“When I said goodbye to Roland, with whom I had done most of my work, he began to cry. Holding back my tears, I realized just how important this two-week experience had been for me. I put a lot into the work at the aquarium and I received even more. I gained not only knowledge and work experience, but strong interpersonal skills and a friend. “
—Daniel Blustein '06, The Seattle Aquarium (Seattle, WA)

“Regardless of any other part of my experience, the morning drives to school and afternoon/evening drives home were my favorite parts of the experience. Stacy and I talked about teaching, life at Kalamazoo College, politics, school, and any random topic we came across. I felt that I learned the most about her and her life through these conversations and that I could see myself a lot more clearly through her experience. “
—Sarah Mayville '05, Chamberlain High School (Tampa, FL)

“I was able to talk with someone about the future who really understood where I am coming from and where I might be headed. I can't even begin to describe how much this has done for my sense of belonging to the "K" community. “
—Heidi Florian '04, Freelance Translator (Champaign, IL)

“One of the most important lessons I learned from this experience is that one doesn't have to go abroad to be exposed to new cultures, languages, food, people, and ways of life.“
—Brian Weitzel '04, Northeastern Hospital (Philadelphia, PA)

“What I appreciated most about these two weeks at the World Bank is that they forced me to look at all sides of the issues, because if I was truly to understand this complicated Program, I needed to see the good, the bad, and the wildly successful. I had to think independently and pull together lots of bits of information from many sources, both written and human, and look objectively at the facts. Objectivity is something only sometimes available in the classroom where one has to learn the material or bust.“
—Kate Vickery '05, World Bank (Washington, DC)

“The assistant news director appropriately described the KGO as a "chaotic family", and I soon became a member of it. The professional code that I had planned to adhere to was replaced by close and personal relationships.“
—Katherine Wegert '06, KGO Newstalk 810/ABC (San Francisco, CA)

"My two weeks [at the Seattle Aquarium] further aroused my interest in this career path.  I gained a lot more confidence before heading to study abroad and being in a foreign land away from my friends and family.  I also have a better idea of how life will be after I graduate, when I have a career and live on my own.  The most unforgettable experience was accompanying one of the naturalists on a whale-watching excursion.  I saw bald eagles, a minke whale, eight Doll's porpoises, a half pod of orca whales (L-Pod), a slew of puffins and hundreds of harbor seals (even one that was nursing)!"
—Alexis Bowman '04

"Perhaps some of the most insightful experiences I had while on the externship were during the homestay when I would drive into work in the morning with Jonathan (Cunningham '84). Those conversations provided insight into what he did during work and in his free time."
—Austin Litvak '05

"Before the externship, my knowledge of politics was extremely limited. My two weeks in Washington, D.C. introduced me to the nitty-gritty of politics and heightened my awareness of the concerns of the everyday American citizen.  I completed a project that examined the benefits of several different welfare programs throughout the United States.  Using research tools such as online journal articles, newspapers, general internet searches, and House and Senate hearings, I compiled information pertinent to the research I was conducting.  Welfare is a social issue I find interesting, so this project was ideal."
—Kate Phelan '04

"My time at Valassis was my first experience working in a fast-paced environment that focused on cutting edge technology.  It confirmed that that was the type of environment in which I would like spend my professional career."
—Jude Vanover '03

"I chose an externship program [Charlotte, North Carolina] rather than a longer, traditional internship [Chicago, Illinois] for several reasons. Housing was easier to arrange, the cost of living was more manageable, and the timing (just prior to my study abroad in France) allowed me to spend more time with my friends and family before going overseas.  Furthermore, I worked in the information services department of Carolinas Healthcare Systems, one of the largest healthcare providers in the country.  I provided information to people who were making the final decisions on software that automates the distribution of information in a company.  I researched different software options, document imaging, and different methods of creating an interface between document imaging and workflow.  I attended meetings with vice presidents and directors, took a tour of the raised floor room (where all the servers for the healthcare system are kept), and learned how the many components of an information services department work together."
—Eric Venner '04