Vienna Plus

Reports

Economics, PolitIcal Science & Global Studies

Josephine Thannert @ Sindbad Spring 24

Background

I am double-majoring in Global Studies & Women's Studies and I pursue a minor in German studies.

Internship

Sindbad is a social business that focuses on one on one mentoring from their mentors and mentees. These mentors are here to help kids find what they want to do after school, apply for jobs, life advice, and so much more. I was the social media and marketing intern, where my main job was to take pictures and videos at events. I also was tasked with finding new ways to make Instagram more engaging to attract new mentors and mentees. This was initially hard for me as I have never had an internship or position like this before. In the end it ended up being a good experience and pushing me out of my comfort zone. During this internship I also got to go to a middle school and take pictures and videos there. I also got to introduce myself and pass out papers. While this seems small, I had a lot of fun doing this and got to use my German skills.

Takeaways

This internship was an amazing experience and I am very grateful I did it. This opportunity adds a lot to the study abroad experience. It truly made me feel like I was not just in Vienna for five months to study and travel, but that I also lived here. For any future study abroad student I would tell them to throw themselves into the internship. You get out what you put in, so much as much in as you can. Choose Vienna Plus because it's an amazing way to make roots in Vienna. Vienna Plus is a great way to boost one's resume and find new opportunities.

Nathan Knoll @ VICESSE Spring 24

Background

At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, I am enrolled in the Political Science Honors Program and in German studies. I chose this internship because I already have some experience in the research field, though I have done more quantitative research, whereas the VICESSE Praktikum is more based on qualitative research. Because I already have done research and am hoping to pursue a career in academia, I figured the VICESSE Praktikum would be perfect for broadening my skill set.

Internship

I had the responsibility of conducting my own research and planning out my own research paper. The research paper was on political efficacy and is being featured in a research conference in Germany in July, and will be published thereafter. I faced some notable challenges in writing my paper. For one, it was difficult to balance my university work with my research work, especially when there were few set deadlines for my paper. It often was placed on the backburner as I was preoccupied with more pressing work. I overcame this by setting aside hours in my weekly schedule when I would sit and research or write my paper. Additionally, it was difficult to get used to so-called “qualitative” research, because I am used to conducting lab experiments or using statistical data to conduct tests. In qualitative research, I relied more heavily on prior research than anything else to make my case. In a sense, I am still getting used to this. My Senior Thesis will utilize a nationwide experimental study and survey within my department. However, it was interesting to engage with another type of research.

Takeaways

As previously stated, this internship helped forge better time management skills. It also helped me familiarize myself with softwares like Zotero (an organizational/coding software) and databases like Scopus. I have learned some important things about intercultural work life and communication.

Also, I learned that I need to get my work done during the day and allow myself greater free time in the evenings. This semester I have started waking up very early and going to sleep quite early, and that has proved effective at motivating me to do my work earlier. Secondly, I should not be afraid to ask questions. I feel like the progress and my paper could have been greatly accelerated if I had only asked a simple question instead of trying to figure out things for myself.

Advice for future Vienna Plus students

I have two pieces of advice for future Vienna Plus students. Firstly, pick a topic that you enjoy and will be happy to work on for a whole semester. I was really happy that my “work” was essentially just doing something I was passionate about. Secondly, I would recommend open communication. Do not be afraid to ask questions, or even socialize with your internship coordinators, since they are there to help you. You may also even find a friend in them.

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