On October 4, CCIP conducted an info talk and interviews at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and Hong Kong Shue Yan University (HKSYU) on Friday October 5.
Both events were well-attended and made a success with alumni support. Macy and Joe from HKUST were interns in the summer of 2018, and they came to the talk and interviewed new participants. 2018 alumni Mandy and Ceci from HKSYU appeared at the HKSYU gathering the following day.
Macy and Joe both interned with New York State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic in CCIP’s July session. Macy served as a dragon boat co-captain and Joe was a group leader. Both valued experiences that went far beyond a routine traditional internship.
"One of my weaknesses is social skills, which I don’t get to practice much in school,” said Joe, “In the program I saw a lot of improvement in this area.”
Mandy and Ceci from HKSYU were there for the Friday event. Both felt many local students would benefit from the wider perspective offered by an overseas internship.
"Although academic exchanges have become popular, an overseas internship, especially CCIP’s in New York City, creates a very different experience. " said Mandy. "Academic exchange just feels like school at a different location. With an overseas internship, students are really doing something – day-to-day interactions with the boss and dealing with new responsibilities are a real growth experience and worth a lot on a CV.”
"Agree," added Ceci, who interned at Harry Home Nursing Registry. "Just being exposed to a different work culture with different people in New York City was valuable. People were so friendly and nice -- one staffer invited us to her house for dinner on the last day of my internship. And on the first day of the US Open, my boss went all the way to the stadium and bought me and another intern T-shirts. I felt that people really cared about us – it was wonderful.”
