Name: Kelsey McNichols
Semester Abroad: February-June 2006
Host Uni: University of Waikato, Hamilton, NZ
Home Uni: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities
Academic Major: Marketing and Supply Chain Management
Graduation Date: May 2008

Kelsey's semester abroad in New Zealand was less about traveling and more about quality friendships with Kiwis. The strong bond she shared with her new friends impacted her in incredible and profound ways. Upon her return, Kelsey wanted to help other students have similarly amazing experiences, so she begin working in her home uni's study abroad office and joined the AustraLearn enCompass Alumni Program. By combining her study abroad memories with professional development opportunities, Kelsey grew interested in a possible career in international education. This led her to apply for, and eventually receive, AustraLearn's Alumni of the Year Award, allowing her to spend a week in May 2007 at the annual NAFSA Conference amongst international education professionals all over the world, all sponsored by AustraLearn. She is spending the summer back in New Zealand as a sports marketing intern with the NZ Breakers basketball team in Auckland through the AustraLearn Internship Program! 

What was the most memorable experience from your semester abroad at Waikato?
Everyday I spent with my friends resulted in memorable experiences. If I had to choose though, the most memorable experience I had while at Waikato would have to be the night a huge group of my friends went out onto the sport fields on campus and tried to teach each other how to play a few of our national pastimes. The Americans tried to teach the Kiwis baseball and American football, while the Kiwis attempted to teach us cricket. Needless to say, after a few hours we all ended up exhausted, muddy, and had come to realize that we may not be quite as athletic as we had once thought!

Why did you decide to work in the study abroad office at University of Minnesota last year? What did you like most about job?
I decided to apply to the peer advisor position at the U of MN's Learning Abroad Center while still in NZ. I felt that a job that allowed me to share my abroad experiences with others as well as help other students plan and execute their time abroad couldn't have been more perfect for me. I have a passion for travel, an interest in different cultures, and a love for meeting new people and this job had it all! Thus far, the best part of my job would be getting the opportunity to chat with students that are still trying to pin point a destination for themselves. It's always interesting to see what is driving and motivating students in their decisions to go abroad and also what they are hoping to get out of their time while away.

Why did you decide to participate in the AustraLearn enCompass Program? What was your favorite activity that you completed?
I was introduced to the enCompass Program through one of AustraLearn's regional directors while at a campus study abroad fair. He told me that it was a great way to continue to reflect on my time abroad and to help encourage other students to consider a similar experience. My favorite activity that I completed for the program was being a past program participant at the predeparture meetings for students preparing to leave the country. It's a great feeling to be able to use some of what you learned abroad to answer others' questions and help to ease their worries in any way possible.

Would you recommend the enCompass Program to other AustraLearn alumni? Why or why not?
I would definitely recommend the enCompass Program to other AustraLearn alumni because it is a great way for you to really internalize your experience abroad and to help create awareness for other students at the opportunities available to them. Also, it was hard for me to come back and just attempt to leave everything that had happened there behind. Being part of the alumni program helps you to be able to continue to apply what you've experienced abroad.

You received the 2007 AustraLearn Alumni of the Year Award and recently attended the NAFSA conference with AustraLearn. What was that experience like? What did you learn or gain from attending the conference?
The experience was nothing less than overwhelming, but at the same time really fun to be a part of. I came to realize the extent and range to which the international education community is developed and connected. I would never have thought there were so many organizations and educational institutions that make international learning such a priority. It is really comforting and intriguing to think about what the future holds for students and the globalization of their educational experience. The conference allowed me to see how many great and hard-working people are out there devoted to helping give students a better education and more opportunities for their academic career.

What interests you most about working in the field of international education as a potential career?
I think that the most important qualification that a student needs to gain before entering the work field is being a global citizen. I feel that means being open to change, welcoming and being able to effectively work with diversity, having an interest in more than one's own community, and being exposed to a variety of different cultures. I feel that the more people that are able to embody these characteristics, the better off our societies are going to be. If I can play any part in helping and encouraging others to embrace these responsibilities, I think it would be very gratifying.

What motivated you to do an internship abroad?
I'm a business student so it was very important that I had an internship this summer, but I had noticed that a lot of my professors are starting to really stress the impact of globalization on the field of business. International experiences in a study or work context seem to make a great impression on future employers. I thought that interning internationally would be a great way to gain a unique perspective on the industry as well as return to the country that I have come to love!

Please tell us a bit about your current internship in New Zealand. What sort of responsibilities/projects will you be working on? What is the work environment like?
Currently I am in Auckland, New Zealand as a marketing intern for the Harvey Norman NZ Breakers basketball team. The first week we did a variety of random tasks to get acquainted with the team from attending game nights with coworkers, taking tours of the community and associated organizations, to even taking a road trip to Hamilton to deliver marketing material to a business there. In the upcoming weeks however, our focus will switch to one main project that will entail developing a marketing plan proposal that attempts to increase the student population fan base at the Breakers games in the upcoming season. We are responsible for utilizing any resources we can to identify promotions or marketing efforts that will be the most effective in luring the students in. The Breakers office has a very small staff, but they have all been exceptionally kind to us thus far and the environment is always comfortable, laid back and encouraging. Our supervisor does not micro-manage, so I think our experience will require a lot of hard work, resourcefulness, and creativity. Overall, I think it's great work experience with the added benefit of coming home everyday to a vacation!

Do you have any advice for other alumni looking to return to Aus/NZ for an internship program?
I would say that if you are pursuing a career that encourages internships, international work exposure, or are just a driven student looking for a new challenge or experience an international internship should be considered. If you've been abroad previously you may not have the room in your academic schedule to take off again for 5 months, but 10 weeks over your summer will not only get you back to the places you love, but it will surely be a wonderful boost to your resume and provide you with useful tools for any future job! The only advice I'd give is make sure that you make an effort to really find a placement that suits you and what you'd like to accomplish with an internship. Be open to new things, always keep in mind what a unique and rare opportunity an international internship is, and enjoy yourself! You're there to sell yourself and your work ethic professionally, while continuing to fulfill yourself personally!