Global Lansing develops international student internship initiative

Program seeks local businesses for international internship programs

A newly-launched Lansing-based initiative, Global Lansing, is seeking up to fifteen local employers to serve as placement locations for international student interns during the January-May 2013 spring semester.

The Global Lansing “Getting Started” Fellowship Program, led by the Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) and supported by a coalition of partners including the Prima Civitas Foundation (PCF), recently received a $20,000 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to better connect the nearly 7,000 international students at Michigan State University and Lansing Community College with local businesses and entrepreneurs.

“This program allows the international students in our community to lend hands-on experience to the businesses that strive to be more global and receive practical business experience,” said Sara Graham, Talent and Communications Director at LEAP. “There are many wonderful internship opportunities available to all the students in the region, but now we are filling this specialized international gap.”

Qualifying employers will receive free customized training and resources for launching their internship programs. Workshops focusing on the value of internships and cultural awareness will kick off in early December.

“We are excited to encourage businesses to connect with our community’s international students and see how these relationships develop,” said Tremaine Phillips, Chief Program Officer at PCF. “The potential to expand this program to more individuals and to other communities is great.”

Interested employers are asked to complete and submit a short application form available at http://bit.ly/SQSnGB by December 7, 2012.

For more information on Global Lansing and the “Getting Started” program, please visit http://bit.ly/SQSnGB.