Internship Coursework Example

Internship with International Student Department (Reflection Paper)
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Internship with International Student Department (Reflection Paper)
When asked to reflect on my just completed internship at International Student Department, the first thing that comes to mind is the vast experience and great amount of knowledge I acquired from it. Among the most interesting things learnt was the student admission vetting and selection process. Most international students go through the admission process but never get to understand exactly what happens behind the scenes. The student department has always been at the center of criticisms on its unbiased way of selecting universal scholars yet very little thought is given to the tremendous effort that those who work there put in to give each potential learner a fair chance. Having gone through the various sections and tasks conducted by the division, I not only gained information but also got to realize that the International student department actually has the students’ interest at the core of its operations.
Most of my experience was acquired at the front desk where I participated in helping students with any issues they had such as vacation and enrolment requirements, insurance, and making appointments with advisers. As a student, I found it particularly thrilling to be of help to fellow academicians. One thing that came out clearly was that, it is not until one gets to be in a given situation that they better understand it.

I have always heard a couple of friends complaining about how slow and ineffective the department could be in dealing with students’ issues. Contrary to the belief, I learnt that there are more issues that get handled in comparison to the ones that never do. The major challenge that slows down operations is the overwhelming number of applications that the section often has to deal with at a particular rime.
International admission was one area that I was mainly enthusiastic about upon beginning the internship, however due to lack of support; I only got to learn little about it. The problem as I came to realize, was that my presence at the station overshadowed the front desk staff and made them feel threatened. On the brighter side, I got to understand that admissions are received at the front desk for an over view check if applicants requirements have been met. The admissions go through a couple of stages to increase the credibility of the process.
Apart from the slight set back, the rest of the internship was more accomplishing. I got to learn of the scholarship awarding processes and the shipment of recruitment positions. I attended meetings including the cultural diversity meeting alongside a panel that constituted the international department that I represented. During the meeting, I found out that international students ought to have a direct online account and personal profile that is operational for them to be easily accessible to international colleges admitting.
The internship was not entirely tied to office work. Once in a while, we got to go out with the couple of other staff’s for a conference, seminar, or training. One such occasion was the AWISA conference that I was privileged to attend. The conference offered me an opportunity to network with other people in the same field from other colleges and universities. I exchanged contacts and made acquaintances that may be of help for my career in future. According to Parikh (2016), networking is an essential professional skill. I got valuable information on the importance of professionalism. The internship was a great and an eye-opening experience.
References
Parikh, J. (2016). Why professional networking is so important. Pulse. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-professional-networking-so-important-jordan-parikh