Global world, global learning: The student AIESEC experience

In today's increasingly smaller world, experience abroad can be very valuable, especially when considering a career in business. This experience can come from living or studying abroad or working abroad. For those interested in the latter, there is a resource on campus that may not be known to many students: AIESEC.

According to the national website, AIESEC began in 1948 as an organization to help develop "friendly relations" between member countries, and is now a global association, which is present in over 800 universities in over 90 countries and territories, and is the world's largest student organization.

These days, AIESEC helps facilitate about 4000 "exchanges" a year in which student workers from two nations switch countries for three or six months for an international internship.

The organization is able to facilitate these exchanges through the partnerships it has developed over the years with large companies such as Alcatel, Cadbury Schweppes, DHL, Electrolux, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Microsoft and UBS.

AIESEC also helps students develop skills through leadership experience by running the member chapters, and through many conferences they run each year.

UM-St. Louis currently has five students on internship exchanges in the Netherlands, Mexico, and Poland. Recently returned is Kurtis Kaspar, senior, business. Kaspar was working in Thailand for six months as an elementary school principal.

Another student, Brian Schuler, senior, accounting and finance, recently returned from a summer internship in Novosibirsk, Siberia. "I spent the summer doing financial analysis on Russian securities," Schuler said.

"There is a lot of money in Russian securities right now, and I was able to help develop portfolios for investors."

When asked why he chose Siberia, Schuler said he wanted a unique experience and challenge, and to culturally diversify himself.

Part of the challenge Schuler experienced in Siberia was with the climate. "It isn't like what people think.

It got up to 90 degrees over the summer, and since there is no air conditioning, it made working difficult. Then again, it also got down to 45 degrees in August."

Schuler also got the opportunity to travel during his stay in Siberia. He said that students in AIESEC will often get together and travel. Schuler was able to see many places in Siberia and Russia, including St. Petersburg and Moscow. During these trips, students will often stay with other members of AIESEC from the city they are visiting.

"The skills developed through the internship experience are the most important thing," Schuler said. "Building confidence and adaptability are very important these days, especially if you are interested in working for a multinational company."