Global Internship Conference 2014

For the third consecutive year, Connect-123 attended the Global Internship Conference, an industry must for both service providers and universities. The conference took place in the beautiful city of Toronto and it was my first time visiting this great city! The main event was hosted on the University of Toronto campus, at the Hart House Great Hall where we attended talks, presentations and lovely networking lunches. I was impressed by the building’s architecture and ambiance, with super tall ceilings, chandeliers and the charm of a Harry Potter-like movie dining room!

Hart House at Hogwarts University of Toronto

The schedule was jam packed with sessions focusing on the most relevant questions currently impacting domestic as well as international internships. At our session, Connect-123’s Cynthia Sweet, together with our partner Joanna Lazarek, Senior International Co-op Counselor, Northeastern University, discussed how to find international internship providers that best suit universities’ needs. Other sessions focused on industry best practices and visa issues. Michigan State University, another Connect-123 partner, hosted a student panel discussion, where student alumni discussed their international internship experiences, reflecting on high points and “aha moments” that influenced their perspectives on their lives and future careers.

Meeting with new and exisitng University partners

On a personal note, the conference reminded me that we are an international family of universities and program providers and, like any family, it’s important to get together regularly. Leaving the conference, I felt inspired, motivated and hungry to do more to help students take part in international experiential learning programs.

With some of the fabulous people in the Global Internships industry

I’m already looking forward to seeing our GIC family again at the 2015 conference that will be held in one of Connect-123’s program destination cities, Dublin!

photo credit: Hart Hall