competency through my everyday
interactions in Dublin, as well in my weekend trips to other parts of Europe. Since Dublin is sucha multicultural and diverse city, I was able to converse with people from all over the world.
Through this experience, I was able to recognize my weaknesses while abroad through the tools
used during our pre-trip departure orientations, and used these weaknesses as areas for
improvement. My time working and learning in Dublin this summer was nothing short ofamazing!

149

Ava Scally
China - Shanghai
Integrated Degree
in Engineering,
Arts and Sciences

LinkproInternCompany and Position Description: I started out working for Linkpro, a start-up smallparts supply chain producer. A simple version of the company’s model is a customer would
have a project that needed specific nuts and bolts and would pay Linkpro to find the best or
cheapest supplier of those nuts and bolts. I was assigned to design a website for the fledgling
company. I used Word Press and Photoshop to make a professional site for potential
customers to visit. Unfortunately the company never landed any customers while we worked
there so business was slow. I supplemented my working time at another company, Greensteps.
Greensteps is a non-profit environmental start-up that is working on bringing eco-tourism andoutdoor education to urban middle-class families in Shanghai. I helped design a kids’ art area in
their new nature center, and also wrote up activities for children that incorporated concepts ofecology into fun games.

Working on the 8th floor of a hotel.

Commuting on the metrowith coworker at rush hour.
150

Ava Scally
China - Shanghai

Learning how to makedumplings from scratch

Using the popular bike sharesavailable all over China

Value Derived from the Experience: If it had not been for the Iacocca program, I possibly
would have never made it to China in my life. My experience this summer allowed me toexchange the lens of a tourist for one of an expat, working professional. Living in the heart of
Shanghai’s downtown district, I learned about China on a deeper level than just a visitor.
Commuting on the metro, grabbing kebabs on the street, and watching the neighborhood locals
share meals outside their homes and stores made me feel like I was getting a more accurate
view of normal Shanghainese life. I also am proud that I started at level 0 Chinese language andsoon was able to have simple conversations, ask questions and order food. I feel morecompetent about getting around and living in a large city. I went to China with very little idea
about what life was like. I had a few things planned, but in the end I enjoyed and learned evenmore from the unexpected adventures.
From my internship I learned a lot about the struggles that new, small businesses face, as well as
the difficulties that foreigner-run businesses can have when based in a very different region. An
unexpected insight I gained was the Shanghainese commute to work, which is a mighty feat oftransportation in a city of 24 million people. The subway cars are packed but virtually silent, as
commuting is a time of solitary peace and thought. I hope in the future my career takes me to
new countries as I have found the feat of daily exploration an invaluable treat.

151

Julia Skrapits
BermudaCollege of Arts
and Sciences
Molecular
Biology

Bermuda Instituteof Ocean Sciences(BIOS)
Research InternCompany and Position Description: The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) is a
U.S. non-profit oceanographic research and education facility. It consists of a diverse range oflaboratories specializing in various research topics including coral ecology and reproduction,
biogeochemistry, autonomous underwater gliders, fish species populations, and microbial
ecology. BIOS is an international collaborative organization that hosts many visiting scientists
and research teams, and it partners with other oceanographic institutes and universities tofurther global study of the oceans.
As an intern, I worked in the Marine Nitrogen Cycling laboratory, which studies the processes ofnitrification and denitrification in the ocean. For my project, I studied a site called Devil’s Hole,a seasonal oxygen minimum zone in Bermuda. The goal of my research was to determine theoxygen thresholds that ‘slow down’ nitrification and ‘turn on’ denitrification by measuringconcentrations of two forms of fixed nitrogen, ammonium and nitrite, at each depth of Devil’sHole. I did this by running reactions for fluorometric and colorimetric analysis in the lab andgoing on cruises to collect seawater samples from the site.

Sampling from the CTD
on the R/V Atlantic
Explorer

Preparing microscopeslides for bacteria at
Devil’s Hole152

Julia Skrapits
BermudaExploring the city ofHamilton with the interns

Snorkeling the coral reefs

Value Derived from the Experience: My experience as an intern at BIOS was overall
incredibly valuable for my education, my career, and personal growth. I gained research and lab
skills that will be beneficial for my classes at Lehigh and that have opened me up to new,interesting fields of study to consider for my career. I was able to meet and work with otherexperienced researchers, make connections, and present my project results to them and myfellow interns. I’ve acquired independence working in a lab due to the hands-off, guiding
approach of my mentor, which greatly increased my confidence performing procedures, running
reactions, and analyzing data on my own. One of my favorite aspects of the internship was all of
the field work I got to participate in; going out on the boats to collect samples and joining a
cruise on the R/V Atlantic Explorer were fun and insightful experiences into science outside ofthe lab.
I found Bermuda to be a beautiful country rich in history and culture. This was my firstexperience traveling, and being able to explore the island with the great friends I made at BIOS
was amazing. We went to museums, lots of beaches, the best snorkeling sites, nature reserve
trails for hikes, and to the dock for BIOS gatherings and cook-outs. Bermuda’s people arewelcoming and friendly, and the culture encourages greetings and conversations with everyone
you meet. It has encouraged me to be more conscious of my surroundings and open to engaging
with those around me. From the field trips, sampling cruises, personal exploration, and research,
Bermuda and BIOS have instilled in me a greater appreciation of the oceans and a desire to takea more active role in their care.

153

Allie Starer
India
College of Businessand Economics
M.S. Management

CoworkIn
Brand Strategy
AnalystCompany and Position Description: I spent two months working for a coworking startup
with multiple locations around Delhi. As CoworkIn’s brand strategy analyst, I was charged withthe tasks of strengthening the brand, generating new leads, and creating a digital media
strategy among other things. I also played a big role in CoworkIn’s social media postings. We
commuted to the CoworkIn Nehru Place office every day, a prime location in the center of theDelhi business hub. This office has two floors, phone booths, communal spaces, private cabins,
coffee machines, and more.
My favorite experience was the special celebration for International Yoga Day that occurs every
June. Our group of interns joined thousands of people of all ages to do sunrise yoga
surrounding India Gate. I also helped in planning CoworkIn’s inaugural International Yoga Day
celebration by bringing in an established yogi to do chair yoga in our office space. It relaxed,
reinvigorated, and bonded members who otherwise would not have normally interacted.

Working the GovHack
Series: New Delhi Summit
at The Oberoi

Visiting President Simon’s tree torepresent the partnership between
Lehigh and Ashoka University.
154

Allie Starer
India

Global Entrepreneurship
Interns spent a special day inAgra visiting the Taj Mahal!

Delhi’s most famous
landmark, India Gate

Value Derived from the Experience: The business world is becoming increasingly global
and competitive. I applied for this internship because I wanted to put into practice some of what
I had learned in the classroom as well as gain a different perspective on entrepreneurship andstartups. I also wanted to better understand the people and the culture of India, an economic
global powerhouse.
These past two months have flown by and I truly feel like my whole perspective on the world haschanged. Working side by side with Indian entrepreneurs has allowed me to better understandthe country as a whole. It has been incredibly insightful to see which problems they are choosing
to solve, who they select as a target audience, and how they go about conducting business.
There are so many people with so many great ideas. They have the desire to make a difference.
India is absolutely incredible.

155

Michael Stragapede
Hong Kong
College of Business andEconomics
Finance

Calvin Klein Asia
Pacific
MerchandisingInternCompany and Position Description: In the Summer of 2018, I worked in the PVH Calvin
Klein Asia-Pacific office in Whampoa, Hong Kong. Calvin Klein is one of the largest apparelcompanies in the world, boasting an annual revenue of $3.5 billion dollars. PVH, the holding
company of Calvin Klein, generated $9 billion in revenue in 2017. Calvin Klein excels in creative,
minimal, seductive, and cool apparel. Despite being the smaller region within the overall
company, Asia is maintaining the highest growth compared to anywhere else in the world. The
work that I completed in my internship revolved around competitor analysis, pricing strategies,
attending meetings with buyers and distributors, and developing a customer and store profile
for the Asia Pacific region.

Calvin Klein Interns

Posing next to the
PVH Lab156

Michael Stragapede
Hong Kong

Victoria Peak - Hong
Kong Skyline

Tai O Fishing Village

Value Derived from the Experience: The Iacocca program provided me invaluable insight
into a community unlike the American experience. As an individual who’s never been abroad
prior to this program, it was impossible to fathom cultures outside of what I’ve been exposed to.
No amount of reading or formal education can possibly compare to the physical exposure ofliving in a foreign environment. While abroad, I learned to interact with people who possessedvarying perspectives regarding their professional and personal lives. I’ve grown to admire these
individuals for their dedicated work ethic, leadership skills, interpersonal skills, friendliness, andcuriosity. Professionally, I learned the reality of working in a corporate environment, and how it
may be very similar or different to the United States.
In Hong Kong, I personally believe employees are far more dedicated in regards to completing
their assignments, no matter how late they have to stay or how intensive. The individuals at
Calvin Klein are willing to commit to an immense amount of time into delivering their best
quality work, an attribute I strongly admire and strive to improve in my professional life as well.
They are willing to collaborate with one another, humble enough to work with anyone
regardless of position or experience, and patient enough to pass on expertise.

157

Brigette Suerig
China
College of Arts andSciences
Behavioral
Neuroscience

Oasis
International
HospitalInternCompany and Position Description: Oasis International Hospital is a private international
standard healthcare hospital that serves Beijing. It is home to many international doctors thatspeak a variety of languages and practice different techniques respective to their homecountry. The main consumer population of Oasis is the international community of Beijing andupper class Chinese. There are translators on staff to help with any additional communication
barriers between the patients and doctors.
My internship was to help with really anything the hospital needed. I assisted with event
planning, English skills, and marketing techniques. I was also able to shadow the doctors on
staff a great deal. Overall, I was able to help out most with their reception area and help the
Chinese workers feel more confident in their English skills.

ShadowingFirst Day of Work

158

Brigette Suerig
ChinaGreat Wall of China

Forbidden City

Value Derived from the Experience:
My experience with the Iacocca International Internship Program has been something that was
and will be irreplaceable throughout my life. My work and travels throughout China allowed me
to see and work with different cultures that I had never experienced before. I learned manythings in my time that grew me exponentially as a person and as a worker. My work place
accepted me warmly and gave me tasks that emphasized my skills and strengths as a worker,
allowing me to make the most impact I possibly could. Along the way, I made many friends both
inside and outside of work that taught me many things about Chinese culture firsthand. I have
new respect for the culture of the Chinese due to the insights I was able to be shown. Even the
pre-internship modules were very helpful to have you prepare and reflect before leaving thecountry, especially if you had never been abroad before. The independence, leadership, andcommunication skills brought to me in China through the Iacocca International Internship
Program have turned me into an individual who is highly marketable in the workforce and givenme new social skills to guide me outside of the workforce. I will never forget this summer’s
experience, and it is something I could have never recreated without IIIP.

159

Marina Sutija
Ahmedabad, India
P.C. Rossin College
of Engineering andApplied Science
ChemicalEngineering

AksharChem India
Ltd.
Engineering InternCompany and Position Description:
AksharChem is a chemical company located in the state of Gujarat, India, and they produce
pigments, dyes, and dye intermediates to industries all over the world. During my six weeks
interning for them I spent most of the time in a small office in Ahmedabad, working on a solar
system project. My assignment was to first analyze the performance of a small-scale 16 kWhplant they built last year, and then produce a report evaluating the benefits, disadvantages,
and costs of acquiring a 1 MWh solar system to fully supply energy to a manufacturing site, still
under construction in Dahej, about 4 hours away. I also visited their main manufacturing site inIndrad, about one hour away from Ahmedabad, where I learned about the processes behindthe production of some of their main products, pigment green-7 and vinyl sulphone dyeintermediate, and could also witness the opening of a new plant for the production of H-acid,another dye intermediate.

Visiting AksharChem’s
manufacturing site

Discussing the final presentation
with my supervisor, Mahesh Patel.
160

Marina Sutija
Ahmedabad, India

Insert culture
photo here (withsmall caption
below)At the National
Museum

At Amber Fort

Value Derived from the Experience: When I signed up for the interning assignment inIndia, I was eager to experience both a culture that is in many ways the very opposite of my own
and the chemical industry and its works, which ultimately went further than my expectations
and included: office and field work, diverse assignments that went beyond my major, observing
the intricacies of decision making, and getting a grasp of how it is to work in a male-dominatedenvironment.
It was very interesting to put my discipline and communication skills to the test. Considering thatmy assignments were ever-changing and not always strictly related to chemical engineering, it
was critical for me to keep track of details, tasks, and goals in order to deliver complete andreliable reports, so that management could make decisions based on them. Moreover, I learned
about the importance of stepping out of my comfort zone, which was the engineering of things,
to communicate with others and understand that decision making in such companies is basedon the combination of technological advancement, engineering, and business.
In the end, I was able to say that my time in India and at Akshar Chemicals was very challenging
and taught me valuable lessons I will take into my professional and personal life, from learning
how to approach different people and conduct myself assertively, to more clearly recognizing
my personal boundaries and values.

161

Alexis Tellez
India
P.C. Rossin College ofEngineering andApplied Sciences
Bioengineering

Apollo Tyres LTD.
Lab InternCompany and Position Description: Apollo Tyres Ltd is the world's 7th biggest tyre
manufacturer, with annual consolidated revenues of Rs 140.53 billion. They produce tyres forpassenger cars, alloy wheels, vans, heavy commercial vehicles, agriculture radial, and so muchmore. Every day Apollo Tyres is flourishing with success. The distinction between Apollo Tyres
and other tyre manufacturing companies is that Apollo tyres makes tires that are greater instrength and that last longer than other companies’. During my seven weeks at the plant, I
worked in the technology lab where I had the chance to see all the different types of raw
materials that go into making a tire. I also oversaw all the different test methods that thecompany performs on the raw materials to see if they are suitable for production. I learned
about the different parts of a tire, the tire making
162 process, incoming raw material evaluation
process, testing of incoming raw materials, and testing of in process materials. Once I had thatknowledge, I wrote a report which I had to present on my last day. Besides working in the lab
we also had the chance to engage with the community. We collaborated with the departmentof social and environmental sustainability and went to see different places that Apollo is
involved with. This includes a pond that they built, clean water that people can receive,playgrounds for children, and so much more.

A playground completely made out ofold tires for children to play on

The entrance of the
manufacturing plant161

Alexis Tellez
India

Visiting the Taj Mahal

Children wearing South
Indian traditional wear

Value Derived from the Experience: When I first arrived in India, I was immediately
overwhelmed by all the people, the traffic, and the heat. Over time I fell in love with the culture,
the people , and ultimately the country. I learned to never be afraid to try new things. There
were foods that I did not know at all what it was, but I still ate it. I also found new ways tocommunicate with the native people since there was a language barrier. When it came to
exploring and seeing things that were unfamiliar, I learned to ask many questions because asking
questions allowed me to learn more about the culture. I learned to be happy even with the little
things, such as conversations and small gestures. At work I would converse with the native
people and I would leave so happy because I had the chance to not only learn more about India,
but happy because I had friends that I could talk to about anything and even laugh with. People
in India have very little. There are children who do not wear shoes, there are people who live intiny huts, people who do not have bathrooms, however, the Indian people are happy with what
they have and that is something that I value so much. I have not witnessed that being in
America. Even though the people in India have little, they are willing to risk what they have forsomeone else. For example, as I was leaving a school, a little boy stopped me and told me to
wait. I waited and he came to me and handed me a pen. Something so small, but it meant somuch. Seeing how little resources these students have and that he was willing to give it up as a
gift made me really emotional. I have ultimately gained the value of appreciating what I have. It
was a day that I would never forget and it literally opened my eyes.

163Nathalye Terrero-Martinez
FranceP.C. Rossin College ofEngineering andApplied Science
Bioengineering

University of
Bordeaux
Researcher

Company and Position Description: In the University of Bordeaux, I worked in a graduate
school called the Institut d’Optique Graduate School but in a research unit called Laboratoire
Photonique Numérique and Nanosciences (LP2N). In this research unit, the researchers are
specializing in 3D culturing and creating imaging techniques and equipment to analyze andmeasure the 3D cultured cells. For the eight weeks that I worked there, I would help a PhD
student to prepare for his experiment by creating microfluidic devices that were used and tohelp with the small set-up. I also separated and took care of a cell line called mouse preadipocytes, so that I can perform experiments to look at their proliferation rate anddifferentiation. As a side project, I helped to fix a 3D printer that I had worked with previously.

This equipment is what wasused to create 3D cultured cells

The hooded area where I worked toseparate and grow my cells as well as
perform my experiments with the cells

164Nathalye Terrero-Martinez
FranceMiroir d'eau (Water Mirror) is a
palace where a 1 inch layer ofwater is on the ground creating amirror-like effect onto the palace

The Louvre Pyramid (Pyramide
du Louvre) where underneathlies beautiful artworks
including the Mona Lisa

Value Derived from the Experience: After traveling to a country that I had not had
experience with, it made me have a similar experience as people that immigrate to America
without knowing the language. Thankfully, there were a lot of people that spoke English andwere patient with me, but that is not always the case for people that move to the United Statesand do not know English. Even though I am pretty good with Spanish, this experience inspired
me to want to learn another language like American Sign Language; that way I can help people
like other people were able to help me in France. Personally, there is a huge culture shift
between the United States and France. I like the fact that the public transportation system wasso easy and convenient that people would much rather take the train, bus, bike, skateboard,roller-skate and even walk, than to drive to work. In the U.S., I feel as though the public
transportation is not efficient or not nearly so helpful that I would rather take a car, which is ahuge waste of government money and could help me save money. The buildings in Bordeaux
were beautiful and very historical; I learned a lot about them by asking my colleagues about
them and took tours on them. I hope that I would be able to go back again and learn more about
the culture and the country.

165

Kathy Trinh
Ireland
College of Arts
and Science
Cognitive Science

University Collegeof Dublin
Research InternCompany and Position Description: The internship was at University College of Dublin (orUCD) and, more specifically, the neuropsychology and baby brains lab in the psychology
department. The professor I worked with was Dr. Michelle Downes, and her research consistedof investigating the assessment and development of executive functions in typical developingchildren as well as those who have sickle cell disease and/or ADHD using
electroencephalography, eye-tracking, and behavioral methods. I was able to help with theinvestigation of how attention develops in context of everyday life for infants with ADHD andwithout ADHD. The programs and assessments such as SPSS, Bayley’s Assessment Scoring,
Preschool Executive Task Assessment (aka PETA) were learned during the internship along withhow to understand EEGs and eye-tracking. The method of assessment that was developed by
Dr. Downes and her colleague called PETA was used to identify executive deficits of preschool
students using an ecological approach to have earlier intervention. I was able to learn theassessment in order to double score the results that were already obtained.

Our lab door at UCD to the roomthat encompasses EEGs and eye
tracking machines.

Setting up for the Bailey’s
Assessment Testing.

166

Kathy Trinh
IrelandThis is a scenic view
from Howth.

Hike around the Carrick-a-Rede
Rope Bridge.

Value Derived from the Experience: The opportunity of going to Dublin, Ireland reallyhelped me realize that going abroad does not change you in a way that is blatant. It’s a slow
trickle of water that slips into the crack of a rock and over time is seen as a major facet of therock. In comparison, the rock represents the foundation of culture and ideals that I’ve had beingin America. Learning more about emigrations and the history of Ireland gives new perspective on
the ideals that were ingrained into me as a child. The experience with the program has helped
me build on my ability of networking and independence. I was able to grow in having a deeper
understanding of graduate research and methods which has helped me grow academically aswell as professionally. The environment of learning created an opportunity for me to accept
mistakes not as failures but as opportunities to learn. I was able to grow in a more fluid structureof learning which correlated with the adaptability of traveling abroad, and I began to realize how
I could easily connect with those around me. Overall, the experience was one that I would
cherish forever, because it was a pivotal moment in my life where I was able to expand myunderstanding of the world and become fully aware of my independence and value as a global
citizen.

167

Croldy Veliz
Barcelona, Spain
College of Arts andSciences
Biology and Health,
Medicine & Society

IES Abroad
InternReceptionist

Company and Position Description: Over the Summer I interned at the Turo Park Medical
Center in Barcelona. I was trained as a receptionist and handled the Nova Clinic database whichcontains all the patients’ medical records as well as the patient agenda. I handled patient
check-in as well as assisted in the sterilization of medical equipment. I helped communicate
with patients via phone or email in order to help them schedule appointments or release their
x-rays and medical results. This job requires some level of Spanish knowledge as well as English,
as the Turo Park Medical Center caters to the tourist population.

Turo Park Medical Center’s
receptionist Katia (right)

Last day at the Turo Park
Medical Center with dental
assistant Andrea (left)

168

Croldy Veliz
Barcelona, Spain

Dinner with co-workers in
Turo Parc
View of the ruins in
Tarragona
Value Derived from the Experience: This internship has truly changed my life. I obtained
the amazing opportunity to work alongside such hard-working and dedicated people who havehelped me grow into a more independent and social person. Not only did I grow personally, but
professionally, as I was able to observe the growth of a new start-up medical center and its datasystem. I learned the importance of keeping and updating patient records in order to maximize
efficiency as well as patient check-ups. This experience has helped me gain valuable knowledge
that I will use in the future when I decide to open up my own clinic.

169

Jean-Pierre Villamar
Montenegro
College of Arts andSciences
International
Relations

American Councils
for International
Education
Teaching/
Programming InternCompany and Position Description:
American Councils for International Education is a U.S. State Department endorsed programthat hopes to spread education to countries all over the world. The American Corner inPodgorica, Montenegro is affiliated with the US Embassy in Montenegro and consistently
educates the citizens of Montenegro. As an intern, I helped locals with English, SAT preparation,
and any questions they may have had regarding America. I also gave more than fivepresentations on American culture and helped build a website for the Corner. Aside from
helping in the capital city of Podgorica, I also had the privilege to travel to other American
Corners in Cetinje and Pljevlja frequently. Most of the help I provided was outside of the officein the city at schools helping with workshops and volunteering.

Guitar workshop withstudents

Helping to paint a muralat a local school

170

Jean-Pierre Villamar
Montenegro

Flag of Montenegro in Kotor Bay

Sunset in Ulcinj Bay

Value Derived from the Experience: The experience I had in Montenegro was incredibly
rewarding professionally and personally. Professionally, it is very critical for my future goals tounderstand the differences in international work settings. I plan on working for the State
Department someday and this experience provided me with working experience alongsideambassadors and diplomats in a European country. Having the ability to directly contact thesepeople will be invaluable as I work towards my goals. Personally, I was able to truly be
independent for two months. I learned things about myself that I did not realize before, including
how much I love walking around cities! But the most rewarding takeaway from this internshipwere the relationships I built with people. From my host family, to the local kids I playedbasketball with, to the workers at the American Corner, I made connections that will last alifetime. I now know that I have another family across the Atlantic Ocean!

171

Donterrius Walker
Dublin, IrelandCollege of Arts
and Sciences
Africana Studies

Cuala, NY
Documentarian

Company and Position Description:
Cuala, NY is a non-profit organization started by the Grammy-award winning artist Susan
Mckeown with the purpose of giving back to her country of Ireland. She found that young
females and young males in Ireland have the highest suicidal rates among European countries
and she wanted to do something about it. Therefore, she created this organization to be able
to give back to young children, specifically the ones who are from low-income communities,
and allow them to express themselves through the arts. I was a Cultural Facilitator and theDocumentarian within the organization. I was responsible for filming and creating short films
for 4 the different locations that we visited during our 7 weeks together.

Met and talked with Hozier after
group meeting with my boss

Group photo with the girls we were
working with in Letterkenny

172

Donterrius Walker
Dublin, Ireland

Image of the Dublin River andCenter City of Dublin

Image of the open land wewere surrounded by whileworking at Letterkenny

Value Derived from the Experience:
I came here to improve my resume within music production; however, I ended up leaving thisexperience with a much greater understanding of myself and a lot more wisdom about life. This
opportunity and my placement, specifically, have led me in the right direction to develop myself
and improve upon the way I approach things in life. I am very grateful for this opportunity andwill use the knowledge that I have gained to the betterment of myself and my loved ones
around me. Also, I have come to realize that I should make the most out of every experiencethat I have in life. For instance, one event that was meaningful and informative was our “dayoff” on June 28th. The reason why this was so meaningful was because that day was only
supposed to be a one-hour meeting with the team and back to my dorm to relax type of day;however, my boss insisted that I should stay with her as she is going to different places. I did andas a result I was able to meet and have a great conversation with (musician) Hozier, discover thismagnificent artist who’s art pieces were displayed at this small art gallery, and attend an Irish
hip-hop concert. Please note that not everyone’s experience will be like mine, but I would advise
everyone to come with an open mind and be willing to do what you weren’t expecting to do.
You'll never know what you will get out of it.

173

Hannah Yahraus
Lithuania
College of Arts andSciences
Science,Technology, andSocietyTransparency
International
InternCompany and Position Description:
Transparency International Lithuania is an anti-corruption organization working to promotetransparency throughout the public and private sectors. Their initiatives have included
whistleblower protections, a place for Parliamentarians to document their meetings withinterest groups, and even work with young students to promote transparency early in life. Theirwork also includes a focus in healthcare, and how to reduce bribes between doctors andpatients. The Transparency School on Integrity is a week-long, intensive conference that gathers
young leaders from across the world to Mykolas Romeris University in Vilnius. There, theseleaders from both the private and public sectors hear from professionals working on anticorruption efforts. It also offers an excellent networking opportunity to strengthen a culture oftransparency and anti-corruption across the world. Due to these efforts, Transparency
International Lithuania serves as a model for other anti-corruption organizations across theworld.

Last day of work!

Learning in lectures at theTransparency School

174

Hannah Yahraus
Lithuania

View of Vilnius

Midsummer Celebration

Value Derived from the Experience:
I never expected to ever end up in a country like Lithuania. When I first arrived, everything wasstrange and new. Now, looking back, I view every second with so much joy and familiarity. Neverbefore have I had the opportunity to work in an office, and I was very lucky to be placed withsuch passionate and dedicated people. This is a standard I will search for in the future, as I
progress in my career. Knowing that much of the larger Transparency International organization
looks to Lithuania as a model, I understand this to be a model that works. Pulling together ateam of passionate individuals who love their work is important. I am so glad I was able towitness this firsthand.
Through my life in independently exploring Vilnius and knowing my way around with confidence,
and also being able to work with such wonderful people, this Iacocca internship has opened myeyes to what it might mean to be on my own, working, in a new city. The start was a little
difficult, but once I pushed myself beyond my comfort zone, so many doors opened up thatallowed me to better understand what the future might hold.

175

Jacy Yang
Shanghai, China
LinkproCustomized InternshipIntegrated Businessand Engineering
Industrial & Systems
Engineeringand Finance
Company and Position Description:

I worked at a small start-up company called Linkpro. Their goal is to make manufacturing easy
for other companies. In simple words, Linkpro links up manufacturing clients who need c-parts
to manufacturing suppliers who make c-parts. C-parts are the nuts and bolts that go into a
manufacturing product. They take up seventy to eighty percent of time and money, but they are
the minor parts of the full product. Because of that, many companies outsource because they
do not want to spend so much time and money for a minor part; they would rather focus on
the bigger parts. To help others understand the concept more, I usually relate it to bigger, more
known companies such as Amazon or Taobao (the Amazon of China). Linkpro works the same
way as companies like them in strictly the process aspect. Manufacturing client companies
would reach out to Linkpro and request different c-parts, and it is our company’s job to find theright suppliers, order the parts, quality check the parts, and send it off to the clients all within aperiod of time. At the company, my main job was to create the Linkpro Operation Guidelinesthat would be used by future employees. I created workflows (or flowcharts of certain
processes), website guidance for programs such as Trello and Evernote, and more.

At the company office. It only
fits four employees and aconference table, but it’s quite
spacious still.

In a building that holds our office as well as
a lot of other companies and offices.
176

Jacy Yang
Shanghai, China

Went to Chengdu to see pandas!
(Yes, I got to touch one.)

Walking around the bund atnight.

Value Derived from the Experience:
Because I can speak Chinese and visited China a lot in the past to see my relatives, there was notmuch of a culture shock for me. However, since I have never been to Shanghai, I got to explore
the area a lot with the other students I was with. In the past, it always felt like I was an outside
tourist; however this time, I actually got to live there for two months and feel like I was truly
immersing myself in the culture. By the end of my abroad experience, I was very familiar withthe subway routes near me, and I knew where to get food I was craving like bubble tea, Shanghai
dumplings, fried rice, or this amazing scrambled egg dish. I crave very random food, I know, buthey, if there’s one thing you should know, it’s that food from China tastes incredible.
Although Shanghai has given me professional experience that I can carry into my future,something more valuable that I took away from interning abroad is the personal understanding I
gained with not only myself but also the world around me. I am very grateful that I got toimprove myself both personally and professionally and learn more about China and its culture,and I cannot wait until the next time I get to travel abroad.

177

Eunice You
Japan
College of Arts andScience
Pharmaceutical
Science

NITechResearch InternCompany and Position Description:
At Nagoya Institute of Technology, I researched under Dr. Dewa. Under one of the masterstudents there, I helped with her research with photosynthetic bacteria called Rhodobacter
sphaeroides. The goal is to efficiently harvest the energy from the photosynthetic bacteria.
Within this species, there is a protein complex of interest called a light harvesting complex, also
known as LH2. In my research, we mainly focused on the C-terminal of the protein. In order toensure that the C-terminal is targeted, the protein would be mutated to become LH2-C-Cys. By
conjugating a fluorescent dye, such as Alexa647, it is possible that LH2-C-Cys can absorb otherwavelengths and produce more energy through energy transfer. As a Research Intern, I would
help with the experimental procedure. For example, I would help with centrifugation and anion
exchange chromatography, which help to ensure the purity of our sample. I also helped withsetting up SDS-PAGE electrophoresis, which I would also help with analyzing the data andcompiling it so it would be easier to read and understand. After compiling and analyzing thedata, I would write or verbally give a report to the professor and to the master student. My
internship also included a presentation at the end where the other interns and I would present
what research we have done during our time at NITech to other professors and laboratories.
This internship has given me the opportunity to work professionally in a laboratory setting andgave me an inside view as to what research as a career would be like.

Dewa Laboratory

Final Presentation at NITech178

Eunice YouJapan

At the peak of Mt. Fuji
Wearing a Kimono at
Fushimi-inari in Kyoto
Value Derived from the Experience:
Personally, Japan has been a country of interest for me since I was a child. I grew up with a lot ofJapanese influence due to my culture and my parents’ friends. My perception of Japan before
this internship has always been of one filled with tradition, conservatism, and kindness.
However, Japan is more complex than that. The country is proud of their traditions and they
make an effort to teach it to the younger generations. The younger generation take theirtradition and make it work with modern trends and ideas. Tradition and modernism successfully
coexist in this country. For example, if one walks through the streets of Tokyo, one can find theiconic Senso-ji with its lucky red lantern as the scent of incense wafts down the street. Acrossthe street, there are stores selling merchandise relating to Japanese pop culture like Pokemonor J-pop like AKB48. Another example could be a traditional tea house not only serving matcha
tea, but matcha ice cream as well. This has taught me to not just see things as they are on thesurface, but to really dig deep and observe.
Professionally, the Dewa Lab at NITech has taught me how passion and hard work really go along way. For many people in the laboratory I researched in, their research is their passion.
Because it is their passion, this fuels them to work hard and if something fails, they get back up
to try again. They taught me that mistakes are inevitable and to not be afraid to try again. Before
this internship, I was unsure of what I wanted to do in the future and was afraid of making
mistakes. However, my lab members and professor have taught me valuable lessons that havepushed me to confidently decide on the field I want to work in. The skills and knowledge I havelearned at this internship will become my strengths as I pursue my field of interest.

179

Amanda Youngblood
South Africa
College of Businessand Economics
Marketing &Management

Addon DigitalMarketingSocial Media
Associate

Company and Position Description:
Addon Digital Marketing Agency was started five years ago by my supervisor, Adrienne
McCarthy. I was the eighth employee, and the office is in the Central Business District of Cape
Town. Graphic designers and social media managers collaborate to create advertisements fortheir clients. Addon has around 40 clients that range from a chocolate company, to a cocktail
company, to a watch company. The services they provide include social media marketing, email
marketing, and website design. My role at Addon was to oversee the advertising for one of
their clients. My client owned five commercial malls, and I had to create five advertisements foreach mall per month. I collaborated with graphic designers and created those ads. I thenscheduled them for publishing, promoted them, and then reported on their performance. I also
learned how to build websites. I rebuilt Addon’s website, as well as other client websites. I
learned an incredible amount about marketing, and I am grateful for the time I spent at Addon.

The two newest members at
Addon, Frank and me.

With my coworkers at Girl
Geek Dinner.

180

Amanda Youngblood
South Africa

The beautiful view of Hout Bay inCape Town.
Feeding elephants at awild game reserve.
Value Derived from the Experience:
Before I left for Cape Town, I set goals for what I wanted to get out of the program. I wanted to
be open-minded and develop my strengths professionally and personally. One of my identified
strengths is adaptability, and I am proud of how I was adaptable throughout my experience. I had
to learn how to operate at the digital marketing agency I worked at, and also adapt to varying
personality types of my coworkers. I adapted to a new city by learning their public
transportation, norms, food, and local slang. I went into the internship with very few
expectations, which allowed me to experience South Africa as genuinely as I could. I also wanted
to push my comfort zone while in Cape Town. I did this right away by eating ostrich as my first
meal. I pushed myself professionally, as well. I usually avoid networking, but when I had theopportunity in Cape Town, I networked enthusiastically. Because I was open-minded, I was able
to grow and learn an incredible amount during my time in Cape Town, South Africa.

181

Emma Zachary
China
College of Arts
and Sciences
Developmental
Psychology

Xie Fei Education
谢飞教育English Teacher

Company and Position Description:
Xie Fei Education (谢飞教育) is an organization that oversees summer schools and after-school
programs that are located in different areas of Shanghai. These programs foster and enhance
the primary education of students from grades Pre-K to high school. The schools cover a myriadof subjects that prepare the students for the next grade level, and become comfortable withthe respective work load. In China, the education system becomes very competitive at a young
age. The top schools (even the elementary schools) require students to take an entry-exam totest their knowledge before they are admitted. Therefore, it is imperative that students keep up
with their studies. The goal of Xie Fei Education is to give the students the best education
possible to prepare them for their primary school exams and ultimately, the Gao Kao, which isthe college-entry exam, and the most important exam in China. My internship primarily
consisted of teaching English to students in grades Pre-K to 4th. The CEO of the company
expressed his excitement about how this internship would not only teach us, the interns,
valuable skills, but also give the company insight into how lessons are taught in the American
culture. Therefore, through this internship, not only did I develop leadership, organization, andevent-planning skills, I was also able to observe and appreciate another culture’s education
system.

At the office!

Teaching 3rd grade new
vocab words

182

Emma Zachary
China

Volunteering at the Dujiangyan
Panda base in Chengdu, China

Sitting on the glass floor of
Shanghai’s Pearl Tower

Value Derived from the Experience:
This abroad experience has allowed me to grow tremendously in many aspects of life, such associally, professionally and culturally. I believe that the largest takeaway from this experience forme was being able to appreciate different cultures. While gaining work experience is great for
professional growth, it is important while you are abroad to completely immerse yourself in theculture around you and accept all of the differences, which I believe I successfully did. I believethat I gained a lot of independence during this experience, and was very impressed with myconfidence in navigating my way around China (such as using the metro system, or practicing mylanguage skills with the locals). This experience also allowed me to learn a lot about myself. For
example, going off to college made me believe that I was an adaptable person and accepting ofchange, but this experience confirmed that idea and increased my confidence in believing that I
can take on any obstacle that comes my way. Regarding professional growth, this internship not
only gave me a preview of what life in the education system could be like, but also taught mevaluable skills, such as leadership, organizational skills, and classroom management.
I am so thankful for the Iacocca Internship Program, and the unforgettable experience that it
gave to me. I gained professional experience, made friends who I will reminisce with forever,improved my language skills, and fell in love with China. I feel as though this experience has
made me appreciate the world around me more, and I look forward to exploring all of itsdifferent cultures with an open mind.

183

Faculty/Staff Acknowledgements
Thank you to the Lehigh University Faculty and Staff who created opportunities forsmall group programs. Their efforts went above and beyond their responsibilities tothe university and they took the time to prepare and lead a group of students throughtheir international internship experience.
Dr. Cheryl Matherly (Vice President & Vice Provost International Affairs)
President Simon (visiting Iacocca Interns on site and promoting the program throughhis popular Instagram feed)

Faculty/Staff Program Leaders:
Samantha Dewalt; India
Lori Herz; Israel
Jack Lule; Italy
Cameron McCoy; NetherlandsMark Noble; Uganda
Daniel Ou-Yang; France
Dimitrios Vavylonis; Japan

Special thanks to the IIIP Steering Committee:
Lia Assad (Lee Iacocca’s daughter)Paul Brockman (Professor, Finance and Law)
Marie-Helene Chabut (Professor, Modern Languages and Literatures)
Carol Ham (Director, International Internships)
Lori Kennedy (Director, Career Services)Robert Storer (Co-Director, Industrial and Systems Engineering)Tamas Terlaky (Professor, Industrial and Systems Engineering)184

Thank you to the donors who make this program possible!

Trisha S. ‘11G andJames J. Alexy ‘16P

Gloria H. and Michael G.
Bolton '65 '67G '94PWilliam A. Draper Jr. '65

Alexis L. Haggert ’18

Harry B. Levine '56 '91P

Barbara and Ronald
Muse ‘06P

Megan K. and Charles E.
Stevens

Evita and Jefferson F.
Allen ‘67 ‘97P

Elizabeth T. Brinkman ’88

Patricia and Stewart Early'66 '96P

Julia W. ‘87 ‘21P and
Raymond G. Held ‘85‘21P

Hilary J. Lewis ’11

Sarah J. Muse ’06

Alex P. Tamm '12

Anonymous

Yutong Chang ‘17G

Jennifer Satz Enslin andJeffrey D. Enslin '88

June W. and Leon C. Holt
'48 '85P through the Holt
Family Foundation

I. Henry Lewis '63

Minh B. Nguyen ‘18

Patricia M. and Lawrence
J. Tamm '12P

Susan K. Archer ’82

Jane L. Johnston andTimothy G. Chelius ‘16P

Yiyi N. and John C. Evans'66

Katherine J. Howlin '16

Alice E. and Howard T.
Lieberman

Rene Obregon '97P

Ronni and Arthur C.
Tauck Jr. '53 '79P

Kevin E. Augustyn ’17

Maria L. ‘87 and John R.
Chrin ‘85 ‘86 ‘10P

Nadine S. Elsayed ’18

Linda P. Huber '80

Emily M. Linderman

Noah O. Ongoro '14

The Freeman Foundation

Becton Dickinson

Kieren E. Connor ’16

Charlene Y. Fergus ’99

Lee A. Iacocca'45 '69H '17GP

Victor Lopez-Balboa

Kristin C. Perry '93

Cheryl A. and Paul D.
Thomas '78

Elizabeth and Joseph J.
Bailey ‘80 ‘14P

Joan and Curts Cooke‘58 ‘82P ‘15GP

Nikola and Todd M.
Freeman ‘82 ‘15P

The Iacocca Foundation

Sharon O. and James R.
Maida '85 '17P '19P

Donald R. Phillips '84

Christine and Vincent R.
Volpe Jr. '80 '81

Barbara and David M.
Baldwin ’51

Doreen M. and Bryan A.
Costantino '14P '16P

Wayne D. Freese '59

Ingersoll-Rand Company

Rachael M. Martel ’16

Bonnie L. and Frank T.
Pratt '65 '66G '03P

Evan R. Vormund ’18

Christina E. Bauer ’15

Gretchen F. Cusick

Linda L. and Peter M.
GilbertBrodi D. Jackson
Borchardt '98 and
Gregory C. Borchardt

Haley G. Maruschak '15

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Laurence J. Walsh '92

Jessica M. DeSantis-Berg‘03 andJonathan J. Berg ’03

Amanda L. and John R.
Day '98

Stephen F. Goldmann '66

Christopher W. Kohler'08

Hannah and James D.
Miller '64 '67G '87P '90P

Seneca S. Rasey '17

Ryan L. White '14

Beverly and Harold P.
Bitler ‘64

Claudia De Dougherty
and Eugene T. Dougherty'87 '12P

Christine and Steven H.
Goldthwaite '87

Kelsey LaBosco '16

David A. Morrison ’18

Kathryn Y. and Alan G.
Rieper '62

Arielle K. Willett '15

Lauren E. Bloch ’10

Marianna R. Deal '16P

Oscar J. Gomez '18

Matthew M. Lambert ’18

Amy L. Moyer ‘12

Ilyana Sangadzhyieva

Huan Xie '17

Kim and Robert W.
Bohny ’84

Terri R. and Charles J.
Delaney '81

Judy and Donald M.
Gruhn '49

Allison L. Land '88 '19P

Ann C. '91G and Vincent
G. Munley'74 '02P '04P '05P

Casey L. Snyder ‘18

Angela K. Young '17
Deborah E. Zajac '97

For Additional Information: http://global.lehigh.edu/internships
Carol Ham, Program Director: csh205@lehigh.edu(610) 758-3467

OFFICE OF
INTERNATIONALAFFAIRS