Serbia, Montenegro, Germany, Finland, Peru, Hungary, Ghana and Russia are just a few of the countries represented by international exchange visitors to Kalamazoo, Michigan during one summer.

Participating in the internship program provided me with an extraordinary opportunity to meet fascinating people, expand my knowledge of international relations and intertwine disability awareness in international exchanges. 

I interned with Colleagues International, a nonprofit organization devoted to helping international visitors come to Michigan and receive training in their field of work. During my internship, my director and assistant director were very helpful, and everyone in my office understood and was extremely accepting of my learning disability. I did not require any special accommodations, however, if I needed assistance all I needed to do was ask. It made my experience at Colleagues International very comfortable, and I acquired valuable experience from tasks that I was asked to complete. For instance, I wrote a grant, designed a website, presented a proposal at a board meeting and attended international education conferences in Lincoln, Nebraska and Washington, DC. These experiences are very relevant to the career path I am interested in pursuing. 

The majority of my time was spent working on a new Southwest Michigan Disability Resource Guide. In designing it, I was surprised by the variety of resources that are available in the Southwest Michigan region to assist disabled individuals. There is an outstanding reserve of assistance available to serve as useful models for international visitors who have disabilities, or who are interested in raising awareness and building programs in the disability field in their home countries. The community of caregivers, educators and counselors in the Southwest Michigan region is extremely supportive and devoted to helping international guests understand the workings of disability programs in the various centers. This project I worked on has become an asset to the organization as well as the disabled community.

The most fulfilling aspect of the internship was the relationships that developed with the international visitors. Escorting the groups to their meetings and appointments, I found it interesting to learn about their cultures and lifestyles.  I also had the privilege of teaching them about American culture and lifestyles. Many visitors arrived here with one idea and left with a completely new understanding of the United States.

The impact that my internship had on my career decisions was unbelievable. My colleagues, as well as other business associates all understood why I was completing this internship. They all now know various types of information about the disability program that I have built and they all respect the time, effort and devotion that I have placed towards this program. I was asked to work part-time for Colleagues International and could not be happier. I am going into my senior year at Western Michigan University but still have one additional year, majoring in Political Science, working on my minor in Interpersonal Communication and almost completing a new Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program. I have developed programs and relationships while interning at Colleagues International that will remain to be positive for many years to come. After completing this internship I have realized that the academic and career path that I am leading will allow me to be very successful.