Reviews

Audrey Damman

I found out about Connect-123 through my University. Due to COVID-19 I felt very lost about what my next steps were in regard to gaining experience during my undergraduate years. At first, I was hesitant to apply, as I wasn’t sure if it was right for me. Contrary to my insecurities, Connect-123 presented the support and opportunities I needed to move past my doubts. I felt so comfortable speaking with the advisors who all seemed so genuinely interested in my well-being. The relationship fostered through the program both with my advisors and my internship co-workers made my experience comfortable, and something I looked forward to. I would 100% recommend Connect-123 if you are searching for an internship because they really care.

Rachel Moore

After a semester of uncertainty and no clear summer plans, I learned about the virtual internship opportunities Connect-123 had to offer students. I was immediately drawn to learning more about Connect-123’s placement process and the internships they could offer to students. I inquired more, and I explained what my ideal internship experience would entail. Connect-123 placed me into the exact internship that I described. I am incredibly grateful for this agency and how much they value the success of all of their interns. I am so happy I found this internship through Connect-123 and that I gained this valuable experience despite the global pandemic.

Shannon Lustiber

When I first discovered I could no longer travel abroad to Cape Town due to COVID-19, I was incredibly disappointed. But the Connect-123 program handled the situation better than I could’ve hoped for, still providing me with a highly valuable and challenging internship! I was able to have an amazing opportunity to apply myself and learn new skills while developing a research proposal. I also gained valuable experience that will help guide me in my future academic and career pathways. While miles apart, I still felt highly connected and welcomed by the coordinators, other interns, and my supervisor. The program coordinators were always positive and available to help us during these uncertain times, and I am more than grateful for this virtual experience. Hopefully, I will get the chance to travel to Cape Town in the future!

Tinevimbo Takawira

Caroline Murphy

The Connect-123 team handled the unexpected changes that came with COVID-19 with grace and flexibility. Although the Summer of 2020 turned out differently than planned, I still had the opportunity to work for and connect with professionals on the other side of the world to complete an impactful internship. Connect-123 took the challenge to deliver remote internships head-on, and I'm so grateful I still had the opportunity to experience an international internship!

Kelley Laxton

In May of 2020, my dreams of interning in a different country were shattered when COVID-19 hit. All study abroad programs were canceled and many in-person internships in my hometown were postponed. When my school reached out about the Connect-123 virtual internship program, I jumped at the chance to work for an international company. Eight weeks later, I can confidently say that interning for a company in Dublin, Ireland was the best decision of my life. It can be intimidating to work for a company overseas all online but it can also provide you with skills many interns don’t have the opportunity to learn.

Shannon Wright

I was originally supposed to go to Cape Town through Connect-123. While I was disappointed when I was not able to go, Connect-123 offered me an amazing opportunity to do a virtual internship. They were able to find me the perfect internship where I was both valued and challenged. Throughout the summer, Connect-123 has hosted a variety of virtual meetings to help us excel in our internships. Not only that, but they have continuously been there for each of us to answer questions and give advice. I am extremely grateful for everyone at Connect-123 and their dedication and willingness to guide us during a unique summer.

Stacy Brehman

As an International Politics major, it has always been within my plans to find an internship internationally. Throughout my search for how to make this process as painless as possible, I ran across Connect-123 and was instantly interested. I had heard many great reviews from previous students having experiences with Connect-123, so I decided to trust their process and take a chance on an experience of a lifetime!

After working with Connect-123’s coordinators, I got paired with a gender-based violence organization in Cape Town, South Africa! However, as the world started to suffer from the COVID-19 pandemic, I was unable to travel and work in South Africa due to travel restrictions, but the staff at Connect-123 was with me through all of the challenges by providing very enhanced and creative alternate solutions. I was still able to participate in the internship remotely with the same organization where I worked on their program, workshop, and counseling development by doing lots of research and compiling information to create manuals and guides for social workers to use within their programming. While it was not the summer I had imagined, I still gained a lot of skills that will be useful in our technology-centered world going forward. Throughout the summer, Connect-123 was right there with me by providing professional development seminars and fun, cultural sessions to introduce us to our would-be destinations. I will always be grateful to the support that Connect-123 has given me through this unprecedented time.

Cheltsea Marte

Liam Tierney

Due to Covid-19, my summer plans to study abroad in Argentina were canceled. Luckily, I was able to get a great virtual internship through Connect-123. I worked with them to get placed with an Argentinian company, which has been a great company to work with. Connect-123 has been very helpful along the way, constantly checking in to make sure I’m happy with everything. They have also offered various zoom meetings and seminars which have been very helpful and applicable for my internship. I can’t speak any higher of Connect-123, they have been helpful throughout the whole process.

Anya Aidun

As a business major, I was eager to explore global markets and business places. Even, with a pandemic, Connect-123 was able to provide an excellent internship program where I was able to learn about different cultures remotely. I don't think you will find any other internship program that is so dedicated to the success and wellbeing of their applicants and genuinely want to prepare them to succeed in the future. Connect-123 does incredible work finding their applicants the perfect internship and they were able to find me an internship where I was able to combine my passions of global business, women's empowerment, and sustainability. I was given the opportunity to work directly with the CEO and Founder on projects, engagement, and marketing which allowed me the opportunity to develop my business skills while also growing so much as an individual. Lea and Steven are the most caring and invested individuals and the perfect leaders for Connect-123. This has been the best internship experience of my entire life!

Collin Frazey

When the COVID-19 pandemic stripped away my plans to travel to Cape Town, I was nothing short of devastated. However, in joining Connect-123 for their virtual summer program, I not only found a rewarding internship along my career path but also became a part of an excellent community of fellow students. The support, career development seminars, and overall experience with Connect-123 was excellent and saved my 2020 summer.

Sherrine Boseman Rives

I have enjoyed my internship experience with Connect-123 immensely. I was paired with an organization that was really a great fit. The virtual aspect of my internship was unexpected as I had made plans to spend two months in Cape Town, South Africa. The pandemic changed those plans rather abruptly. However, everyone at Connect-123 was very helpful, and worked with me to coordinate a virtual internship. I feel that I would not have been able to pivot from an in person traditional internship experience to a virtual one without the responsiveness of the Connect-123 team.

The host organization I have been paired with has challenged me to use all of my talents and develop a few more. Every day during my assignment I am amazed at the breadth and scope of skills I use to complete tasks for the organization. It has been a great experience and I feel like I am a part of the host organization’s team. We meet almost daily and there are general staff meetings that I participate in from the United States.

It’s equally beneficial to be a part of the Connect-123 intern group. The organization provided virtual tours of Cape Town and Barcelona that were memorable. I have visited both countries before and I learned something new. The opportunity to listen to the achievements and talents of other Connect-123 participants has been invaluable and motivating. This has been an experience I will not soon forget. I will always have something positive and very interesting to share about my days during this life altering pandemic and I am very grateful.

Katherine Babbit

I had an amazing experience interning with a non-profit which works to empower vulnerable communities in South Africa. I conducted research on gender-based violence within the environmental sector and assisted in both developing programming and garnering funding to address these issues. I loved having the opportunity to contribute to a cause that I felt passionate about and to explore the form of work I am interested in pursuing after college. It was definitely disappointing that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted travel plans and prohibited me from visiting South Africa, but Connect-123 really helped make this virtual cross-cultural experience still meaningful. I was able to form a close connection with my supervisor, and I regularly interacted with other Connect-123 participants around the world through WhatsApp and Zoom. I can't wait to follow up on these connections in person someday in the future!

Olivia Rasmussen

I was determined to make the most of the Summer after my sophomore year of college knowing that if I put in the work, more opportunities would come up for me down the road. Unfortunately, like the rest of the world, COVID-19 took away my perfectly planned out Summer of an internship abroad. I was left worried that one of my college Summers would be wasted away,  and I would lose time I wanted to be experimenting in the working world. Thankfully, I found Connect-123 and they placed me in a virtual internship. Through this internship, I have gained so much social media marketing experience. In more general terms though, I have gained many communication skills and got to feel like I am really making a difference in the company. This was the perfect way for me to transition everything I have learned in school up to this point and put it into the ‘real world’. The strengths I came in with have expanded, but I also have new skills and experiences in marketing that I did not have before.

Adrianna Clemenhagen

I have always had an interest in traveling and getting to know other cultures. While I was unable to travel abroad for an in-person internship amid a global pandemic, Connect-123 offered a solution. With an opportunity to gain work experience, learn about Argentina, and practice my Spanish skills, Connect-123 helped me to fulfill all these goals with a virtual internship. As a Communications and Fundraising intern with an environmental organization, I got a closer look into the inner workings of non-profits, experience in writing grant proposals, as well as the opportunity to create social media content. I’m grateful for the chance to have gained internship experience despite the global issue of COVID-19, and I am so happy to have met the wonderful people at my organization. Hopefully, I can travel down to see them in the future!

Sarah Blinn

Given the uncertain times amidst the pandemic, I found a way to intern on a research project in Dublin through Connect-123. This opportunity allowed me to gain experience virtually as well as learn to navigate difficulties in communication and learning Ireland's Health Care system compared to the United States systems. Through Connect-123, I was also given the opportunity to work in groups through WhatsApp and via online seminars to share achievements as well as challenges. Within my internship, I have been able to learn about Ireland, Ireland's Health Care System as well as the UK's system. Through Connect-123 I have been able to build my resume, create virtual job opportunities for myself, and start adapting to the new norm of not communicating face to face. My time interning with my advisor has been enjoyable and flexible while I am taking classes at Birmingham-Southern College virtually as well. I have recommended this experience to many girls in my sorority as well as friends at other colleges in Florida. This experience is a great start to beginning my career path as a Physician's Assistant.

Tajsha Pope

Being a global studies major, I am always fascinated with the idea of traveling the world. I knew that during my last year of college I wanted to complete an internship abroad. Not knowing where to begin with the search process, Connect-123 made it easy for me. They took into account my work and personal goals and found a position that helped me grow. I taught English classes at a non-profit organization that helps young adults continue their education. Not only did I improve my teaching skills but other work skills I didn’t know I had. I was able to improve my Spanish and now feel confident talking with native Spanish speakers. I truly felt challenged and feel confident that this experience will make me stand out in the work world. I made beautiful connections with my colleagues and students I worked with during my time. Each day I would learn something new about Barcelona and myself. I also made long-lasting memories with other people I met through Connect-123. This journey shaped me into a new person and I will always cherish my time. I can't wait to go back to Barcelona again.

Andrew Smith

It is common for recent college graduates to struggle with figuring out what they want to do post-graduation and I am a prime example of that. Fortunately, Connect-123 helped me not only get the internship experience I was looking for, but the life experience that I will always remember. As a project management intern, I worked on several interesting projects which required me to complete extensive market research and ultimately, collaborate on a business plan for an upcoming Virtual Reality idea the company plans to launch. Working with people of many different cultures and backgrounds was an invaluable experience in addition to developing my Spanish speaking abilities. I met so many wonderful people during my time here: locals, at my internship and through the Connect-123 program. I will never forget my time here and cannot wait to come back to Barcelona in the future.

Libby Fox

Being able to do an internship abroad was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever experienced. Connect-123 made everything simple. They found us amazing apartments, a great internship site, and were even able to provide mandarin classes to us. It was also so nice to know that there was a point of contact person living in the city that we could message for advice and meet when we needed help with something. There was so much to do, and it was easy to get by without being fluent in Mandarin. I had a wonderful time and highly recommend finding internships through Connect-123!