Starting this summer, Boston University will offer a New York City Summer Internship program, which runs for nearly 10 weeks, from early June to early August, according to the program’s webpage. Business and communications students will live and work full-time in New York City and earn four credits for their internship, said David Lamitie Jr., associate director of BU’s Study Abroad office.
“The students are placed in an internship area relevant to their interests and their degree program,” Lamitie said. “They enroll in the internship course … as they learn about the workplace environment [and] leadership.”
Gareth McFeely, executive director of the Study Abroad office, wrote in an email that the new internship program has been in the works for a while and is finally rolling out in response to a university-wide interest.
“We intend to expand offerings to most undergraduate schools/colleges in future summers, based on student interest and our ability to source appropriate internships,” McFeely wrote.
McFeely wrote that if the summer program proves to be successful, the university may offer the program during the school year.
Lamitie compared the New York City Summer Internship program to a similar program BU offers in Los Angeles, which is also a 10-week program that offers four credits. He noted the benefits of this program’s location, as he says New York City can be a tough place to find work.
“New York City has a very competitive internship market and environment,” Lamitie said. “The program can help students navigate that often-challenging environment and ensure that they find a suitable, rewarding internship.”
Lamitie stressed the importance of the support the program provides for students.
“[We evaluate if students are] maximizing the learning opportunity and the networking opportunities,” Lamitie said. “[We question] what other skills can they develop through the course, through the mentorship opportunities that are available to them.”
Lamitie said people are especially optimistic about the program’s location. He described the global network New York City can provide students, which they can utilize after graduation.
“New York City is a global capital [of] finance, communications, entertainment … you name it,” Lamitie said. “New York City is a place that offers students opportunities to build networks in a location that’s a potential and viable future place of employment.”
Compared to BU’s study abroad internship programs in Shanghai or Sydney, Lamitie said students may be more likely to stay in the domestic area after graduation and would “want to build connections not just in New York City, but in organizations in New York City that have offices and bureaus in other locations in the United States and perhaps globally.”
Several students said they were intrigued by what the new program has to offer.
Yingshihan Zhu, a freshman in the College of Communication, said she finds the internship placement to be a strong incentive for students to participate in the program.
“I think it’s great that the program would be something related to my major,” Zhu said. “That would be really helpful.”
Ahmad Hamdan, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said the program’s location can serve as a viable alternative for students who do not want to leave the country for summer programs.
“I think that there’s a big language barrier and that there’s also a cultural barrier associated with going actually abroad,” Hamdan said. “Studying abroad in a place like New York, which is relatively similar to Boston, is a good experience for people who are looking to get away, but not too far away.”
Henry Bojanowski, a CAS freshman, said although he sees the benefits of the New York City location, he would still like to travel out of the country when he eventually studies abroad.
“[New York City] is pretty close,” Bojanowski said. “I would consider doing this in addition to going [to another country].”
