Founded in 1974, Florida A&M University’s School of Business and Industry is providing a slew of international internships for some of its respective students.
The first country being looked at this upcoming year is Egypt said Dr. Lydia Mckinley-Floyd, dean of SBI. So far, students in SBI have been to countries including India, Brazil and China.
Next year, 13 students will be given the chance to intern globally and ten of them will be students from the business school.
Floyd said she hopes this will encourage more business school students to intern globally.
“[We want to] encourage all students throughout SBI to get involved,” she said.
Many students will be able to get their first chance at interning globally over spring break of next year. The students will head to China and visit various cities like Shanghai and Beijing.
Floyd said she is pleased with the students selected for the international internship. She said learning is important.
“At least twenty students during spring break will visit for ten days to learn about education business and cultural sites,” she said.
Floyd also said the trip will become an annual spring break occurrence.
“It will be sponsored by all corporate sponsors,” Floyd said. “These trips will help with the want to continue to connect with business leaders around the globe. Some of the sponsors are John Deere, J.P. Morgan, Chase, Northern Trust Bank in Chicago, amongst many others.”
Some SBI students said they are excited by the thought of traveling around the globe. Chris Wan is one such student.
Wan said students should have more experience before going into the real world. He also said he appreciates the internships.
“I think they are a great opportunity for business students because the world is becoming increasingly more global,” said Wan, a senior business administration student from West Palm Beach. “Business students need to have more experience dealing with other cultures around the world.”
Elexander Speights, another business administration student, is of the same opinion.
“I think they are amazing,” said Speights, a sophomore from Alexandria, Va., “I would love to travel the world. I came so far from Alexandria, Virginia because of the opportunities FAMU offers.”
Floyd said international business is becoming a way of life for many in the business world, increasing many companies to want employees with more experience in the field of business worldwide.
There seems to be a demand for people with more knowledge who have experience performing on the international scale. As a result, more prestigious schools are stepping up their game, including SBI.
Floyd said students in SBI should be on the look out for even more things to come their way soon. She said these opportunities are just the beginning.