The connections that the university has already established with prestigious organizations and business/political leaders puts it a step ahead of many other universities. This is an asset afforded to the college because of its relationship with the New England Center for International and Regional Studies.

The International College in collaboration with the New England Center has established ties with well known organizations and multinational corporations and in so doing developed internship opportunities for the International College students at the University of Bridgeport.

International College Student Interns

Gabriella Kirkley
Internship in Christopher Shay's Office
Congressman of Connecticut's 4th District
"Every morning the office staff collected articles of interntional, federal, state and local concern from newspapers to give media coverage of issues and opinions of the people to the Congressman. The compilation included letters to the editor about Congressman Shays and his policies; it was one method to amass public opinion and hear the voice of constituents.

During the day, my job was basically to answer telephone calls from constituents of the 4th district of Connecticut concerning issues they had with district agencies, hospitals, health care, social security, education, etc. Constituents call to get information on general issues and ask how Chris Shays will vote on them.

I had no idea people were so involved with the federal government; I didn't know people would call up the congressman and voice their opinions to that extent. Constituents could even schedule personal visits with Congressman Shays. I could see that people who work for gevernment offices were "regular Joes," approachable and professional at the same time. I used to feel like "The Government" was so far away, but this internship really brought government down-to-earth for me. I'de like to get more involved with voting and deciding who to elect. It's not too hard to change things , and studying the platforms of different candidates is the minimum for a US citizen. Now I know that getting involved is also just a phone call away."

Emily Gunning
Internship in John Fabrizi's office
Mayor of the City of Bridgeport, CT
Since August of this year, Emily Gunning, 19, has been an intern for the office of the Mayor of Bridgeport, John Fabrizi. Hailing originally from Bangor, Maine, Emily is an IPED (International Political Economy and Diplomacy) major in the International College, aspiring to work in the field of international politics.

Working as an intern has given Emily the opportunity to see first-hand "behind the scenes" workings of the government, and enables her to better understand domestic issues. Although Emily's future ambitions are based on an international level, she feels it's important to know how our own government works, and enjoys being able to be an observer of the process.

In considering the internship, Emily felt it was important first to know where she wanted to go, and see what steps would be necessary in order to achieve those goals. She urges those who are considering applying for internships to do so, as it's important to get one's "foot in the door" and makes steps that will enable them to reach their goals.

Rubely Marte
Internship with Democratic National Convention 2004
New Haven, CT
Over the summer, Rubely Marte, 21, had an internship with a grassroots campaign effort started by the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Rubely is from Bronx, New York , , and is an IPED major in her senior year. Most of her time was spent "canvassing," which entails going door-to-door to encourage people to register to vote and to inform the public about John Kerry's message. This was an especially important aspect as it allowed Rubely to apply to real life the things she had learned in the classroom and to better acquaint herself with important domestic policies.

Although she has interned in the past at other places, Rubely feels that in applying for internships, it is important that one choose a place where one is able to learn information and skills relevant to one's future career. Through her experience over the summer, she felt that the "exotic" IPED major requirements that made her knowledgeable about ideology, international affairs and policy could really open doors for the future. She expressed that "what you learn in the textbooks goes far beyond the classroom, and people will pay you for that knowledge." Interning with the DNC was also how she was able to get her internship in Mayor DeStefano's office, which she will be starting soon.

Please contact the International College at 203-576-4966, if you are interested in pursuing an internship opportunity.