Twenty international students – from Sweden, Mexico, Germany and Australia – will soon be departing New Paltz after a two-month stay during which they studied marketing and public relations. They will go next to spend two months working as interns in New York City at some of the city’s largest companies and agencies.
The students were here as part of the Institute for International Business’ program that brings nearly forty students a year to the campus to study before they leave for internships. The IIB “prepares students and young professionals for employment in a global business environment through studies and internships,” explains Beth Vargas, director of International Student Programs in the Center for International Programs.
Vargas added that she hopes the international students would “gain an understanding of the United States and the people here that is richer and more accurate than what is typically portrayed in our movies and other media.”
Professor Robert Miraldi is part of the public relations course for the IIB students. “America has various things to offer students from other countries,” he explains. “One of them is that our systems of public relations and marketing are so advanced and sophisticated. We want students to learn how to bring back the skills we can teach.”
“Like most young people, I am searching for a challenging job that fits my specific abilities and interests,” says IIB student Julius Leib, 24, from Aachen, Germany. He adds, “New York is the perfect spot to gain insight into economic strategies and processes, which I consider to be of utmost importance for a student of economic matters.”
Dave Martin, 24, from Melbourne, Australia, is also in the IIB program to gain experience. “I’ll use what I’ve done here to help me find a good job that I enjoy, am passionate about and one that I can hopefully make a difference in,” he says. Martin is in his final year at Victoria University where he’s worked for two years as editor of the university’s student magazine.
“I hope to gain experience and knowledge from the classes and internship,” says Priscila Faz, 21. She’s also looking forward to having “a wonderful time living in the beautiful city of New York.” She plans on finishing her degree in Communication when she returns to her home in Monterrey, Mexico.
“The experience of living in small-town New Paltz and then doing an internship in New York City – well, that is a special experience in itself,” says Dr. Miraldi. “We hope [the students] go home understanding America better and having enhanced skills to benefit their careers and their countries.”
International students have been coming to the college every fall and spring to participate in this program for more than 20 years. It is taught by faculty from the School of Business and the Department of Communication and Media.
