Ariana Martinez - Broward College student and winner of the Armstrong International Internship Grant
"I also hope to gain cross-cultural skills that will help me communicate with those who are different from me" - Annie Villalta
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (PRWEB) June 22, 2020
5 high achieving students from Broward College (Florida) will complete a 1-month Virtual Internship this summer, after receiving funding from the Armstrong International Internship Grant exclusively offered to Broward College students. The Grant was funded by David Armstrong, former president of Broward College and current board advisor to Virtual Internships. His grant will cover the program fee for the 5 selected recipients to intern with an internationally-based company through Virtual Internships’ program.
The 5 awarded students include:
Ariana Martinez, a film major
William Zachary Dean, a biology major
Annie Villalta, a rising senior at College Academy High School planning to major in political science or economics
Kyle Ozuna, an international relations major
Gia Marquez, a chemical and biomedical engineering major
Recent Virtual Internship program participants have been placed with global small-to-medium enterprises (SME’s) and nonprofits, such as Karen Hilltribes Trust - a community-based organization supporting the Karen people of Thailand.
“Internships provide students with valuable workplace skills and experience for their future careers,” said Armstrong. “Through Virtual Internships, these students will also receive global and international business experience that should enhance their world view and career opportunities. The students at Broward College receive an outstanding academic experience, and these diverse grant recipients will no doubt improve their life and work experience through their internships.”
Due to COVID-19, 2020 has seen a massive push towards remote working for employees and interns alike. Organizations such as Google, Apple, Amazon, and Facebook will host thousands of worldwide interns through remote and virtual internships this year.
“I feel very honored to have won this scholarship as it helps me participate in a wonderful opportunity to work in the field I eventually want to have a career in,” says Martinez of winning the scholarship.
About starting his internship, Ozuna says he is “most excited to put into action lessons that I have been taught and apply them into the real world. Also, [I’m excited for] the opportunity to be able to step out of my comfort zone to try something new.”
“I am excited to meet professionals with completely different cultures than myself, to begin to learn how they think. I think meeting people is wonderful, especially people who are so different than I am and who are also professionals within their fields. I think the most exciting part will be making lifelong connections with other respected professionals in my field,” says Dean.
When asked what she hopes to accomplish during her internship, Villalta says, “I hope to gain work skills that will potentially boost my employability. I also hope to gain cross-cultural skills that will help me communicate with those who are different from me.”
“I’d like to increase my skills in written communication and problem-solving as well as mastering software and platforms relevant to my career field. Be able to adapt and gain an international perspective and most importantly, be able to demonstrate my potential as a Dominican Woman in STEM,” says Marquez.
Virtual Internships is grateful for its partnership with Broward College and its fundamental belief in the positive outcomes of academic and professional development programs of international nature. Additionally, we thank David Armstrong for his vision and generous support, allowing more students to have the opportunity to gain professional and international experience.
About Virtual Internships
In addition to these 5 students from Broward College, Virtual Internships will be supporting over 1,000 students from around the world to complete a remote international internship this summer. Students wanting to gain global work experience can complete an internship from the comfort of their own home, working 20-30 hours per week for 1-3 months. Virtual Internships’ program follows the highly-regarded National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Career Readiness Competencies framework.
High school students can also access the program through Virtual Internships Foundations programming, which is a structured 4-week part-time internship and career-exploration experience. Those interested in learning more can visit Virtual Internships' Website