Video: London Internship Students Discuss Experiences
Last week, four London Internship students sat down with Arcadia in London Staff to discuss their experiences in a taped interview, which is now available on YouTube. There were several common themes about the program that the students identified positively, including appreciation for London as a city and the type of rigorous programming that Arcadia offers there.
Among those interviewed was Stephanie Burrell, a marketing student at Providence College. Stephanie’s internship placement was in the office of Halpern, a strategic PR and communications consultancy. At first, she says the adjustment period was difficult because she wasn’t sure what to expect. “Now that I realize what London is, my expectations are through the roof. I love it so much and it’s more than I ever could have imagined. I don’t want to leave.”
The city of London itself was of particular benefit to Ben Cole, an Economics student at Denison University. Doing a worthwhile internship with a large bank in the financial capital of the world was of huge benefit to him, allowing him to learn the hands-on technical aspect of his area of study.
When it came to their favorite parts of their internships, multiple students cited the fact that none of their placements gave them menial tasks like making coffee or copying. Liz McNeal of Messiah College worked in the Marketing and PR department of the Ritz London, writing blog posts and handling their social media accounts. She greatly appreciated the fact that her employers trusted her to manage their web activity.
Alicia Burke, a GWU student interning with the office of Labour MP Ian Lucas through Arcadia’s London Parliamentary Internship program, says that her employers make an effort to help her get the most out of her placement. Her day to day tasks include writing a news roundup, doing research at the House of Commons Library, and representing her boss at meetings that he cannot attend. “The people in my office treat me as a co-worker, rather than just an intern, so I feel like I’m doing work of value.”