Time seems to fly when you are having fun, and when you are busy. I’d like to believe that both apply to our IIB students this semester.

The students have 2 full weeks left here in New Paltz, and then we move them to NYC on Oct. 16. All of them have internship offers by now (ahead of schedule) and all but 2 have accepted an internship already! This is outstanding.

Companies accepting interns this semester include Bertelsmann, Ardistia, Tommy Hilfiger, Trafelet Delta Funds, Chanel, SEB, MoMA, Donna Karan, Viacom, Wing Latino and VH1. I am quite proud of the job my students have done in landing some GREAT internships!

It is time that I start shifting my attention from internships to incoming applications. We have a rolling admission policy – so if you are thinking you would like to apply for our spring 2010 program – get your application in to our office soon!

I just got this in the mail from my friends at Bertelsmann – seems our past student who interned there won an award for his internship at Bertelsmann while an IIB student. Wow – congratulations! His message follows:
********************
Hello dear friends!

I write to you briefly just to tell you that I won the First Place in
the nationwide Top 100 Young Entrepreneurs Awards organized by the
Coordinating Council for the Entrepreneurship.

As you know, the work I’ve submitted is called “My Internship Experience in Bertelsmann” and consisted in a book where I compiled some of the work I did as an intern, the corporate history, and the recommendation letters that you kindly wrote for me.

I can now be considered as the best intern in Mexico thanks to the
opportunity that you gave me and because of you constant support.
Thank you guys!

The price (sic) I won consists in a full paid scholarship to make another
internship in any part of the world that I decide for one year and six
months; this covers all the costs of transportation, food, etc. I think
I’ll do this as soon as I have my B.A. degree (May 2010).

Finally, I attach you a scanned image of a paper that covered the “Expo Joven” event where the award ceremony took place. It is in Spanish but I know you’ll understand it.

This is an award for all the team, so congratulations!

Best,

Alejandro Servin

Students are interviewing pretty heavily now – down to 4 weeks before they start their internships. Half of them have accepted internships already. Ardistria, MoMA, SEB, Trafelet Delta Funds, Bertelsmann, Tommy Hilfiger, SONY, Viacom, G2, and Donna Karan have all interviewed some of our students. While it is exciting – it’s also quite nerve racking for the students. That was a great interview, this is a great company. .. but I might also get a call from. . . .

I have put out an incentive to the students. All of them placed by Oct. 1 – and I will host a celebration party at my house. I will buy food, drink, and let them cook or cook for them as they wish. . . I hope all are placed by Oct. 1, and some of them want to cook – I am so looking forward to some enchiladas. . .

Hello,
I have decided that I would like to try blogging about the Institute for International Business (from now on referred to as IIB) and my experiences as the coordinator of this program. Why? I am hoping that by describing it from my perspective – program administrator, student counselor, placement site coordinator, academic liaison, and chief bottle washer that I might be able to inform others about this wonderful program. If I am miserable at this – let me know. . . I am open to feedback and would like to know if I am adding value, or wasting time.

Ok – looking forward to seeing you online. . .

Jeff
IIB Coordinator
SUNY New Paltz