By collaborating with Alumni and Career Services and working with professors, students shared they had effective summer internships in different countries in Asia and the Pacific.
Through their internships, these students said they learned to prepare for their futures by building good relationships, working hard and setting good examples of the university they represent.
Building good relationships
Mark Lois Eyo, a senior from the Philippines majoring in political science and TESOL, said he did his internship at Konan University in Japan. He found his internship through BYUH alumnus Nobu Tsuda, who is a professor at Konan University, while attending an alumni career event for the TESOL society.
Eyo said, “My internship helped me gain teaching experience I really need for my future career. It was a great opportunity to apply what I learned in classes as well. I noticed that building good relationships with people you work with. . . being respectful, kind and helpful makes your teaching experience more enjoyable.”
Take advantage of internships funds
Justin Ioane, a senior from Samoa double majoring in accounting and marketing, said he did his internship in American Samoa at Blue Sky, one of the biggest telecommunication service provider companies in the Pacific Islands.
He noted he wanted to gain real-life work experience, network with people and practice methods he learned in his classes.
According to Ioane, his internship experience exceeded his expectations and helped him learn useful skills related to his majors. He advised his fellow students to be open-minded and keep your eyes open for new opportunities. “BYUH provides financial help for international internships, so use this wonderful opportunity to prepare yourself better for your future career.”
Preparing for future employment
Otgontuya Tumursukh, a junior from Mongolia majoring in conservation biology and TESOL, said she interned at the Mongolian State University of Education as a teaching assistant. She said she wanted to find out what her future career might look like in Mongolia.
Tumursukh commented, “I am very grateful to go home and gain practical experience. I did a field trip with my students and was a leading teacher to discover the Mongolian environment and animals. It was a tough but very eye-opening experience.”
Tumursukh also advised her fellow students who are preparing for internships to work hard. Exemplary work will help to build a good reputation for BYUH and lead to future employment opportunities, she said.
Two countries, two internships
Merasol Gundaya, a sophomore from the Philippines majoring in TESOL, said she completed her internship in Mongolia and the Philippines. Gundaya interned at the Oyunlag School in Mongolia as an English teacher.
She heard about this internship opportunity from her professor, Neil Anderson, who is the internship coordinator for the TESOL department. In the Philippines, she did her internship in the Arellano Elementary School.
Gundaya shared, “I did internships because I wanted to prepare myself for a real career field, to establish connections and to confirm as early as possible if TESOL is really what I wanted to do for a living.
“In Mongolia, I discovered I prefer teaching elementary students rather than high schoolers. I also learned to adjust my teaching skills to different kinds of students. In the Oyunlag School, I experienced teaching 6th, 8th, 9th and 10th graders, so I always make sure that I cater to their different needs as students.”
She advised students who are planning to do internships to be flexible. Gundaya said there was one time she prepared a lesson plan for 9th graders, but when she came to school, her cooperating teacher told her to go to the 6th graders.
“I panicked because I didn’t know what to do. Luckily, the head teacher told me to just help them to practice their songs.
“Although I was disappointed inside, I didn’t complain and enjoyed singing with the 6th graders. So prepare for the unexpected and make sure to follow through even though you did not prepare for it. Just trust in yourself.”