Global Fairfield Update on International Internships for Spring 2022 and Beyond

As you may be aware, Global Fairfield has recently wrapped up the application cycle for semester international study.  Many of our international locations offer our students the unique opportunity to enroll in a credit bearing international internship. Over the past five years over 175 Fairfield University students have successfully participated in an internship while abroad!  This unique opportunity assists our students with developing international knowledge, skills, and abilities for the global economy. The Internship gives students:

• a chance to experience their chosen profession as it is conducted first-hand in another country,
• an understanding of a new culture and society,
• and in some cases, is an opportunity to improve one's ability to speak a foreign language.

The primary goals of an intern will be to continually seek to learn new skills and develop themselves as both individuals and as professional employees. 
 
There are three types of for-credit internship programs offered by Fairfield University.

1. Global Experience International Internship Program Global Fairfield partners with GE with both semester and summer internship opportunities. GE offers international part-time internship placements for our semester students and full-time placements for our summer students in nearly every career field imaginable.  Students will complete the Clifton StrengthsFinder®, receive career coaching from an expert and have their professional documents reviewed,  A part-time internship opportunity with GE is an option during the semester at our Center and Select programs in Barcelona, Florence, Galway, London and Madrid. 
2. Center Program and Approved Partner Program Internships: Additional internship opportunities are offered through our academic partners in select locations. Aix-en-Provence, Florence and many of our AIFS locations offers internships through their academic offerings.  The internship opportunities are for credit and are usually more specialized toward the location, language and/or specialty of the University.
3. Full time Domestic Internships – Through our study away partner, Washington Internship Institute summer or semester options.

Global Fairfield wanted to bring to our Faculty’s attention that in the coming weeks our Spring 2022 students will be interviewing with their international company and soon after presenting a placement confirmation and internship description to you for review and approval for credits. This process will continue through February as our students studying in Florence this spring will be enrolled in an 11-week semester that will begin on February 21^st. Other spring semester programs will begin in January and will continue for 15 weeks thus they should be contacting you in the coming weeks.  Below please find the standard timeline the committed interns follow. 

Fall and Spring Semester

• Applications open - October 1 – December 1, 2021
• Program Acceptance Announcement – February 1, 2022
• Commitment to International Internship – March 1, 2022
• Coaching and Internship Prep begins 3 months ahead of program start date
• Student interview, placement offer and receipt of Placement Confirmation 3 to 6 weeks prior to program start date
• Students will present faculty with Internship Placement information 3 to 6 weeks prior to program start date. (Please Note: Florence Spring 2022 semester students will begin their internship on February 21, 2022 due to the late start format)

Global Fairfield invites faculty to connect with any questions at any point in the application/placement process. Please email Patricia Pivarnik (ppivarnik@fairfield.edu) any concerns.